Guildford, Surrey

Guildford is a large town in Surrey in the South East of England. It has still retained much of its historical charm. A short walk up the cobbled high street shows many buildings which are hundreds of years old. The medieval castle was used by the King of England in the 1400s and because of this Guildford is the only royal town in Surrey.

Guildford grew up into a large town because of its location at roughly the half way point between England's main naval port at Portsmouth and the admiralty in Greenwich, London. People travelling by horse drawn carriage between the two would stop at inns in Guildford (such as The Angel and The Lion) to swap horses over and to refresh themselves. With the advent of the steam train in the 19th century, Guildford was no longer needed for this purpose, and it fell into decline. But as more and more people started to commute into work in London in the early 20th century, Guildford became more and more rich and popular.

Guildford is the county town of Surrey, but not the administrative centre (that is Kingston-upon-Thames, which is actually in a London borough). It is the economic and cultural centre of the whole of West Surrey.

Although under 30 miles away from Central London Guildford has its own individuality and is not similar to boroughs in London or other commuter towns in Surrey. Guildford is a large town with all the amenities of a City.

Guildford has been the home of Lewis Carroll:

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) is a novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells the story of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar and anthropomorphic creatures. The tale is filled with allusions to Dodgson's friends. The tale plays with logic in ways that have given the story lasting popularity with adults as well as children. It is considered to be one of the most characteristic examples of the genre of literary nonsense, and its narrative course and structure have been enormously influential, mainly in the fantasy genre. The book is commonly referred to by the abbreviated title Alice in Wonderland, an alternative title popularized by the numerous stage, film and television adaptations of the story produced over the years.

SEE AND DO:

• Lewis Carrolls House, Guildford
  Lewis Carroll, author, mathematician and photographer, Lewis Carroll (b1832) lived in Guildford until his death in 1898. Visit Lewis Carolls house 'Chestnuts', on Castle Hill in the centre.

• The Guildhall, High Street, Guildford
  A marvellous Tudor/Stuart building with its overhanging 1683 clock.

• Guildford Castle and Grounds, Castle Street, Guildford
  Medieval castle built to protect the town in the 1400s and one of Henry III's most luxurious residences. Recent conservation work revealed a 12th century first floor chamber which is now open to the public.

• Guildford Cathedral, Stag Hill, Guildford
  A 1930s brick built cathedral which was the first to be built on a new site in the south of England since the Reformation. The inside is more impressive than the outside. The cathedral was started in the 1930s, but it wasn't until 1961 that it was consecrated due to an interruption in construction due to World War II.

ACCOMODATION, FOOD & DRINK:

• Mandolay, Guildford ( --> Reviews <--)
  The Mandolay is situated in the heart of Guildford, Surrey, and prides itself as being one of the finest hotels in the area. Corporate or leisure, we ensure that you are made to feel welcome and look forward to returning.

• Asperion Hotel, Guildford ( --> Reviews <--)
  We aim to create a high quality guest experience that is ethical, sustainable and rewarding. Passionate about food and guest service, we are also environmentally-aware, taking conscientious steps to participate in protecting our planet, within all aspects of our business strategy. Asperion's enviable location - within walking distance of historic Guildford town centre, mainline train station, University of Surrey and the Research Park - makes the Asperion a desirable and unique place to stay.