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With
a population of 67,00 Guildford is the county town
of Surrey. Standing on the River Wey in the rolling Surrey
Hills, 30 miles south-west of London. Even with a cathedral,
castle and university, Guildford is not a city.
The settlement
was here in Saxon times in a gap in the North Downs where
the River Wey breaks through the hills.
The tower
of St Mary's Church is Saxon and dates from 1036. In the
12th century a castle was built here as an overnight resting
place for the Windsor hunting park, and the Norman keep has
survived - now surrounded by a park.
From
the 14th to the 18th century Guildford prospered with the
wool trade. The town was traditionally a stopping off point
for travellers on the Pilgrim's Way and later its position
on the road between London and Portsmouth (now the A3) meant
that Guildford became an important coaching town.
The building
of the Wey Navigation, one of the first rivers in England
to be made navigable and Surrey's oldest waterway, brought
further prosperity to the town.
One of
Guildford's famous landmarks is the Guildhall,
a Tudor building with a 17th century façade, and a clock overhanging
the street. The clock is dated 1693 but its inner workings
date from 1560.
The Guildford
Museum, established in 1898, has the largest collection
of local history, archaeology and needlework in Surrey.
It's
most famous residents was Lewis Carroll (1832 - 98). The
author of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' spent
the later years of his life in Guildford and is buried in
The Mount Cemetery. Guided walks, giving visitors a facinating
insight into the history of the town, take in the Castle,
Guildhall and other historic buildings.
Guildford
is dominated by its 20th century cathedral , which is dramatically
floodlit at night. The town was once part of the diocese
of Winchester but in 1927 it was created a diocese in its
own right. The imposing red brick Gothic cathedral, designed
by Sir Edward Maufe, was conscecrated in 1961, next to the
university campus to the north-west of the town.
The town
has an attractive traffic-free High Street, laid with granite
setts (cobbles), and is one of the best shopping centres in
the South East.
Markets
are held here on Fridays and Saturdays and a Farmers' Market
is held on the first Tuesday of the month.
Guildford
offers a wide variety of entertainment.The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre,
set beside the river, presents pre- and post-West End productions,
plus Fringe-style drama at the Mill Studio.
The Civic
Hall hosts a range of shows from comedy to classical concerts
by Guildford's Philharmonic Orchestra, whilst the Electric
Theatre stages the best in amateur drama, music, comedy, film
and professional productions.
Set
in a historic building dating from 1660, the Guildford
House Galley, displays selections from the borough's art
collection and temporary exhibitions.
The prize-winning
Spectrum Leisure Centre offers a wide range of indoor and
outdoor sporting facilities.
The Dapdune
Wharf Visitor Centre is the centrepiece of the National
Trust's River Wey Navigations with interactive exhibits and
displays, one of the last surviving Wey barges, river trips,
riverside walks and trails along the tow path.
There
are many fine country houses in the district including Clandon
Park, Hatchlands
and Loseley
Park.
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Guildford
