Welcome to Guildford
Our home town really is a place to be proud of, and we love showing off about all the wonderful places to visit, sights to see and experiences to…experience.
Let’s start with the basics, Guildford is a town, not a City. Yes we have a Cathedral and a University or two, but contrary to popular belief, these things do not a City make, in fact Surrey is one of the few counties in the UK without a City.
Surrey is the smallest of the Home Counties, it is however the wealthiest county in Great Britain, and the most wooded in England, with plenty of glorious countryside, including the world famous Surrey Hills.
Guildford itself has been settled since the 5th century, and thanks to its location on the River Wey and easy trading routes with London and the south coast, it has continued to thrive. The very first Norman castle was built here in the 11th century, and its fine keep and beautiful gardens attract thousands of visitors every year.
Guildford also has had its fair share of famous residents, Lewis Carroll creator of Alice in Wonderland called the town home, as did P.G. Wodehouse of Jeeves and Wooster fame. Mark Twain and Charles Dickens visited the town, while Film Director Alfred Hitchcock loved nearby town Shamley Green so much, he named his production company after the place.
And we should mention that the parents of computer pioneer Alan Turing lived in The Mandolay buildings before it became a hotel, with Alan himself a frequent visitor.
Today, the town is the bustling heart of Surrey, packed with independent shops, entertainment venues, great pubs and restaurants, art galleries and a real café culture scene, all centred around the iconic High Street with its famous clock, and sett laden road surface.
Guildford is a town that rewards the inquisitive, there is something here for everyone, and with London little more than 25 minutes away by train, and the south coast resorts easily accessible by road, it is a wonderful base for exploring the entire region.
Welcome to Guildford, we hope you will love it here.