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Pictures of Guildford

in the county of Surrey

High Street, Guildford, Surrey

About Guildford

Fashionable county town of the County of Surrey. It has a High Street of mellow Georgian buildings, and despite changing times Guildford is a town that has managed to maintain its charm and character.

The River Wey has been central to the life of the town for centuries. Its beautiful Guildhall stands in the High Street which runs down to the banks of the river. This is an impressive Tudor building with a 17th century facade and a protruding clock bearing the date 1683. Tall windows and an elegant balcony complete this attractive building which also has a bell-turret. In the old courtroom there is a set of standard measures presented to Guildford by Queen Elizabeth I, one of the few complete sets from this period still in existence.

Guildford cathedral occupies a commanding position on Stag Hill. This is one of the few churches built during the 20th century, it was begun in 1936 but was delayed by the advent of the Second World War, it was finally finished and consecrated in 1961. It has an eye catching red brick exterior to a simplified Gothic design by Sir Edward Maufe.

Away from the High Street stands ruined Guildford Castle, this was built by Henry II during the 12th century and is located on a mound. Here, from the castle keep visitors can take in good views of the town. Housed within the castle is the museum of local history, this has a collection dedicated to Lewis Caroll the author of Alice in Wonderland, who died in Guildford at the end of the 19th century and whose body lies buried in Mount Cemetery.

Leisure is catered for by the Spectrum Leisure Complex is in Parkway. The river life of the Wey provides endless entertainment with ducks and swans waddling out of the water in search of food - usually there are children are at hand to help out with feeding. Further down the river interesting old mills can be seen and many wharfs and boathouses can be found where boats can be hired or river trips arranged. The town's original barge building site is at Dapdune Wharf this is now in the hands of the National Trust and has a visitor centre recalling three hundred years of waterway history. Mostly, for centuries the waters of the river had only a commercial usage, it has locks built during the 17th century, now-a-days it is the scene of pleasure with gaily painted narrow boats and other rivercraft gliding sedately between banks lined with willow trees dipping gracious branches at the waters edge.

The Civic Hall is the home of Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra and is a venue for concerts and other entertainments, whilst the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre regularly presents shows direct from London's West End. This theatre is pleasantly situated at the side of the river just a short distance from Town Bridge.

The students attending Surrey University give the town a youthful feel. The university has sites in Guildford, one at Stag Hill and the other a short distance out of the town. The North Downs Way runs right through Guildford with the stretch towards Dorking being particularly open and attractive.

Around the town there are upmarket hotels and restaurants, historic inns, fine shops, cafe's and interesting public houses. With its close proximity to London, plus its historic connections Guildford attracts many of its residents from the business sector of London. It is a wholly interesting town which offers much to visitors, who should they tarry for a day or so get to experience a pleasant way of life with a charm long since gone from many other places.


Planning a visit? Please see below for other recommended towns, attractions and recommended hotels nearby.

Distances and directions below are approximate. For true driving distances please visit the AA Route Planner

Recommended attractions near Guildford

Guildford Castle(0.4 miles, 0.7 km)Pictures
Guildford Cathedral(1.0 miles, 1.6 km)Pictures
Loseley House(2.1 miles, 3.4 km, direction SW)Pictures
Chilworth Manor(2.2 miles, 3.5 km, direction SE)Pictures
Newlands Corner(2.7 miles, 4.4 km, direction E)Pictures
Shere Museum(4.8 miles, 7.7 km, direction E)Pictures
Winkworth Arboretum(5.0 miles, 8.0 km, direction S)Pictures
Hog's Back(6.0 miles, 9.6 km, direction W)Pictures
RHS Garden Wisley(7.0 miles, 11.2 km, direction NE)Pictures
Aldershot Military Museum(8.3 miles, 13.3 km, direction W)Pictures
Polesden Lacey(8.4 miles, 13.5 km, direction E)Pictures
St Michael's Abbey(8.7 miles, 14.1 km, direction NW)Pictures
Lightwater Country Park(9.3 miles, 15.0 km, direction NW)Pictures
Brooklands Museum(9.4 miles, 15.1 km, direction NE)Pictures
Farnham Castle(9.8 miles, 15.7 km, direction W)Pictures

All attractions in Guildford
All attractions in Surrey
Complete A to Z of attractions in England

Recommended towns near Guildford

Wonersh, a Picturesque Village in the county of Surrey (2.9 miles, 4.6 km, direction SE)
Picturesque village on the road from Guildford to Cranleigh. Here visitors will find a wealth of timber-frame black and white properties dominating the narrow village streets, thus the village retains a lovely timeless atmosphere.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Godalming, a Historic Market Town in the county of Surrey (4.0 miles, 6.4 km, direction SW)
A feature of the town is its long narrow streets, these stretch out from the River Wey and are lined with several gracious historic properties.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Shere, a Picturesque Village in the county of Surrey (4.6 miles, 7.4 km, direction E)
This lovely tranquil village on the picturesque Tillingbourne, nestles beneath the rolling countryside of the North Downs.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Woking, a Historic Market Town in the county of Surrey (5.5 miles, 8.9 km, direction N)
In the 17th-century the old part of Woking was a thriving market town with a lively population.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Hascombe, a Picturesque Village in the county of Surrey (5.9 miles, 9.5 km, direction S)
Part of the charm of Hascombe, are the several delightful gardens in the area, designed by Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932) celebrated landscape designer of the 19th and 20th-century.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Cranleigh, a Picturesque Village in the county of Surrey (7.6 miles, 12.2 km, direction SE)
The church is perhaps one of Cranleigh's most interesting features, in the south transept carved on an arch visitors can see the head of a grinning cat, this is believed to have been the inspiration for Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Farnborough, in the county of Hampshire (8.6 miles, 13.9 km, direction NW)
This town is listed in the Doomsday Book of 1086, then it was a mere settlement which over the passing centuries developed into a village.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Cobham, in the county of Surrey (9.5 miles, 15.3 km, direction NE)
Cobham Mill rests on a picturesque stretch of the river surrounded by dipping weeping willows and graceful swans.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Farnham, a Historic Market Town in the county of Surrey (10.0 miles, 16.1 km, direction W)
It was King Caedwalla of Wessex who, in 688 bestowed the Manor of Farnham on the Bishop's of Winchester.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Dorking, a Historic Market Town in the county of Surrey (10.4 miles, 16.8 km, direction E)
It is here that romantically Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton said their good byes before Nelson departed for the Battle of Trafalgar in the year 1805.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Leatherhead, a Historic Market Town in the county of Surrey (11.3 miles, 18.2 km, direction E)
This is an ancient town, where the parish church of St.Mary and St.Nicholas has existed since Anglo-Saxon times.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Shepperton, a Picturesque Village in the county of Surrey (11.8 miles, 18.9 km, direction NE)
The charming village of Shepperton was once the haunt of legendary highwayman Dick Turpin who is said to have visited the village's 400 year hostelry - the atmospheric Anchor Hotel overlooking Church Square.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

East Molesey, in the county of Surrey (14.7 miles, 23.6 km, direction NE)
This picturesque pleasant place is fortunate to lie between the waters of the historic River Thames and the River Mole. It is perhaps best known for Hampton Court Palace, the building started by Cardinal Wolsey in 1514.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Epsom, a Historic Market Town in the county of Surrey (14.9 miles, 23.9 km, direction NE)
Epsom, is known world-wide for what is perhaps the most famous horse race of all time - The Derby.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

Reigate, a Historic Market Town in the county of Surrey (15.9 miles, 25.6 km, direction E)
This is a bustling part of the Surrey landscape, it is easily reached via the M25 from London and is right on the North Downs Way.
Info | Pictures | Hotels

All towns in Surrey
Complete A to Z of towns in England

Nearby travel help

London Road(0.5 miles, 0.8 km)
Guildford Station(0.6 miles, 1.0 km)
M25 Junction 10 (Wisley Interchange)(7.9 miles, 12.7 km, direction NE)
M3 Junction 3(9.6 miles, 15.5 km, direction NW)
London Heathrow Airport(17.2 miles, 27.7 km, direction N)
London Gatwick Airport(18.1 miles, 29.1 km, direction E)
Guildford to London(26.9 miles, 43.3 km, direction NE)

Hotels & Accommodation in Guildford

Hotel NameApproximate distance from Guildford center
The Guildford Hotel(0.2 miles, 0.3 km)
Mandolay(0.3 miles, 0.5 km)
Holiday Inn Guildford(1.4 miles, 2.3 km, direction W)
Manor House Hotel(2.9 miles, 4.6 km, direction E)
Barnett Hill(3.1 miles, 5.0 km, direction SE)
The Kings Arms and Royal Hotel(3.9 miles, 6.3 km, direction SW)
De Vere Venues Gorse Hill(4.6 miles, 7.4 km, direction N)
Burrows Lea Country House(5.4 miles, 8.6 km, direction E)
Holiday Inn Woking(6.0 miles, 9.6 km, direction N)
Hurtwood Inn Hotel(6.2 miles, 10.0 km, direction SE)
All hotels in Guildford

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