Castles · South East England
Guildford Castle
In or near Wonersh.
Guildford Castle — castle in Guildford, Surrey, England, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Guildford · 0.7 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Guildford Castle, the nearest railway station is Guildford, located 0.7 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is GU1 3UW. Please note that the site is not wheelchair accessible.
About
Guildford Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1100. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Address: GU1 3UW. Wikidata describes it as: "castle in Guildford, Surrey, England, UK". Coordinates: 51.2339°, -0.5727°.
Photo gallery
See it from the streetimagery from 2018
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
Heritage listing
Guildford Castle is in Guildford, Surrey, England. It is thought to have been built by William the Conqueror, or one of his barons, shortly after the 1066 invasion of England.
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Summary from the official site
Guildford Castle is a historic site believed to have been built shortly after the Norman invasion in 1066. Visitors can explore the Great Tower for panoramic views and enjoy the vibrant gardens, which feature floral displays, a statue of Alice Through the Looking Glass, and various recreational facilities.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Surrey Hills
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Guildford Castle is in Guildford, Surrey, England. It is thought to have been built by William the Conqueror, or one of his barons, shortly after the 1066 invasion of England.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Architecture
]] After the Battle of Hastings in 1066 William led his army to Canterbury and then sacked towns along the Pilgrims' Way, including Guildford. Later William, or one of his barons, built Guildford Castle. There is no record of it in the Domesday Book of 1086, so construction probably started after that date. First to be built at the Castle would have been the motte (a mound) around which was a ditch and a bailey protected by a wooden palisade. The bailey's boundary would have run along Castle Street, South Hill, what is now Racks Close and parallel with Quarry Street (although slightly to the east). If it followed a typical Norman design the bailey would have been divided with a palisade…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.2339, -0.5727
- County
- Surrey
- District
- Guildford
- Parish
- Guildford, unparished area
- Postcode
- GU1 3UW
- Parliamentary constituency
- Guildford
- Established
- 1100
- Nearest railway station
- Guildford — 0.7 km
- Official site
- www.guildford.gov.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q139629 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Guildford Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Guildford castle 1.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Alice Through The Looking-Glass
Public art & sculpture · 0.0 km
Castle
Viewpoints · 0.0 km
Castle Arch
Historic houses · 0.1 km
Guildford Museum
Museums · 0.1 km
Guildford War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 0.1 km
The Keep
Historic pubs · 0.1 km
St Mary's Church, Guildford
Historic churches · 0.2 km
The Mill Studio
Theatres · 0.2 km
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Open-air theatres · 0.2 km
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Theatres · 0.2 km
Medieval Synagogue
Archaeological sites · 0.2 km
13th Century Undercroft shop
Museums · 0.2 km
Nearby
📷 5Public art & sculpture · South East England
Alice Through The Looking-Glass
Alice Through The Looking-Glass — a public art in england-london, United Kingdom.
📷 5📷 5Historic houses · South East England
Castle Arch
Castle Arch — building in Guildford, Surrey, England, UK.
📷 5Museums · South East England
Guildford Museum
Guildford Museum — a museum in england-london, United Kingdom.
📷 5Memorials & monuments · South East England
Guildford War Memorial
Guildford War Memorial — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-london, United Kingdom.
📷 7Where to eat & stay near Guildford Castle
Places to stay
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📷 7Places to eat & drink
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📷 7Historic pubs · South East England
The Angel Hotel
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The Royal Oak Public House
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The Seahorse Public House
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Guildford Castle?
- Guildford Castle is in Surrey, London, United Kingdom (postcode GU1 3UW), in the parish of Guildford, unparished area.
- What is Guildford Castle?
- Guildford Castle — castle in Guildford, Surrey, England, UK.
- How do I get to Guildford Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Guildford, about 0.7 km away. Drivers can use postcode GU1 3UW.
- When was Guildford Castle built?
- Built or established in 1100.
- Is Guildford Castle a listed building?
- Guildford Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- Is Guildford Castle a protected site?
- Yes — Guildford Castle is part of the Surrey Hills National Landscape (AONB).
- Does Guildford Castle charge admission?
- Guildford Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Guildford Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Guildford, about 0.7 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode GU1 3UW.