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St Mary’s Church (10thc.)

Posted on January 12, 2021January 12, 2021

Saxon church, 10th c. on the site of earliest settlement in Guildford. The flint tower has been dated to the late 10th century on stylistic grounds and a local legend says people used it to watch the Norman invaders burn nearby Shalford in 1066. Most of the church was rebuilt in c1180 in the transitional style and has been described as having the most “attractive town-church interior in Surrey”. The east end was shortened in 1825 to widen the road. Another local legend says it was shortened to allow George IV’s coach get through on his journey to Brighton. (Why he would be coming via Guildford when driving from London to Brighton is just one of the flaws with this story)

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