Visit The Guildford Society website At the vanguard of preserving the town has been the Guildford Society. Nothing illustrates this better than the presence of Lloyds Bank in Guildford High Street. The historic frontage supports the banks image and adds to the High Street and the story behind its survival is a good one. The…
Guildford Museum Project – Background
2015 – Museum Review Following the failure of a second lottery bid, announced in March 2015, the future of Guildford Museum seemed in doubt. (see History of Guildford Museum) A review was set up to decide the future of the museum, whether keep it and if so whether to move it elsewhere. A report by…
Friends of Guildford Museum
Visit the Friends of Guildford Museum website In 1994 Matthew Alexander, Curator of Guildford Museum, brought together several museum supporters with the aim of forming a Friends of the Museum. In the late 1980s and early 1990s the concept of friends organisations to fundraise for museums gathered steam across the country. After a bit of…
Surrey Archaeological Society
View the Surrey Archaeological Society website Almost 50% of the collections in Guildford Museum belong to the Surrey Archaeological Society, which founded the museum in 1898. Today we think of archaeology in terms of excavations but the Victorians took a broader view. The collections of the Surrey Archaeological Society contain not only Prehistoric, Roman and…
The Guildford Story
Guildford has been shaped by its position at a cross-roads of important routes and by its proximity to London, 33 miles to the north-east. It is situated in a gap in the North Downs where the River Wey cuts through the hills. Since prehistoric times the downs have provided an easy east-west route above the…
Heritage Open Days
Heritage Open Days is a national event held every September. With 2500 participants it is the country’s largest history festival and started in 1994. Properties from historic buildings to modern offices are opened to the public free of charge. Over the years it has developed with talks, walks and living history displays. Guildford’s contribution has…
Guildford Museum Project – Background
What is purpose behind the project? The aim is to create a museum that enhances Guildford’s reputation as a great place to live, work and play. It will promote the town, improve cultural and community life, foster educational needs, boost tourism, support the town economy and help explore a sense of identity. The official vision…
Heritage Attractions
Guildford is famous for its historic high street paved with stone setts and its unique town clock overhanging the roadway. Five minutes walk from the high street is the finest Norman Castle in the county set in a beautifully preserved award winning municipal park. The high street, with its views ofo the north downs contains…
Guildford Castle
Read report on the Interpretation of Guildford Castle Guildford Castle is not your typical Hollywood fortress with battlements, turrets and draw bridges. The Victorians turned it into an attractive ornamental ruin set in a pristine municipal park. It was not until 2004 that displays were put in the castle to illustrate its history. We now…
Guildford Museum – history
Guildford Museum opened in 1898. It was an age of a social improvement when services we now take for granted were being introduced. These included state schools, hospitals, swimming baths, public parks, libraries and, of course, museums. Guildford Borough Council wanted to put itself on the map as a modern borough. In 1885 it purchased…