www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk Surrey Walks & Rides August 09 35 SMG A stroll around Guildford’s Historic Trail is perfect for those who don’t like being too far away from town life. Starting at Tunsgate, we had a steady climb to get to the Great Tower, but it was worth it, as it offers great views of the town. We did struggle to find the Alice statues. For those who are not great at orienteering, one is in a garden near The Royal Palace path and the other near the White House pub on the canal bank. As this is a town trail there are ample spots throughout the walk to stop for refreshments. There is also plenty to tempt shopaholics, as the trail takes you through most of the town’s main shopping areas. This walk is a great way to learn about the town’s history with plenty of attractions along the way – allow yourself plenty of time to really enjoy all the sights. Nicole Le Marie Guildford We’ve done the walk details WALK 8 ‘ Average time 2 hours – but allow longer Terrain Hard surface footpaths, hilly, cobbled in places Distance Approx. 1.5 miles/2.4km Parking Castle car park – plenty of car parks in town Start The first disc under Tunsgate Arch Maps A street map or Guilford Historic Trail leaflet from Information Centre Nearest towns Guildford Refreshments Numerous in town and on route – check out side streets as well as main streets Public toilets Unsgate, Friary Centre Public transport Buses include Arriva 21, 22, 32 from Redhill to Guildford via Reigate and Dorking. Trains to Guildford Enjoy the countryside and treat it with the courtesy you would expect to receive Note This map is an illustration, we suggest you also use an Ordnance survey map S tart at the first disc, which can be found under Tunsgate Arch. This building with its Doric columns facing the High Street was built in 1818 as the portico for the town’s Corn Exchange. The Guildhall across the High Street, with its famous clock dating from 1683, is the ancient building in which the Approved Men of Guildford (a forerunner of the Guildford Borough Council) met to administer the affairs of the borough. ' Walk up Tunsgate, away from the High Street to Castle Square. Look across to the Castle Gardens and downhill towards the site of the lower medieval town. Cross the road and through the gates opposite to the Castle Bowling Green, which dates from 1739. Walk down the path and up to the entrance of The Great Tower – or Guildford Castle Keep – which was built by the Normans in the early 12th century on the site of an earlier wooden fortress, and strengthened shortly after in the reign of Henry II. ' Retrace your steps, walking clockwise around the tower and turn right down the path to the Royal Palace. Little now remains of this magnificent medieval building, where King John celebrated Christmases and Henry III visited on more than 100 occasions during his reign. Go through the gate and turn left up a path to an iron gate on your right that leads into a small garden, where you’ll find the Alice Through the Looking Glass statue, created in memory of Lewis Carroll who lived with his seven sisters at The Chestnuts – the house beyond the fence – from 1868 until his death in 1898. It was here that he wrote much of Alice Through the Looking Glass in 1871. ' Retrace your steps and go down to Castle Arch, which was built in 1256 as the main entrance to Guildford Castle and even boasted its own portcullis in years gone by. Pass through the arch, turn right and note on your right Guildford Museum, opened in 1898. Cross the road and look down to the Old Dispensary. You are now standing outside Guildford’s first medical centre. Opened in 1860, it was the immediate forerunner of the town’s Royal Surrey County Hospital. Continue down Quarry Street to St Mary’s Church, the only remaining building in Guildford that dates from Saxon times and replaced an earlier wooden church on this site in about 1050. ' Walk down Mill Lane and across the road at the lights to the Town Mill, which was used over the centuries for milling corn and pumping the water supply. Ahead you can see The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, which was opened in 1965 and named after the famous French actress who lived locally. Walk along the alley to the left of the theatre to the Wey Navigation, which dates from 1653 and was one of the first navigable river systems in England. Cross the river to Millmead, turn right, and walk along the riverside until you see the Alice and the White Rabbit statue, depicting the opening moments of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. ' Proceed to the Town Bridge and continue across. Turn left down to the riverside to the Town Wharf. A modern statue of The Bargeman stands nearby. By walking along the riverside path and under the road bridge, it is possible to see the Electric Theatre. Opened in 1896, this building originally housed the town’s first electricity works. Then pass through the underpass, Friary Passage, to Friary Square. North Street, stretching uphill, was originally called the North Town Ditch or Lower Backside in Georgian times. Turn back along Friary Street, turn left into the High Street and up to White Lion Walk. ' Walk on up the High Street to The Angel Hotel, the last survivor of Guildford’s Georgian coaching inns. It dates from medieval times and has been used as an inn since 1522. Walk through Angel Gate and turn right into North Street. Walk up to the top of this street and see on your right Quaker’s Acre, originally the town’s old Quaker burial ground, but now a quiet public garden. A little further up North Street, turn right into Jeffrey’s Passage and go through to the High Street, crossing the street to the steps below Holy Trinity Church. ' Walk up the High Street, past the statue of George Abbot, pausing at The Royal Grammar School, built in 1553, when Edward VI re-endowed the school. Walk on a few yards to Somerset House. It was built as a town house for the Duke of Somerset and is now a restaurant. Walk back down the High Street to where you started out, noting buildings such as Guildford House (just above the Guildhall) built for the Guildford Lawyer and Mayor John Child in 1660 and used as the town’s art gallery since 1959. In bloom The castle gardens (photo courtesy of Georgina Ledgwidge) Impressive The Great Tower of the town’s castle (photo courtesy of Georgina Ledgwidge) 19
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www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk Surrey Walks & Rides August 09 35SMG
A stroll around Guildford’s Historic Trail isperfect for those who don’t like being too faraway from town life. Starting at Tunsgate, wehad a steady climb to get to the Great Tower,but it was worth it, as it offers great views ofthe town. We did struggle to find the Alicestatues. For those who are not great atorienteering, one is in a garden near TheRoyal Palace path and the other near theWhite House pub on the canal bank.
As this is a town trail there are ample spotsthroughout the walk to stop for refreshments.There is also plenty to tempt shopaholics, asthe trail takes you through most of the town’smain shopping areas.
This walk is a great way to learn about thetown’s history with plenty of attractions alongthe way – allow yourself plenty of time to reallyenjoy all the sights.
Nicole Le Marie
Guildford We’vedone thewalk
details WALK
8 ‘Average time2 hours – but allow longer
TerrainHard surface footpaths, hilly,cobbled in places
DistanceApprox. 1.5 miles/2.4km
ParkingCastle car park – plenty of carparks in town
StartThe first disc under TunsgateArch
MapsA street map or Guilford HistoricTrail leaflet from Information Centre
Nearest townsGuildford
RefreshmentsNumerous in town and onroute – check out side streetsas well as main streets
Public toiletsUnsgate, Friary Centre
Public transportBuses include Arriva 21, 22, 32from Redhill to Guildford viaReigate and Dorking. Trains toGuildford
Enjoy the countryside and treat it with the courtesy you would expect to receive
Note This map is an illustration, we suggest you also use an Ordnance survey map
S tart at the first disc, which can be foundunder Tunsgate Arch. This building with itsDoric columns facing the High Street was
built in 1818 as the portico for the town’s CornExchange. The Guildhall across the High Street,with its famous clock dating from 1683, is theancient building in which the Approved Men ofGuildford (a forerunner of the Guildford BoroughCouncil) met to administer the affairs of theborough.
Walk up Tunsgate, away from the High Street toCastle Square. Look across to the Castle Gardensand downhill towards the site of the lower medieval
town. Cross the road and through the gatesopposite to the Castle Bowling Green, which datesfrom 1739. Walk down the path and up to theentrance of The Great Tower – or Guildford CastleKeep – which was built by the Normans in the early12th century on the site of an earlier wooden fortress,and strengthened shortly after in the reign of Henry II.
Retrace your steps, walking clockwise around thetower and turn right down the path to the RoyalPalace. Little now remains of this magnificentmedieval building, where King John celebratedChristmases and Henry III visited on more than 100occasions during his reign. Go through the gate andturn left up a path to an iron gate on your right thatleads into a small garden, where you’ll find theAlice Through the Looking Glass statue, created inmemory of Lewis Carroll who lived with his sevensisters at The Chestnuts – the house beyond thefence – from 1868 until his death in 1898. It was herethat he wrote much of Alice Through the LookingGlass in 1871.
Retrace your steps and go down to Castle Arch,which was built in 1256 as the main entrance toGuildford Castle and even boasted its own portcullisin years gone by. Pass through the arch, turn rightand note on your right Guildford Museum, openedin 1898. Cross the road and look down to the OldDispensary. You are now standing outside Guildford’sfirst medical centre. Opened in 1860, it was theimmediate forerunner of the town’s Royal SurreyCounty Hospital. Continue down Quarry Street to St
Mary’s Church, the only remaining building inGuildford that dates from Saxon times and replacedan earlier wooden church on this site in about 1050.
Walk down Mill Lane and across the road at thelights to the Town Mill, which was used over thecenturies for milling corn and pumping the watersupply. Ahead you can see The Yvonne ArnaudTheatre, which was opened in 1965 and namedafter the famous French actress who lived locally.Walk along the alley to the left of the theatre to theWey Navigation, which dates from 1653 and wasone of the first navigable river systems in England.Cross the river to Millmead, turn right, and walk alongthe riverside until you see the Alice and the WhiteRabbit statue, depicting the opening moments ofLewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.
Proceed to the Town Bridge and continue across.Turn left down to the riverside to the Town Wharf. Amodern statue of The Bargeman stands nearby. Bywalking along the riverside path and under the roadbridge, it is possible to see the Electric Theatre.Opened in 1896, this building originally housed thetown’s first electricity works. Then pass through theunderpass, Friary Passage, to Friary Square. NorthStreet, stretching uphill, was originally called theNorth Town Ditch or Lower Backside in Georgiantimes. Turn back along Friary Street, turn left intothe High Street and up to White Lion Walk.
Walk on up the High Street to The Angel Hotel,the last survivor of Guildford’s Georgian coachinginns. It dates from medieval times and has beenused as an inn since 1522. Walk through AngelGate and turn right into North Street. Walk up to thetop of this street and see on your right Quaker’sAcre, originally the town’s old Quaker burial ground,but now a quiet public garden. A little further upNorth Street, turn right into Jeffrey’s Passage andgo through to the High Street, crossing the street tothe steps below Holy Trinity Church.
Walk up the High Street, past the statue ofGeorge Abbot, pausing at The Royal GrammarSchool, built in 1553, when Edward VI re-endowedthe school. Walk on a few yards to SomersetHouse. It was built as a town house for the Duke ofSomerset and is now a restaurant. Walk back downthe High Street to where you started out, notingbuildings such as Guildford House (just above theGuildhall) built for the Guildford Lawyer and MayorJohn Child in 1660 and used as the town’s artgallery since 1959.
In bloom The castle gardens (photo courtesy of Georgina Ledgwidge)
Impressive The Great Tower of the town’s castle(photo courtesy of Georgina Ledgwidge)
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