After another blissful night’s sleep we tucked into hearty breakfasts downstairs in the Percy Arm’s cosy restaurant. As the inn has South African owners included on the menu are some interesting dishes. My husband was tempted to sample the S.A. breakfast which comprised two fried eggs, bacon, Boerewors farmers sausage, polenta, chakalaka spicy bean relish and tomato. When served it looked surprisingly similar to the traditional English version but with different flavours. The dish got a big thumbs up and was said to be very flavoursome whilst my smashed avocado and eggs were also up there with the best.
After bidding our farewells to Alfred and the rest of the team at The Percy Arms we packed up the car and drove the short distance to the Artingtom Park & Ride on our way into Guildford (£2.30 return per person including unlimited stay parking). A bus was just about to depart so we dashed across the car park and ten minutes later we were getting off in the town centre.
Guildford is the county town of Surrey, situated just 27 miles south west of London and less than an hour by train, making it a desirable place to live outside the city. As we were unfamiliar with the town, we had arranged a walking tour with Steve, one of the Guildford Town Guides whom we met beneath the Tunsgate Arch midway along the cobbled high street.
After welcoming us to Guildford, Steve began our walking tour by explaining that the Tunsgate Arch resplendent with Doric columns was built in 1818 as the entrance to the town’s Corn Exchange. It takes its name as it stands on the site of one of Guildford’s former coaching inns called The Three Tuns.
Facing the arch is the Guildhall with its magnificent gold bracketed clock hanging over the high street. The building has Tudor origins and was formerly a court room but is now the official office of the mayor and where official events take place. Unfortunately we had arrived in town on the very morning that scaffolding was being erected ahead of renovations to the building, rendering my photos quite poor, but it couldn’t be helped.
Steve then led us up Tunsgate towards the castle where he pointed out that the Castle Square formed the boundary of the medieval town. Credit must go the the council gardening department because even though we were visiting in mid-winter the Castle gardens still looked beautiful with their careful planting. It was quite a dreary morning but we still enjoyed some good views over the old town below.
Moving on, we explored the exterior of the Great Tower (also known as the Castle Keep) which was built by Normans in the early 12th century on the site of an earlier wooden fortress. Although the castle saw little or no military action it was utilised as the main Surrey and Sussex prison. Restoration work took place in 2004 and it is now open to the public but was unfortunately closed at the time of our visit.
Our attention was drawn to a sculpture of Alice Through The Looking Glass which was created in memory of the famous children’s author Lewis Carroll who lived nearby with his seven sisters at The Chestnuts until his death in 1898. It was here that he wrote much of his world famous book.
Our walk continued through the castle arch onto the narrow Quarry Street lined with buildings of architectural interest. Among them is Guildford Museum (free admission) which documents the town’s rich history.
From Quarry Street we looped back around to the high street and were led down some steps to The Undercroft. This 13th century stone vaulted space hidden beneath the modern shops of today would once have been a medieval store where expensive clothes, silk and wine would have been sold. It was pleasing to discover that it has been retained for future generations to enjoy and had we not been on a guided walk, we would surely have walked past without noticing it.
Across the road from there stands The Angel Hotel (dating back to 1522) now Guildford’s only surviving coaching inn. As Guildford was a convenient stopping point on coaching routes to the south coast, the town attracted up to 200 travellers each day. The inn continues to be popular with today’s modern travellers.
At the top of the High Street stands the magnificent Abbot’s Hospital founded in 1619 by George Abbot when he was Archbishop of Canterbury, creating these almshouses for the benefit of elderly local people. The hospital is opposite the Georgian Holy Trinity Church which needed to be re-built in 1761 after its original spire collapsed during alterations to the existing building.
This concluded our Story of Guildford walking tour which I’d highly recommend as we were taken us to some hidden gems that we probably wouldn’t have come across had we just wandered around on our own.
After thanking Steve, our tour guide for showing us around he suggested that we head down to the river for a stroll, so we took his advice and crossed the river at Town Bridge over to Mill Mead. The Wey Navigation dates from 1653 and was one of the first navigable river systems in England transporting cargo to and from London docks before the arrival of the railway.
A short distance along the river bank stands a second Alice in Wonderland sculpture, this one being Alice and the White Rabbit. It depicts the opening moments from the children’s book when the white rabbit vanishes down a rabbit hole.
Our stroll continued as far as the Town Mill which for centuries was used for milling corn and pumping the water supply. We then wandered back into the centre alongside Town Wharf where river barges used to unload their cargoes. We rounded off our visit to the town with some shopping in the Friary Centre and a spot of lunch in one of the cosy inns. Back at the Park and Ride bus stop we only had a few minutes to wait for a service to take us back to the car park making it a convenient and inexpensive way of visiting the town.
Before returning home we drove the short distance to Shere, a picturesque village located midway between Guildford and Dorking. It’s a quintessential English village with its characterful buildings, narrow, winding streets, small shops, quaint pubs and cosy little tearooms.
Readers may have come across Shere before without actually realising it as it is the village where the romantic comedy The Holiday (2006) starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet and Jude Law was filmed alongside a location in Southern California. In the film, two girls from different countries swap homes to get away from their relationship issues and although the village was a real film location, the exterior of the idyllic cottage was actually constructed in a field near to the village church of St. James for the film set.
We wandered around the village where almost all the buildings look like the lids of chocolate boxes or the feature of jigsaw puzzles with their idyllic timber frames and thatched roofs dating from between 1569 and 1620. A prominent feature of the village is the Old Fire Station overlooking the village stream which was built in 1885 and today serves as public conveniences.
As well as the Dabbling Duck cafe there are two lovely village pubs so we popped into The William Bray for a pot of tea and a slice of cake to set us up for the journey home. The pub has a charming interior and glancing at the menu it would make an ideal place to stop for a meal whilst exploring the village.
After driving for a matter of minutes we noticed a signpost to the Newlands Corner viewpoint so we pulled over to take a look. This popular beauty spot lies just four miles east of Guildford and is the starting point for numerous walks across the Surrey Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The viewpoint has ample free parking, a visitor centre (temporarily closed) and picnic benches.
We didn’t have time to put on our walking boots but instead got out of the car to admire the spectacular views over the Surrey Hills and across the Weald ridge. It’s an area of chalk downland where the crime writer Agatha Christie staged her disappearance from Newland’s Corner in 1926 but was found a few days later many miles away in Harrogate. We weren’t intent on staging a disappearance but we did set off north bound heading home after an absolutely beautiful three days exploring the Surrey Hills.
We were guests of Visit Surrey and The Percy Arms and as always all views and opinions are entirely my own.
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Nice post. Really like Guildford and especially the shopping. Good work
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Thank you for taking the time to comment on this post on Guildford Mark. We enjoyed a lovely few days touring the area and hope to return later in the year.
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I lived in Guildford for a while and I think partaking in a guided walk was an excellent way to experience the town. One of my favourite walks if from Mill Mead, alongside the Wey, to Godalming, stopping at Farncombe Boat House for homemade cake and coffee, before walking back. It’s a long but flat walk! I know Shere well but often drive round it, to avoid the tourists 😂
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That walk along the river to Godalming and back would be a lovely thing to do sometime especially if it involved coffee and cakes! Thanks so much for taking an interest and I’m so pleased you enjoyed this mini series on the Surrey Hills. It’s a compliment indeed from a local resident!
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I love the Alice statues-especially the through the looking glass one. What a lovely tribute to the man who gave us all a look into Wonderland
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I had no idea that Lewis Carroll lived in Guildford but those statues are a perfect tribute especially the one where she appears through the looking glass.
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Fascinating tour, Marion. Everything looks so quaint and yet it’s on London’s doorstep. Very much enjoyed the literary connections with Carroll and Christie.
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Thanks for taking an interest Shane, I agree that it’s hard to imagine the proximity with London when it’s so serene and quaint there. Obviously ideal commuter country!
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pretty town! love seeing England through your eyes
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That’s so kind of you to say Tanya. Guildford and the surrounding area are very pretty.
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England has so many quaint villages, there is always somewhere different to visit. Guildford looks interesting and Shere very pretty. There can’t be many places left for you to visit Marion 😊
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Our short break in Surrey was lovely Alison with its rollling hills and quaint villages. Have you got a few more trips planned in the U.K. before returning home?
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Just another evening in London tomorrow night again! I was up in London last night to see Pretty Woman with some girlfriends at The Savoy and cocktails at The Waldorf!
Flying back Tuesday 😁
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Lovely, I’d like to see that too! Enjoy your final weekend over here, it seems to have gone quickly but it will be good for you to see your son, daughter and dogs. Hope your Dad is doing well.
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Thanks Marion. My dad seems to be okay still, I may have to come back in a few months
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I’d love to travel here! ❤️❤️😍😍
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Hopefully one day!
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Very quaint! From the South African-inspired breakfast of champions to the stoic Guildford Castle, you had quite the packed day sightseeing! I was especially impressed with the Through the Looking Glass sculpture, as the statue cuts through the glass itself and is being transported to another world…another great day out in town, it seems!
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Also, I had no idea that The Holiday was partially filmed here! But I can see how its charm had been captured in the film!
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It’s such a picturesque village and The Holiday is a film almost everyone enjoys especially at Christmas. Thanks for your welcome thoughts. Marion
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Guildford is a very interesting place to visit Rebecca with its castle and other fortifications. I thought the Looking Glass sculpture was impressive too and until visiting, I had no idea Guildford had been his home.
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We do hilly landscapes so well in England and Surrey is yet another home to gorgeous rolling fields. Loved the Alice sculptures, anything Lewis Carrol related always brings a smile to my face. I also have a soft spot for The Holiday 😉
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The Holiday is such a heartwarming Christmas film isn’t it, I had no idea until I was visiting that it was partly filmed in Shere. Surrey is such a beautiful county and we enjoyed a lovely three days there. Thanks for commenting Leighton.
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What a beautiful city! I love doing walking tours, it’s a great way to learn and get a bearing for the city. I also love the landscaping around the castle, how pretty!
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Guildford is a very attractive place Lyssy and its castle grounds so pretty even in February! Thanks for reading and commenting, it’s much appreciated.
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I love all the brick and timber framed homes in Shere. I actually watched the Holiday over Christmas and remember thinking of how idyllic that small town in the UK looked. The gardens at Guildford Castle also look stunning and immaculate.
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Shere just looks like something out of a picture book, everywhere is so picturesque. I had no idea that The Holiday was filmed there until we visited but I loved the film too, it always seems to be on TV at Christmas. Guildford is a very attractive town and the gardens surrounding its castle are delightful. Thanks for reading Linda. It’s much appreciated.
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I share your pain on the scaffolding Marion, but the clock is still gorgeous. And the gardens look immaculate for mid winter. Thanks for sharing your travels here. Allan
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Guildford is such an attractive town and we enjoyed our walking tour very much. The Percy Arms was a delightful,place to stay and an ideal base for touring the area. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Marion
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Nice travel log – Surrey is a beautiful place…it’s on my cycle route list, the Surrey Hills which are very famous for cyclists. P.S. The breakie looked sumptuous.
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Thanks for your interest in this series of posts. Surrey is a very pleasant place for a short break and I recall watching cycle races from the Olympics and other events up Box Hill. Hopefully I’ll get there too on a future trip. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, it’s much appreciated.
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Great post and wonderful photos, Marion 🙂 Guildford looks like a lovely, prosperous town that has held onto its historic character. I love the castle with its manicured gardens, I can only imagine how pretty it must be during the summer when the flowers bloom in neatly kept flowerbeds. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Our short break in Surrey was delightful Aiva and we enjoyed all the places we visited. Guildford is indeed a prosperous town with a well preserved historic heritage. I hadn’t realised before visiting its link with Lewis Carroll but thought its sculptures were really nice. Thanks for your interest and hope your week is progressing well.
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Oh, yummy Boerewors – love it … I will have to remember The Percy Arms 😉.
The Guildford Guildhall clock is so pretty and so is the garden at the castle. I agree that a walking tour is one of the best ways to explore a town/city. And what a lovely village is Shere (The Holiday is one of my favourite movies – specifically for those lovely scenes in the UK). Thank you Marion for taking me on a charming tour through Surrey – I’ve enjoyed it tremendously!
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I’m so pleased to read that you enjoyed this series of posts Corna and how wonderful that the hotel was owned by South Africans who run the place admirably. We’ll have to get out to SA one of these days and try more of the local fare. Thanks so much for your interest and taking the time to comment. Marion
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It looks a charming area Marion. I was raised in Old Guildford (NSW), which was originally called Guildford until the centre of town moved when the railway came through. There is also a Guildford in Western Australia. While the WA one is more historic, (the NSW one totally working class) it cannot hold a candle to yours for well maintained historic buildings.
And co-incidentally, I just finished rereading Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Bingo!
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How interesting to learn that you were raised in a Guildford! This one in Surrey is a very attractive town with much historical interest. The Lewis Carroll link to the town is lovely and I wasn’t aware of it before visiting. Hope your week is going reasonably well despite the floods. Keep me informed about the golf course. Bill must be distraught.
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The Guildford / Lewis Carroll link went over my head too!
Bill insists he is not addicted to golf, and only plays so regularly because he lives next to the course. Claims he wouldn’t do it if he had to drive there. I refrained from pointing out that is what he used to do before we moved here.
However! Today he was kept busy trying to clear water from ours and neighbours garages. They are in the basement, actually below water level, so they don’t have drains because there is nowhere for the water to go. In fact, it is seeping up through expansion joints and goodness knows where else.
It didn’t rain today but more is on the way. I was required to take the train to Sydney today and it was a nightmare journey. At least double the usual 90 minute trip. At one stage we had to creep and crawl over a section of track that had emergency repairs made to where the rain washed the ballast away from under the sleepers.
But all this inconvenience is nothing in comparison to those thousands who are suffering severe damage and evacuations. I feel so sorry for them.
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Just seen on TV that Scott Morrison has declared a state of emergency. Hope your cars don’t get waterlogged in the underground car park. Take care. M x
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Our cleaners had some kind of wet vacuum machine so that was put to good use in the basement yesterday. We finally had a dry day today. Thanks for your thoughts Marion x G
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