Guildford Castle
Guildford Castle
4.5
12:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
12:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
12:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Friday
12:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
12:00 PM - 4:30 PM
About
Visit Guildford Castle and head to the top of the Great Tower for a 360 degree panoramic view of Guildford and the beautiful surrounding countryside. Inside you'll find a model of the original castle circa 1300, and interpretation panels tracing its history to the present day. Opening times: April to Sept: 12pm to 4pm Wednesday through to Saturday. Oct and March: Saturdays, 12pm to 4pm . Castle Grounds are free to visit and open all year from 8am to dusk. The gardens feature spring and summer bedding displays, unique each year, Victorian bandstand and passageways, pond, 17th century bowls green and Alice Garden. Bands play each Sunday in summer 2pm to 4pm. The Gardens have been awarded a Green Flag Award.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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Brian T
London, UK8,105 contributions
Jun 2022 • Solo
This is a pleasant and historic place to visit if you are in the town of Guildford in Surrey.
The castle is essentially a keep, or tower. It was built some time shortly after 1066, apparently by William the Conquerer. It probably started off as a wooden tower, replaced in the early 12th century by chalk walls. By the late 1130’s the castle that you see today was taking shape in the form of a classical Norman tower, built of barrage stone quarried nearby. It was occupied by a succession of kings and queens but eventually fell into disuse in the late 14th century. Since then it was used as a county gaol, private residence and a cockpit. It was restored when it came not the possession of the Guildford Corporation in 1886, and the surrounding land laid out as a pleasure garden, to mark Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887.
On the day I visited, the keep was closed to visitors, despite the website indication it would be open. There was no information advising visitors of the closure, or when the keep would be reopen. That was a bit disappointing, as I would have liked to have seen inside the keep and also take in the view of the town from the top. There’s supposedly two floors inside the keep, featuring a visitor centre, and an ancient chapel, Great Hall, and latrines.
The gardens and castle keep are free to visit, though a visit into the keep incurs a charge of ÂŁ3.70 (no senior concession available). On my visit the gardens were very pretty, with lovely floral displays of various bedding plants. The gardens have some steep paths which may not be suitable for those using mobility assistance. I believe the keep cannot be visited by those requiring mobility assistance.
It’s a pretty sight, though don’t expect a huge crenellated castle of the type you find in other parts of the nation. The castle is a 15 minute walk from Guildford rail station.
The castle is essentially a keep, or tower. It was built some time shortly after 1066, apparently by William the Conquerer. It probably started off as a wooden tower, replaced in the early 12th century by chalk walls. By the late 1130’s the castle that you see today was taking shape in the form of a classical Norman tower, built of barrage stone quarried nearby. It was occupied by a succession of kings and queens but eventually fell into disuse in the late 14th century. Since then it was used as a county gaol, private residence and a cockpit. It was restored when it came not the possession of the Guildford Corporation in 1886, and the surrounding land laid out as a pleasure garden, to mark Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887.
On the day I visited, the keep was closed to visitors, despite the website indication it would be open. There was no information advising visitors of the closure, or when the keep would be reopen. That was a bit disappointing, as I would have liked to have seen inside the keep and also take in the view of the town from the top. There’s supposedly two floors inside the keep, featuring a visitor centre, and an ancient chapel, Great Hall, and latrines.
The gardens and castle keep are free to visit, though a visit into the keep incurs a charge of ÂŁ3.70 (no senior concession available). On my visit the gardens were very pretty, with lovely floral displays of various bedding plants. The gardens have some steep paths which may not be suitable for those using mobility assistance. I believe the keep cannot be visited by those requiring mobility assistance.
It’s a pretty sight, though don’t expect a huge crenellated castle of the type you find in other parts of the nation. The castle is a 15 minute walk from Guildford rail station.
Written September 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Samuel L
London, UK20 contributions
Nov 2024 • Family
We reached out via email ahead of our visit due to severe weather conditions, hoping to reschedule our tickets to a date after Christmas when they showed "green" availability. With multiple Met Office warnings in effect and a one-year-old in tow, we felt it wouldn't be safe or sensible to venture out. Unfortunately, we received a curt refusal to our request.
This wasn't a case of being overly cautious about a light drizzle – there were legitimate yellow and amber weather warnings in place. We had specifically chosen an alternative date when they had plenty of availability, so it wouldn't have impacted their bookings.
For families with very young children, I'd strongly recommend avoiding advance bookings and opting for last-minute reservations instead to account for unpredictable weather. Despite marketing this as a family-friendly event, their lack of flexibility and poor customer service proved otherwise.
This wasn't a case of being overly cautious about a light drizzle – there were legitimate yellow and amber weather warnings in place. We had specifically chosen an alternative date when they had plenty of availability, so it wouldn't have impacted their bookings.
For families with very young children, I'd strongly recommend avoiding advance bookings and opting for last-minute reservations instead to account for unpredictable weather. Despite marketing this as a family-friendly event, their lack of flexibility and poor customer service proved otherwise.
Written December 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Acid C
1 contribution
Sep 2024 • Friends
The Castle Keep is a total rip-off - ÂŁ4.50 to walk around a couple of empty rooms and a limited viewpoint from a tiny cage on the roof. You can see more from the top floor of the Castle Street car park and for free. Enjoy the gardens but don't waste your money on visiting the Keep.
Written September 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve P
Southampton, UK766 contributions
Aug 2020
Little remains of the castle other than the keep, which is closed during the Covid-19 situation. The grounds are laid out as a pleasant municipal gardens with benches which are used by the locals to sit in and relax or eat sandwiches. There is a bowling green at the upper end which appears to be members only.
Currently it is difficult to assess this as a castle because the only obvious castle bit is closed, but as a city centre municipal garden, it is quite pleasant. Not something to come to Guildford to visit, but a pleasant place to sit if you are in Guildford anyway.
The castle does has a long and interesting history.
Currently it is difficult to assess this as a castle because the only obvious castle bit is closed, but as a city centre municipal garden, it is quite pleasant. Not something to come to Guildford to visit, but a pleasant place to sit if you are in Guildford anyway.
The castle does has a long and interesting history.
Written September 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sergeant
Borstahusen, Sweden307 contributions
Sep 2021
What a beautiful castle located in a classic little town in Surrey. The Castle has a lot of history, dating back to 1066, and what is left standing is absolutely worth a visit.
The gardens surrounding the castle are your first sight of what is to come, beautiful maintained and clearly very proudly managed by the owners of the estate.
The castle itself is only available to walk around from the outside, there didn't appear to be any possibility to visit the inner elements, and sadly the council saw it fit to attach an ugly metallic stair-fitting to the rear of the castle which is surprising given the historical and protected status of this beautiful building.
Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area, and Guildford itself is a great little place to be with lots to offer to tourists.
The gardens surrounding the castle are your first sight of what is to come, beautiful maintained and clearly very proudly managed by the owners of the estate.
The castle itself is only available to walk around from the outside, there didn't appear to be any possibility to visit the inner elements, and sadly the council saw it fit to attach an ugly metallic stair-fitting to the rear of the castle which is surprising given the historical and protected status of this beautiful building.
Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area, and Guildford itself is a great little place to be with lots to offer to tourists.
Written September 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
futtock21
London, UK17,258 contributions
Apr 2023 • Family
The Guildford municipal website is not terribly helpful still informing us that the Castle Keep is closed until April instead of advertising that from April it’s been open Wednesdays to Saturdays. It’s built on a mound hence a climb to the entrance in a hall containing a rather sparse exhibition about the history of Guildford of Anglo-Saxon origin slightly predating the castle itself of Norman origin. It explains it is a notoriously difficult site to defend. From there another climb this time up some external white wooden steps to an even sparser first floor room from where one makes a long winding ascent through a tower to a top floor exterior landing in which one has an encaged view of the city around the colourful gardens beneath.
Written April 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Duke of marma
Guildford, UK222 contributions
Jul 2020
If you want a place to honestly just relax and see beauty. This is it. Really well tended grounds and phenomenal. Any visitor to Guildford has to take an extra 10 minutes just to saunter around as it is so close to the High Street
Written July 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Braindamagedbaron
Newark-on-Trent, UK1,774 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
We went to Guildford Castle on the recommendation of a good friend, something of a castle geek and a National Trust afficionado. And they were right. Beautiful castle it is indeed.
Thought to have been built by William The Conqueror shortly after somebody tapestried the battle of Hastings on 70 metres of old bed sheets. The bedding commemorates some old chap getting shot in the face with an arrow. A careless shot from the perpetrator, however, as he was actually aiming for his old chap and just misheard the instruction. The tapestry became more famous than the actual battle and certainly more so than Guildford castle.
Still, it outlived old William.
It's certainly worth the climb up the keep for stunning views of Guildford and the surrounding area. It really is an interesting piece of history and you wont regret having a slow wander around, appreciating the beauty and significance of the building.
Thought to have been built by William The Conqueror shortly after somebody tapestried the battle of Hastings on 70 metres of old bed sheets. The bedding commemorates some old chap getting shot in the face with an arrow. A careless shot from the perpetrator, however, as he was actually aiming for his old chap and just misheard the instruction. The tapestry became more famous than the actual battle and certainly more so than Guildford castle.
Still, it outlived old William.
It's certainly worth the climb up the keep for stunning views of Guildford and the surrounding area. It really is an interesting piece of history and you wont regret having a slow wander around, appreciating the beauty and significance of the building.
Written April 7, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dark Army Reviews
London, UK6 contributions
Sep 2022 • Business
General 2:
Gardens:
The gardens were quite small but were extremely pretty the flower patches looked amazing and I would happily sit on a bench and relax.
Keep:
To enter the keep it costs ÂŁ3 and the keep is quite small and there is not much to do but the architecture is absolutely stunning and looking at the walls and brick work is extremely fascinating and the view from the top and very nice and on a day with good weather I could spend hours relaxing.
General 3:
The garden was excellent the design of the flowers was great, the kings room does not have bed
Gardens:
The gardens were quite small but were extremely pretty the flower patches looked amazing and I would happily sit on a bench and relax.
Keep:
To enter the keep it costs ÂŁ3 and the keep is quite small and there is not much to do but the architecture is absolutely stunning and looking at the walls and brick work is extremely fascinating and the view from the top and very nice and on a day with good weather I could spend hours relaxing.
General 3:
The garden was excellent the design of the flowers was great, the kings room does not have bed
Written September 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NikJ
Ascot, UK991 contributions
Oct 2024 • Couples
Paid £4.50 to view a couple of information boards, and then have a really limited view from the top…
Save your money, grab a take away coffee, sit and enjoy the gardens…and read about the history on the internet
Pointless, waste of money
Save your money, grab a take away coffee, sit and enjoy the gardens…and read about the history on the internet
Pointless, waste of money
Written October 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sorry Only assistance dogs are permitted in our venues. Dogs are most welcome in the Castle gardens though.
Written February 17, 2024
Jamie E
Camberley, United Kingdom
How much is does it cost to park here per hour? I have tried searching on various sites but for some strange reason they don't want to advertise it! Many thanks
Written September 18, 2018
on Sunday it is free. But there is not too much things to see. :)
Written October 29, 2018
Hi, petertimpkin. What would you like to know about this attraction?
Written May 22, 2017
Is it ok to enter castle grounds with a dog?
Written January 8, 2017
ParksandLeisure
Guildford, United Kingdom
Yes, dogs are welcome, but on a lead please.
Written January 9, 2017
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