43 AD |
- Roman way of life increasingly adopted in Britain (see Town Bridge)
|
500 |
- Saxons form small community by “Gyldeforda”
(Town Bridge)
|
7th century (600s) |
- Many of the pagan Saxons become Christians (see St Mary’s Church)
|
9th century (800s) |
- Centre of town was what is now bordered by Friary Street,
North Street, Castle Street and St Mary’s Church
|
885 |
- First written record of Guildford (see Town Bridge)
|
1050 |
|
1066 |
- Norman Conquest
- Keep motte and original wooden keep built soon after (see Castle)
|
1150 |
|
1255 |
- De-la-Puille family acquire land in the area (now known as “Pewley Hill”)
from Richard Testard.
|
1256 |
- Castle Arch
built – i.e. Royal Palace probably built around the same time (certainly 13th century)
|
1275 |
- Dominican Friary founded (on site of current Friary shopping centre)
|
14th century (1300s) |
- St Catherine’s Chapel
- Royal Palace abandoned
|
1300 |
- Church on site of St Nicolas Church
since at least this date
|
1509 |
- Robert Beckingham dies, leaving a will that would eventually provide money to fund a free school in Guildford after his wife’s death
|
1510 |
- Elizabeth Beckingham, wife of Robert Beckingham dies
|
1512 |
- Free Grammar School created in Guildford by will of Robert Beckingham
|
1538 |
|
1552 |
|
1557 to 1586 |
- Royal Grammar School built on present site
|
1562 |
- George Abbot born (see Abbot’s Hospital)
|
1579 |
- George Abbot goes to Oxford University (see Abbot’s Hospital)
|
17th century (1600s) |
- Ruined Friary bought by Earl of Annandale and replaced by fine house (surviving until at least 1818)
- Guildford has good reputation for its inns (see The Angel Hotel)
|
1600 |
- George Abbot becomes Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University (see Abbot’s Hospital)
|
1603 to 1625 |
- Coaching inns? (Angel Hotel from this time)
|
1609 |
- George Abbot becomes a Bishop in Church of England (see Abbot’s Hospital)
|
1611 |
- George Abbot becomes Archbishop of Canterbury (see Abbot’s Hospital)
- King James 1st gives ruined castle and grounds to Francis Carter (Castle Arch house built soon after; probably 1630)
|
1619 |
- George Abbot begins building the Hospital of the Blessed Trinity (“Abbot’s hospital”)
|
1627 |
- Henry Smith establishes Poyle Charity (see Pewley Hill.
- Poyle Charity Estate owns town mills and uses profits for the town’s poor.
|
1650 |
- Castle Keep being used as a cock-pit
|
1651 |
- Act passed authorising River Wey to be made navigable from Thames to Guildford
|
1653 |
- Barge traffic starts operating (Guildford part of Wey Navigation complete)
|
1660 |
|
1683 |
- Façade of Guildhall built onto the front of an Elizabethan hall
|
18th Century |
- Russell family worked here as artists and booksellers
|
1701 |
- Water-powered pump installed by the mills to provide the town with piped water (see also “Orlando”)
- First reservoir built (now “Orlando”)
|
1726 |
- Treadmill crane (see Town Wharf)
|
1740 |
- Bad “improvements” to medieval church led to tower collapse (Holy Trinity)
|
1751 |
- Rebuilding of Holy Trinity tower started
|
1750s |
- John Russell climbed Holy Trinity tower being built and told off!
|
1760 |
- Act passed authorising construction of the Godalming Navigation. Central span of the old (medieval) town bridge widened and ford dredged.
|
1763 |
- Holy Trinity church “rebuild” completed
|
1764 |
|
1765 |
- William Haydon opened Guildford’s first modern bank (see Lloyds TSB)
|
1771 |
- Present mill buildings erected
|
1794 |
- “Guildford penny” introduced, tolling loads carried on the Wey Navigation (see Toll House)
- E.Filmer sets up iron foundry on what is now the site of the Yvonne Arnaud theatre
|
early 19th century (1800s) |
- What is now the “George Abbot” pub built (Old Portsmouth Road realigned)
|
1818 |
- Tunsgate arch (and now demolished assize courts) build by public subscription
|
1825 |
- St Mary’s chancel shortened to widen Quarry Street
|
1830 |
- William Stevens’ family working / own Wey Navigation until around 1969 (see Millmead Lock)
|
1850s |
- Mill buildings western extension added
|
1853 |
- Second reservoir built, functioning until 1973 (see “Orlando”)
|
1855-81 |
- “Lewis Caroll” mathematics lecturer at Oxford (see “The Chestnuts”)
|
1861 |
- “The Chestnuts” private house built
|
1866 |
- Guildford Corporation purchases “water works” and new reservoir built on top of Pewley Hill (see “Orlando”)
|
1868 |
- “The Chestnuts” leased to Lewis Carroll
|
1876 |
- Present St Nicolas Church building completed
|
1882 |
|
1885 |
- Constitutional Hall was built
- Castle grounds bought by Guildford Corporation from Lord Grantley
|
1888 |
- Additions made to Holy Trinity: transepts and enlarged apse.
- Castle grounds opened to the public 28th June
|
1891 |
- Battersea Polytechnic Institute founded (see University)
|
1894 |
- Flour mills at Millmead until this date
|
1898 |
- “Lewis Carroll” dies 14th January (see “The Chestnuts”)
|
1890 – 1958 |
|
1900 |
- Medieval town bridge destroyed by flood sweeping timber from timber yard against its piers.
- Replaced by iron bridge.
|
1905 |
- White Hart knocked down to build Sainsbury’s
|
1913 |
- Electricity Works built (see The Electric Theatre)
|
1927 |
- First Bishop of Guildford appointed (see Cathedral)
- Electricity generating station in Woodbridge Road supersedes Guildford Electricity Works (see The Electric Theatre)
|
1932 |
- Edward Maufe’s Cathedral design accepted
|
1933 |
- Cathedral Building started
- First Guildford by-pass built (old A3)
|
1935 |
- Assize courts removed from Tunsgate to create through road
|
1936 |
- Cathedral foundation stone laid by Archbishop
|
1941 |
- Iron foundry demolished (see Yvonne Arnaud theatre)
|
1950 |
- Commercial traffic on Wey ceased completely (see Millmead Lock)
|
1955 |
- Work on the cathedral recommenced
|
1956 |
- White Lion demolished to build Woolworth’s (later White Lion Walk)
|
1957 |
- Battersea Polytechnic Institute renamed Battersea College of Advanced Technology (see University)
- Guildford Corporation buys “Guildford House” (now art gallery)
|
1960s |
- Friary bridge built (one way system)
|
1961 |
- (May 17) Cathedral finished and consecrated in presence of the Queen
- Guildford library opens
|
1965 |
- Yvonne Arnaud Theatre completed
|
1966 |
- University of Surrey established by Royal Charter and building begins
|
1968 |
- First students move in to the University
- 16 Sept high flood level recorded on St Nicolas’ Church and Yvonne Arnaud theatre
|
1969 |
- Last working barge leaves the Wey Navigation (see Millmead Lock)
|
1970 |
|
1973 |
- Use of “Second” reservoir ceased (see “Orlando”)
|
1983 |
- Iron town bridge dismantled when found unsafe.
|
1985 |
- Town bridge rebuilt using original stonework and cast iron components.
|
1997 |
|
2002 |
- Guildford’s application for city status unsuccessful, losing out to Preston,
the only English town being formally recognised as a city as part of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations (see Cathedral)
|