Guildford History Chronology

Chronological order of events mentioned in the Tour

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	St Mary’s tower built
1066	Norman Conquest Keep motte and original wooden keep built soon after (see Castle)
1150	Castle Keep built
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	Friary dissolved
1552	Guildford’s Free Grammar School re-endowed by King Edward VI as “The Free Grammar School of King Edward the Sixth for the Education, Institution and Instruction of Boys and Youths in Grammar at all future times for ever to endure“
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	“Guildford House” built
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	Godalming Navigation complete
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	“New Bridge”
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	Yvonne Arnaud
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	University of Surrey firmly established
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	Electric Theatre opens
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)