Top 4 Castles around Elstead

The historic, scenic and well-maintained Guildford Castle is well worth visiting during a hiking tour close to Guildford. Guildford Castle has a fascinating history. It is one of nine impressive castles that were built in a ring around London by William the Conqueror soon after the Norman invasion of England in 1066. The Castle has been used subsequently as a Royal Palace, a prison and as a private residence. Should you have time, you may wish to climb the Castle Great Tower via its spiral staircase. This will give a panoramic view of Guildford and of its beautiful surrounding countryside. It will also provide an appreciation of why the Castle’s location was geographically well-chosen. An additional highlight of visiting Guildford Castle is to see and to walk through the excellent year-round flower displays that occupy the Castle’s former moat.

Guildford Castle is a hidden part of the city which is easy to miss if you walk along the river or to the picturesque high street. It dates from the early Norman times and is always surrounded by beautiful flower displays in its grounds.

A great viewpoint of Farnham from above is from the Keep at the Castle.

The excellent Guildford Castle Grounds are unique, interesting and well worth visiting during a hiking, cycling or running tour. The Grounds are famous for their excellent flower displays in the valley that surrounds the Castle Keep. Other free attractions include the remains of Castle walls, passageways, a Victorian bandstand (where music concerts take place), a delightful 17th century bowling green bordered on one side by specimen beech trees, an impressive war memorial and a life-size statue of Alice Through the Looking Glass. Guildford Castle Grounds has a fascinating history. The Castle is thought to have been built either by William the Conqueror or by one of his barons soon after the Norman invasion of England in 1066. The Castle has been used as a Royal Palace, a prison and as a private residence. The grounds at the Castle were opened as public gardens in 1888 to mark the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887. You might wish to explore the Guildford Castle Grounds or to simply admire its scenery during a stop for a snack and a drink. However, should you have time, you may also wish to climb the Castle Great Tower via its spiral staircase. This will give a panoramic view of Guildford and its beautiful surrounding countryside, and provide an appreciation of why the Castle’s location is strategically good.

Seeing the medieval Castle Arch and walking through it is a highlight of any walk around Guildford. Castle Arch was built in 1256 during the reign of King Henry III. Nearly 800 years later this robust and impressive structure remains remarkably intact and functional. Traffic still passes through the Arch albeit one way at a time! Castle Arch is situated next to the Guildford Museum and near to the ruins of Guildford Castle. The Arch is thought to be a remnant of the original castle wall. It is believed that the original Arch had a portcullis – a spiked grill that slid up and down. A bonus of visiting Castle Arch is to see Castle Arch House – the building that the Arch adjoins to its left when viewed from Quarry Street. This House is one of the oldest buildings in Guildford and dates from 1544.

Make sure to stroll through the historic grounds of Guildford Castle whilst visiting this wonderful city. The 11th-century castle sits atop a hill in Guildford, providing some picturesque views across the surrounding countryside. The gardens of the castle are beautifully pristine and feature a multitude of colourful flowers and a moat. The castle grounds are free to enter, and if you want to go inside the castle itself, a small fee of under £5 will be required.

William the Conqueror is well known for demolishing castles but he built some too, apparently including this little known highlight of Guildford, tucked out of sight just off the High Street.

Farnham Castle was built by the grandson of William the Conqueror Henri de Blois in 1138. The castle was home to various Bishops of Winchester for more than 800 years as well as Cardinal Henry Beaufort who led Joan of Arc's trial in 1431. Gradually more buildings were added to the castle over the centuries and a grand house now stands next to the ruined original castle. During WWII, the castle became the Camouflage Development and Training Centre and hosted artists such as Roland Penrose and Julian Trevelyan who were trained in military camouflage arts. Today, the castle is under the guardian of English Heritage and entrance is free. Tours are held in Bishop's Palace on Wednesdays from 2pm until 4pm. See their website for more information: https://www.farnhamcastle.com/