A county town on the River Wey
Guildford grew up as a fording point on the Wey, first recorded in 885 in the will of Alfred the Great, and received its first charter in 1257. Guildford Castle, dating to the 11th century, is the only royal castle ever built in Surrey and was a favourite stopping point of Henry III.
A cathedral and university town
Guildford became the seat of a new Anglican diocese in 1927, and the foundation stone of Guildford Cathedral was laid on Stag Hill in 1936. The University of Surrey, established by royal charter in 1966, now shares that same hill with the cathedral, giving the town a mix of historic and mid-twentieth-century landmarks side by side.
Council and connection to Godalming
Guildford Borough Council, rather than Waverley, handles planning and building control here, a different authority from the one covering Godalming and most of the villages on this site. The two towns sit only a few miles apart along the Wey valley.
Frequently asked questions
Is Guildford governed by the same council as Godalming?+
No, they sit under different authorities. Guildford Borough Council handles Guildford, while Waverley Borough Council is responsible for Godalming.
What's Guildford best known for?+
Its 11th-century castle, the only royal castle built in Surrey, along with its cathedral on Stag Hill and the University of Surrey, which shares the same hill.
Nearby areas
Services
Useful local links
- Waverley Borough Council – Do I need planning permission? — The planning authority covering Godalming and most of the surrounding villages.
- Guildford Borough Council – Do I need planning permission? — The planning authority covering Guildford and the villages to its west and south, a different borough from Waverley.
- GOV.UK – Planning permission: when you need it — Government guidance on when planning permission is required in England and Wales.
- GOV.UK – Party Wall etc. Act 1996 guidance — Government guidance on notifying neighbours and resolving disputes over shared or boundary walls, relevant to attached garage conversions.
- Planning Portal – Garage conversion — National guidance on when planning permission is needed for a garage conversion in England.
- Planning Portal – Outbuildings — National guidance on permitted development rules for garden buildings and outbuildings, including height and coverage limits.