HER 1664 - Guildford Castle

Scheduled Monument
Guildford Castle consists of a keep on a mound, and two baileys stretching in line from the keep towards the river. The mound is surrounded by a wide ditch. On top of the mound there still remains a piece of wall of a polygonal shell keep which existed long before the present keep was built. Only fragments now remain of the defences and buildings of the bailey, dating from the 12th century. Parts of the inner gateway date to 1300 and walls are incorporated in a 17th century house adjacent to the gateway. The keep stands on the east slope of the mound, projecting outward from the old shell wall, which was broken through for its reception. The keep was built circa 1150. The castle is first mentioned in 1173-4, when it was repaired for £26. In 1202 it is mentioned as a prison. In 1246, a hall and chamber were built on the mound for the use of the Sheriffs of Surrey. References to the royal palace south-east of the keep are numerous during the latter half of Henry III's reign. The place was not regarded as a fortress in the Civil wars, and the keep is said to have been dismantled and the roof taken away in 1680. The site was brought by the corporation in 1886 and laid out as gardens. The castle mound with traces of surrounding ditch, is still a prominent feature although the slopes have been somewhat mutilated by the construction of the public gardens in which it stands. The remains of the early shell keep (probably late 11th or early 12th century) are represented by two fragments of walling. To the immediate south-west of the mound are the remains of domestic buildings and at the west end of the lane called Castle Hill a gateway (Castle Arch) with pointed arch and fragments of walling on each side. Some 50m south of the gateway and to the immediate east of Quarry Street are the remains of other buildings, the character of which is indeterminate but which are probably associated with the castle.

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Related Records

• SHHER_4828
• SHHER_5541

Archaeological History

Activity	Person & Organisation	Dates
trial trench	Poulton, R SCAU	2001-10-31
Location Surrey, Guildford, Effingham, Grid Reference SU 997 492 Associated Sources Title Author Type More info SCAU Poulton, R document more... Reference An Archaeological Evaluation to assist with proposed remedial works to the Castle Keep, Guildford Castle Reference 07/12/01 Holding Location Surrey SMR 1 part

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