Recent voluntary work involving the study of aerial photographs of the county has uncovered historical evidence of a castle just a mile and a half to the north of Godstone.

Marden Castle is shown on the first edition Ordinance Survey map of the area, surveyed in 1869. It is also mentioned in the Canterbury Pilgrimages (Snowden-Ward.H.1904) as being the once proud residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury, as well as the favoured abode of Saint James of London. The castle, now partially ruined, is on the edge of the wooded area known as Winders Hill. A well within the castle grounds is thought to be the ‘healing well’ created by Saint James’s staff and a destination on the Pilgrims Way, which runs to the East of the castle.

However, there is evidence to suggest that the building is actually a folly, a decorative building built to romanticise parks and gardens often in the form of a Gothic ruin.

The Heritage Conservation Team based at the Surrey History centre, Woking, would welcome any information known to residents of the county or indeed anyone who knows anything that could help them to unearth the life of this castle, of which sadly little is known.  

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