Description of the attraction
Guildford Castle was built shortly after William the Conqueror came to Britain. It was a castle built on the classic Norman model - a citadel surrounded by a palisade. At first the castle was wooden, later - in the XI or at the beginning of the XII century - it was rebuilt in stone. The thickness of the walls of the main tower reached 3 meters, and the entrance to the tower, as in most similar fortifications, was located not on the first, but on the second floor. In the event of an attack, it was enough just to remove the stairs, and the tower became impregnable. There were also no windows on the ground floor. There was a Great Hall, a chapel, a dressing room and a toilet. Until the 12th century, the tower housed the king's living quarters, then the king began to live in a more comfortable building, also located inside the castle walls. Under King Henry III, it was a real palace.
The castle served not only as a royal residence, but was also used as a defensive structure. However, already in the XIV century, the castle loses its significance and gradually falls into desolation.
In the late 19th century, as Britain celebrated the golden anniversary of Queen Victoria's reign, the remains of the walls and towers were restored and the beautiful gardens around the castle were opened to the public. Now these gardens are a favorite resting place for both townspeople and tourists. In 2003, the tower housed a tourist center, which is open from April to September. Here, at the information stands, materials on the history of the castle are placed, and a model of the castle is exhibited as it was in 1300. In the garden there is a sculpture of Alice Through the Looking Glass - a memory of Lewis Carroll, who lived on an estate near Guildford.
