The Castle RollsA survey of every visitable castle in the United Kingdom
4.6 / 5 · 3,084 reviews TICKETED

Guildford Castle

Surrey, England


Guildford Castle
Guildford Castle, further view Guildford Castle, further view

Key facts

Operator
Guildford Borough Council
Condition
Partial ruin
Access
Staffed, ticketed

Pinpoint

Castle St, Guildford GU1 3SX

Telephone 01483 444751

Possible Opening hours

Opening times change. Always check the official website before you travel.

MondayClosed
TuesdayClosed
Wednesday12:00 – 4:30 PM
Thursday12:00 – 4:30 PM
Friday12:00 – 4:30 PM
Saturday12:00 – 4:30 PM
SundayClosed

What survives is really just the keep - once a royal fortress and later a common gaol - set in flower-filled gardens right in the centre of Guildford. The grounds are free and open till early evening, while the keep itself is ticketed and only open Wednesday to Saturday.

Worth the trip

The view from the keep over Guildford, reached via ramps to the middle level - reviewers call it one of the best accessible viewpoints in the town.

Before you go

If you want to go inside the keep, check the day of the week first - it's only ticketed Wednesday to Saturday, while the gardens around it are free and open daily until around 7.20pm.

WHAT VISITORS SAY · 4.6 / 5 across 3,084 Google reviews

Reviewers consistently enjoy the compact, well-maintained castle grounds and gardens in the middle of town, praising the accessible ramps and the views over Guildford from the keep. One visitor found the tower itself closed on their visit, and a few note it's worth checking the gate closing times before going.

Free grounds; keep ticketed Wed-Sat

“Beautiful castle grounds, especially as the spring has arrived. The grounds are free to enter; however take note of the times at which the gates close. The area is very well kept, and makes for a relaxing walk. Enjoy…”— P Purkayastha, visitor review

Further reading

Castles of Britain and Ireland cover book
Castles of Britain and Ireland

Plantagenet Somerset Fry

Find it on Amazon
The English Castle: 1066-1650 cover book
The English Castle: 1066-1650

John Goodall

Find it on Amazon
book
Castle: A History of the Buildings that Shaped Medieval Britain

Marc Morris

Find it on Amazon