Guildford House, located near the top of Guildford High Street, is recognisable if not by its name, then by the beautiful and ever changing array of local artwork that remains on display in the window. This small selection is just a tiny example of what this stunning 17th century building has to offer.
Guildford House was built in 1660, and was originally the home of John Childe, the then Mayor of Guildford. It became the residence for the Martyr family in 1736, though sadly very little is known about the period between its construction for John Childe in 1660 and its changeover to the Martyr family.
It remained with the Martyr’s for just over a hundred years and then, in the mid 1840’s it went from a residence to being a business premises. In 1959, again just over a hundred years on, it was opened as Guildford Art Gallery and the tone was set for how Guildford House would remain for at least the next 50 years.
Today it is one of Guildford’s best, if most sadly underappreciated, attractions. The council run Gallery, which is situated upstairs in the striking Grade 1 listed building, offers and extensive and constantly evolving selection of local art, as well as a selection of art work from the Borough Collection. Not only that, but the onsite café offers a peaceful alternative to the hustle and bustle of high street coffee chains. Whether you want a quiet cup of tea after perusing the art upstairs or perhaps a cup of coffee away from the busy town centre, then it is certainly worth popping in.
Perhaps one of the most remarkable features of Guildford House is that admission to the building, and to the gallery itself, is completely free all year round. This offers a unique experience of exploring both Guildford’s history and its current creative flare, no matter what your budget for a cultural day out. It also offers guided tours and even workshops for any age, where visitors can enjoy learning from and working alongside some of the town’s local talent.
Guildford House Gallery played its part in Guildford Borough’s Big Draw this year, which ran from October 5 through until November 2. During this event, the Gallery (alongside Susie Allen) hosted an exhibition of futuristic creatures, all of which were created on a doodle wall. The juxtaposition of futuristic creatures in such a historical setting certainly made quite an impact!
If art isn’t to your taste, then fear not as Guildford House is a great, must-see attraction located centrally on the High Street, right next to the Guildhall. Situated on the ground floor inside is Guildford’s Tourist Information Centre, where the friendly, helpful staff are always glad to help. There are a multitude of leaflets available, full of information on events, history and a hundred and one other things to do and see in Guildford.
Guildford House is open Monday – Saturday, 10am – 4:45pm and Sunday, 11am – 4pm.
Charli Aisha Harris