Five reasons to move to Guildford

It has plenty of historical kudos


Guildford has an abundance of historical claims to fame, evidence of which can still be found across the town. William the Conqueror built the Norman castle that still stands in the town centre, George Abbott bestowed the hospital that stands halfway up the High Street to Guildford residents in the 17th century and Lewis Carroll, author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, spent much of his later life in The Chestnuts, a Grade II-listed house on Castle Hill, and was buried in the town. 

It’s a haven for commuters 

Not only does Guildford Station sit on the Portsmouth to London railway line, meaning you can be in the city within 35 minutes or by the coast in around an hour but it has another station, called London Road Station, giving train commuters even more flexibility. The A3 trunk road, which runs from London to Portsmouth, also runs through the town centre.

Yet it’s also in the countryside


Guildford is nestled between the North Downs and the Surrey Hills, which are areas of outstanding natural beauty. There are a myriad of walking and cycling routes running directly from the town into the countryside, where there are plenty of fantastic traditional country pubs for a pit-stop. 

It’s home to some top schools 

Schools in and near the town consistently appear at the top end of the National League tables. In the Sunday Times Schools Guide 2018, Guildford High School was ranked second best independent secondary school in the south east, while Royal Grammar School came eighth. For younger students, Guildford High Junior School has been named one of the best prep schools in the UK, while Lanesborough preparatory school provides a first-class education for boys aged four to thirteen.

It’s a shopper’s paradise

Guildford was once named the ‘luxury shopping capital’ of the UK in a study aimed at identifying consumer hotspots outside London with shoppers clocking up an annual spend of £900 million and it’s easy to see why. The High Street is packed with high-end stores with a good mixture of both independent and chain stores. There’s also three shopping centres and two markets per week! 

Don’t forget to check back here for more town and village area focuses and, if they inspire you to buy or rent in the area, contact one of our friendly agents who will be happy to help.