Guildford's Castle Keep re-opened to visitors in June 2004 following 12 months of extensive conservation work carried out by Nimbus Stone Conservators, under the supervision of Ingram Consultants and Dr Mary Alexander, FSA, of Guildford Museum. The conservation work was financed with funds from Guildford Borough Council and English Heritage.

The poor condition of the stonework became evident several years ago, but it was only after Nimbus began removing some of the modern mortar from previous conservation attempts, that traces of battlements were revealed.  The battlements had been rendered over and whitewashed, and this could still be seen when later stonework was removed, and looked amazingly fresh although they are at least 850 years old.

The floor and roof have been put back into the keep, which is unusual, although it has been done at Rochester, in the forebuilding, and in the gatehouse at Tonbridge.  It makes the keep much easier to understand in terms of how it would have looked, and give visitors easier access to a larger area.  The keep now houses a model made by Matthew Alexander showing what the whole castle might have looked like in 1300 and displays that trace the history of the castle from the beginning to the present day.

The battlements show that the keep was originally a low structure with just the ground and first floors. It is not known exactly when the walls were extended upwards, but the filling in of the battlements preserved the plaster and white wash of the original structure.

During the conservation process, further discoveries came to light, including a chute from a latrine in a chamber within the north wall of the keep.  It had always been assumed that the chamber was a garderobe, where clothes and other personal possessions were kept but the absence of a latrine was puzzling.  Luckily the discovery proved that it had existed, and the neatly cut stones of the sloping shaft are very well preserved.

The keep was probably built as private apartments for the King, but in the 1160s Henry II built new private rooms in the bailey down below the motte, and the sheriff probably took over the keep, using it as his office and as a prison.

Guildford Castle expert, Dr. Mary Alexander, who has just completed her PhD thesis on the subject considers that it was probably founded by William the Conqueror soon after 1066. He would have ordered the motte, or mound, to be built with wooden buildings on it.  Later on, a stone tower or keep was built at the side of the motte.  The keep was probably built by King Stephen (1135-1154) perhaps in the 1140s.  This would make Guildford Castle Keep the only known stone building built by him to survive.  The current conservation work has revealed that there were two distinct building phases and research is still needed in to the likely dates of the work.

The discoveries in the keep are of considerable national importance owing to the great interest in keeps and their function in castle studies at the present time.  It has always been assumed that they were a defensive structure, but it is now thought that they were more a symbol of power.  Not only has the work unearthed a valuable piece of Guildford history, but also finds of national importance. 

Guildford Castle opening times

Guildford Castle is operated by Guildford Museum.

Guildford Museum
Castle Arch
Guildford
Surrey
GU1 3SX

Tel: 01483 444750