Guildford Snippets No.30 – Walkfest and Heritage Open Days

Published on: 30 Aug, 2019
Updated on: 24 Aug, 2019

By Nick Bale Guildford Town Guides

September in Guildford has many highlights:

Guildford Walkfest, starting Sunday, September 1, is a series of organised walks designed to encourage people of all ages to get out and enjoy the wonderful town and countryside around Guildford (guildfordwalkfest.co.uk).

Heritage Open Days 2019 takes place on the weekend from Friday to Sunday, September 13 to 15 (https://www.guildford.gov.uk/heritageopendays). Guildford has a lot of special openings and activities which are free of charge so the Heritage weekend is a wonderful time to come and explore.

The Town Guides are heavily involved in both of these events. Brochures for both events are available at Guildford Tourist Information Centre.

I have chosen Lewis Carroll for my question this time as he is the subject of two of our walks this month.

Lewis Carroll’s first book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, was widely read by adults as well as children from the time it was first published.

One of these adults so enjoyed the book that she expressed great interest in reading his next publication.

Who was this notable lady who was not amused to receive a copy of a book on mathematics shortly afterwards – An Elementary Treatise on Determinants ?

If you would like to hear more stories about this fascinating man, please join one of our Lewis Carroll guided walks, either on Tuesday, September 3 or Saturday, September 14, both at 2.30pm.

There will be many other walks in the next few weeks such as Pubs & Inns, Georgian Guildford, Hidden Guildford, George Abbot, the Mount Cemetery, and Kings, Worthies and Scoundrels, as well as some Guildford Story walks.

Please note that booking is recommended for the walks on Heritage Open Days (September 13, 14 and 15, 2019) as these are often busy and space is limited.

To make bookings or for more information on our programme contact the Guildford Tourist Information Centre or go to www.guildfordwalks.org.uk.

For those interested in the answer to Snippet No. 29, the headmistress of the school in Millmead disclosed that she and William Haydon had been secretly married for some time. She wore his wedding ring on a ribbon around her neck. In the circumstances of his grievous illness, the family accepted that she could nurse him during his final days.

If you have questions or wonder what the town was like in the past, come and join one of our free guided walks.