Guildford Town Guides Launch New Walk About Lewis Carroll

Published on: 29 Aug, 2021
Updated on: 6 Sep, 2021

By Nick Bale, leader of the Guildford Town Guides

For 30 years until his death in 1898, Lewis Carroll, the acclaimed writer of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, was a regular visitor to the Guildford.

He knew the town and the townspeople well spending several weeks at Christmas and in summer with his family who lived at The Chestnuts on Castle Hill.

The young Alice Liddell was Carroll’s inspiration for his Wonderland book.

Although he was a gifted mathematician who lectured at Oxford University, he lived modestly. The fantastic stories told in the Alice books show that despite his quiet disposition, his mind was full of ingenious and playful ideas.

Inspired by this astonishing man, the award-winning Guildford Town Guides will launch a new encounter walk this week, Walking in Wonderland, to explore the myth and mystery surrounding Carroll’s life.

Guides David Smith and Jeff Thomson who devised the walk say: “This walk reveals so much more about this fascinating man. We include the intriguing back-story of the Wonderland book and the characters who shaped it, the young Alice Liddell who inspired Carroll to write the story, and Sir John Tenniel whose illustrations brought the stories visually to life.

“What happened in later life to Alice Liddell and what was her link to Prince Leopold? Why was John Tenniel held in such esteem? This walk explores and reveals much of the myth and mystery that Lewis Carroll continues to attract. ”

Sir John Tenniel illustrated Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

The walks are free and the first will take place on Friday, September 3, at 2pm in the afternoon and the second on Friday, September 10, at 6pm in the evening.

Places are limited so booking is recommended to avoid disappointment. Go to Guildford Tourist Information Centre and its online box office: tickets.visitguildford.com for booking and information.

Share This Post