New Murals Brighten Up Jeffries Passage and Railway Station

Published on: 20 May, 2022
Updated on: 28 May, 2022

The four murals in Jeffries Passage

By David Rose

New murals have been unveiled in Guildford that add much colour and brightness to the town.

On Monday this week (May 16) four panels were unveiled in Jeffries Passage to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the town’s Abbot’s Hospital.

Archbishop George Abbot as featured on one of the four murals.

Founded in 1619 by Guildford’s most famous son within the nation’s history, Archbishop George Abbot, it provides, as it always has, self-contained accommodation for older people.

Although it celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2019, a plan was put in place to provide something on the outside of the building for all to see.

The mural depicting the 17th century.

The mural depicting the 18th century.

The mural depicting the 19th century.

The mural depicting the 20th century.

With help from a National Lottery grant, this has resulted in four beautiful panels made up of numerous hand-painted fired tiles reflecting all kinds of local and world events, moments of progress, and more, over the past 400 years.

Each panel is devoted to a century itself, from the 17th to the 20th, and have been created by contemporary visual artists and art educators Carlos España and Liliana Montoya, of Aluna Ceramics.

They have more than 20 years experience in delivering innovative art projects in educational settings across the South East.

In designing the panels they worked with pupils from Burpham’s George Abbot School and pupil referral unit, Wey Valley College.

Above and below: close ups of three of the many tiles that make up the four mural panels.

Separately, the fours panels were unveiled by two residents of Abbot’s Hospital, by two of its governors, the two artists, and the Mayor of Guildford, Dennis Booth and his wife Mary, the mayoress.

Above and below, unveiling the murals.

And, Guildford railway station also has a new piece of artwork with a Guildford theme.

Unveiled last month in the station’s subway, it has been created by Surrey-based contemporary artist and printmaker Julie Hoyle and is titled Host.

It references places, people, and events, past and present, all celebrating the heritage, industry, and diverse culture of Guildford.

Mural titled Host, by Julie Hoyle in the subway at Guildford railway station.

Quoted on the website of Community Rail Network, Julie said: “I intend the work to be uplifting, perhaps creating, as public art consultant Marc Pally put it ‘a rupture in pedestrian life’.

“A belief that as you view public art, ‘your progress through the space is slowed down.’ I hope this work will cause a mental diversion from the usual commute through the subway and make the viewer consider all that Guildford offers them.

Julie Hoyle at the unveiling of her mural Host at Guildford railway station on April 21. Picture by Geoff Burch.

Julie collaborated with local historians that included David Rose and Geoff Burch, institutions, and residents to research the history of Guildford and its surrounding area, immersing herself in the stories and landmarks of the town and the Surrey Hills.

Guildford railway station hosts trains from the North Downs Line, one of nine lines covered by Southeast Communities Rail Partnership, one of the partners in its Host project.

Other partners and funders for the mural included Network Rail, CrossCountry, Great Western Railway, South Western Railway, Community Rail Network, The Arts Society, The Arts Society Guildford, and Guildford Arts.

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