Stoke Park Was Bought 100 Years Ago with Plans for a Public Open Space and Houses!

Published on: 5 Jun, 2025
Updated on: 7 Jun, 2025

By David Rose

Guildford’s Stoke Park was bought by the town’s corporation in 1925 for £44,873.

A picture postcard view of Stoke Park from the early 1900s. David Rose collection. ©

It comprised 186 acres of parkland, woodland and buildings, bordered by Nightingale Road, Stoke Road, London Road and the River Wey.

A picture postcard view of The Lodge Stoke Park from the early 1900s. David Rose collection. ©

On the north side of today’s Parkway, the woodland area of Stoke Park (near the Spectrum leisure complex) borders the natural River Wey. This 1900s picture postcard view features a boathouse that was there. Part of its brick base in the river is still there today. David Rose collection. ©

A 1900s picture postcard view of the natural River Wey, with part of today’s Stoke Park to the right. In the distance can be glimpsed Stoke Mill off Woking Road. David Rose collection. ©

Not much happened to the site until September 1928 when, at a meeting of the Guildford Ratepayers’ Association, members protested strongly about the lack of progress developing Stoke Park for housing!

It appears the corporation’s plans for the site was for it to not only be a public open space, but a sizeable area was earmarked for housing (Guildford was expanding rapidly in the post-First World War years).

And for a road to built through it – a bypass to ease north-south traffic through the town centre, the High Street and London Road.

At the ratepayers’ association meeting a resolution was unanimously carried to urge the corporation to lose no further time in settling on a definitive plan for such parts of the park as required for public purposes, and selling the remainder.

Sketch plan for the suggested development of Stoke Park. Newspaper cutting, Guildford Institute collection. ©

The borough surveyor produced a sketch plan that was published in February 1929 showing a proposed layout for building plots.

The scheme would have carved up the park with roads, a massive estate on the eastern side, with the whole fringe of the park covered with houses.

The ratepayers’ association commented again, suggesting some parts might be devoted to council homes and not just for large houses.

Development of large homes, such as Abbotswood further along London Road, were already taking place at the time.

It appears members of the council thought the scheme to build on Stoke Park was a good idea. One councillor said: “We know that we paid too much for the estate and much of it is not suitable for which it was acquired,” and then suggested the council should cut its losses and sell off the land owing to the housing boom at the time.

Above: the Stoke roundabout on the newly completed Guildford Bypass, looking towards Woking Road. David Rose collection. ©
Below: a view looking along the newly completed Guildford Bypass through Stoke Park. David Rose collection. ©

The development idea was dropped, but the Guildford Bypass (now Parkway) was built through the park by Surrey County Council and opened in 1934.

In developing the park for public use, things moved quickly in the early 1930s.

A picture postcard view of the then new Guildford Lido. David Rose collection. ©

Guildford Lido opened in 1933 and Stoke Park’s Jubilee Gardens was created and opened in 1935 to mark the silver jubilee of George V.

The then Mayor of Guildford, Alderman William Sheppard (with spade), and Cllr Arthur Williams (right) at the planting of the Jubilee Oak tree in Stoke Park in 1935. David Rose collection. © Click here for previous story.

The gardens included the model yachting pool, paddling pool and rose garden – and they haven’t really changed that much.

A picture postcard view of the paddling pool, newly opened. David Rose collection. ©

A picture postcard view of the model yachting pool, newly opened. David Rose collection. ©

A picture postcard view of the rose garden, newly opened. David Rose collection. ©

The building that was originally Guildford Technical College and Guildford School of Art (now the Guildford College campus) was constructed in 1937-38.

A picture postcard view of Guildford Technical College with wartime garden allotments behind. David Rose collection ©.

During the Second World War a large portion of Stoke Park became garden allotments, where people grew extra food – inspired by Britain’s Dig for Victory campaign.

Also during the Second Wold War features were added as part of Guildford’s Nodal Defences in case of a Nazi invasion of Britain. These included the anti-tank traps (dragons’ teeth) in woods by the River Wey, rifle pits and a deep ditch across the park.

In more recent times the park has seen the once long-running Surrey County Show, the Guildford Town Show, music festivals such as GuilFest, and the Guildford Lions Club’s Firework Fiesta, to name but a few popular events.

As well as sports pitches, the eastern end of the park is also the home of the Guildford Model Engineering Society.

A picture postcard view of the farm buildings off Nightingale Road. David Rose collection. ©

When Guildford Corporation purchased Stoke Park 100 years ago, with it came a number of buildings, such as the farm complex off Nightingale Road, and Burchatts Barn at the eastern end.

A picture postcard view of Stoke Park Mansion when it was in use as a school. David Rose collection. ©

It also acquired Stoke Park Mansion – demolished in 1977 and roughly where the skateboard park is day.

A picture postcard view featuring the inside of Stoke Park Mansion when it was in use as a school. David Rose collection. ©

The mansion is key to the story of Stoke Park.

In her book Stoke next Guildford (published in 1999), the author, the now late Lyn Clark’s meticulous research tells the whole long and detailed story of Stoke Park’s many owners.

Here is a brief version of what she wrote, starting with… Because the King and later the Bishop had been Lords of the Manor (of Stoke, Guildford) but had never lived or visited there, Stoke had no manor house. From 1589 until 1697 the Stoughtons were Lords of the Manor of Stoughton and Stoke and the manor house was Stoughton Place (in the area of today’s Grange Road in Stoughton).

A 1900s picture postcard view of St John’s Church, Stoke Road. David Rose collection. ©

Edward Hubbald bought the estate in 1697 and demolished Stoughton Place. He had a house built, that was called the Vine Tree, near Stoke Church (today’s St John’s Church, Stoke Road).

In 1718 the manor was bought by a Nicholas Turner and in 1729 he replaced the Vine Tree with a house what became the aforesaid Stoke Park Mansion.

After changing ownership several times, Stoke Park and its house became the home of Colonel James Bogle Delap and his wife Harriett, the daughter of Nathaniel Hillier, who had acquired it in 1801.

James and Harriet lived there for 50 years. It then passed to Harriet’s sister Susannah, who had married Thomas Cranley Onslow, younger brother of the 3rd Earl of Onlsow.

The 4th Earl of Onslow sold it in 1879, along with the lordship of the manor, to a James Smith Budgett for £24,000.

Budgett was a sugar broker and merchant.

A picture postcard view of Stoke Park’s lodge house captioned as in use as a sanatorium when Stoke Park Mansion was in use as a school. David Rose collection. ©

A Herbert Maitland Budgett then took ownership and leased it to a C. E. Lewis of Shere who used it as a high-class boarding school for boys from around the 1920s.

Bugdett sold the whole of Stoke Park to Guildford Corporation in 1925, with the school continuing for several years after.

Guildford Borough Council has marked the 100th anniversary of the acquisition of Stoke Park with this year’s delightful carpet bedding near the war memorial and bowling green in the Castle Grounds. Photo: The Guildford Dragon NEWS. ©

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