Guildford i/ˈɡɪlfərd/ is the county town of Surrey, England and the seat for the borough of Guildford. It is situated 27 miles (43 km) southwest of London on the A3 trunk road mid-way between the capital and Portsmouth.
The town has Saxon roots and likely owes its location to the existence of a gap in the North Downs where the River Wey is forded by the Harrow Way. The town's access was sufficient that by 978 AD it was home to an early English Royal Mint. On the building of the Wey Navigation and Basingstoke Canal Guildford was connected to a network of waterways that aided its prosperity. In the 20th century, the University of Surrey and its only cathedral, an Anglican cathedral, were added.
Read more about Guildford: Modern Guildford, Climate, Culture, Religion, Sport, Administration, Business, Notable Residents (past and Present), Guildford and The Media, Twinning, Notes and References