Surrey – My London+

I had come to Guildford for one reason only, and that was to view The Watts Gallery and Artist Village in Compton. Without transport it is not easy. There is an hourly bus service from the bus station in Guildford, which leaves ten minutes after the bus I was taking to Guildford arrives! I could have used the train, but I fancied a jaunt out on the bus. So, rather than trying to do the trip in a day, it became a three night break.

The Watts Gallery has been on my hit list for many years but due to the awkwardness of getting there, it had been put off. Not this time.

Guildford is not a cheap place to stay, and travelling alone I wanted a central hotel. With my option of dates dwindling, I booked The Angel Posting House & Livery on the High Street. The only coaching house remaining in Guildford and built in 1527 on the former site of the Whitefriars Monastery, I was in good company, as the likes of Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and Oliver Cromwell had stayed here. My suite (yes, suite!) was called the James Boswell Suite. Next door was William Pitt! You can read about the history of the hotel here. The hotel is quirky and the labyrinth of corridors to get to and from my room was a feat in itself. A map would have been handy. One had to look for pointers. Remember the plant, I was advised, as the young lady on reception led me up stairs, down steps, through fire doors and round corners. The first time I left the room, I missed the first fire door and ended up opening a cupboard on the landing! But my room was massive and the windows overlooked the alleyway where the horses and coaches would have once entered and exited. From the window I watched the most beautiful sunsets every night.

The hotel was room only as there is a Bill’s downstairs where I could have had breakfast (opened at 8am), but I never used it.

Main landing (Bill’s downstairs -exit only)

It has been a few years since I was last in Guildford. I remember when the kids were young I took them to the castle, and some years ago I attended the Flower Festival at the Cathedral (set just outside the town), but my visits have been few and far between. So, on arrival day, I set off on a walk to get my bearings.

One of the best views of Guildford from the castle (Cathedral in the distance)

Castle gardens. A nice place to sit and relax

High Street, Guildford looking towards the town bridge and river

The next morning I set off for the Watts Gallery. The bus didn’t arrive! I ended up sharing an Uber taxi with a young man who works in a restaurant in Compton village (just beyond the galleries). What a kind person, and what luck that he was there.

The Watts’ were part of the Arts & Craft Movement of which I am so very fond (think William Morris). Mary Watts was George Watts’ second wife. I was surprised to find that George was previously (and very briefly) married to the actress Ellen Terry. The Watts’ worked in London before moving out to Compton to set up galleries, a chapel and classes in pottery for the locals. What they did there was astonishing. The house, Limnerslease, was their home, but also where they worked. The ceiling panels in the hall and living room were designed and worked by Mary. The hall ceiling panels depict the various religions. Mary was also fond of repurposing items, and the wood either side of the living room doors are from a church. The grounds in which the house stands are quiet and beautiful.

Re-purposed wood from a church (living room)

A short walk along the main road you come to the Chapel and cemetery. On opening the chapel door the only word I can say is “WOW”. Every part is painted with motifs. It is stunning and none of my photos will ever do it justice. It reminds me of Byzantium churches. Local red clay is used even in the graveyard, with headstones and, of course, the cloisters where George F Watts was buried, and later Mary.

Back to the main buildings and to the Watts Galleries with paintings, sculptures and the De Morgan Collection.

De Morgan Collection (Evelyn -painter – William tiles/ceramics)

You can read about Evelyn de Morgan here.

The cafe on site is really nice – I had a lovely lunch. The shop is large with many items to woo you. Above the shop is a contemporary gallery selling new works by current artists, which is also worth a look. You need to allow around four hours to see everything without rushing. In the guide book there is a walk yu can take through the village and across the fields back to the galleries, but I didn’t do that, and considering how long I waited for the damn bus (which didn’t arrive) I might as well have! The lady in the shop called me a taxi. Although it is only a ten minute journey, it is a hassle getting there. That’s my only negative of the day. Everything else was pretty mind blowing.

On my final day, I decided I would go walking, and I found a nice route along the River Wey from Guildford to Godalming (approx 4 miles). This was a pretty walk with a number of locks and narrowboats passing through.

I had an early lunch in Godalming and caught the bus back to Guildford where I had a look around Guildford Museum before my second walk of the day. I staggered up Pewley Hill to Pewley Down. Staggered is about it! I can walk miles, but steep hills kill me. Someone had helpfully installed a bench after the worst part of the hill. Gratefully, I sat down to recover before the last haul up to the down. It was worth it though, for the view. Pewley Down is a lovely spot to sit and just enjoy the countryside, with bird song, the neigh of a horse, the buzz of bees and butterflies flitting from flower to flower.

I hope you have enjoyed this wander into Surrey with me. It was a great trip for me.

A bus ride took me to my starting point at Tolworth Court Farm Fields. I wrote about this place last summer when I first visited with a friend. Today, it was rather windy across those fields, and I was still no nearer working which field I was in, and I didn’t end up quite where I thought I would (direction not being my strong point). In fact it was a day of wrong turnings, but wrong turnings can lead to interesting discoveries.

The sun was trying to break through the clouds. I was out early and met mostly dog walkers. Underfoot the fields were a quagmire. Mud soon caked my shoes, and I had to watch where I was walking.

Eventually I found the river, and here was my first error. I turned right instead of left. I was heading along the Bonesgate Stream, not the Hogsmill. If I had followed that track I would have ended up nearer Chessington. There is nothing wrong with Chessington. In fact, I have crossed the Bonesgate on a previous walk through Chessington and Ashtead a couple of years ago. But this wasn’t my plan today. So retraced my steps. But before I move on I will tell you a little about the Bonesgate Stream. One part of it rises in Horton Country Park and the other in Chessington Wood. It joins the Hogsmill at Tolworth Court Farm. The Hogsmill is, of course, a tributary of the River Thames, and it meets the Thames at Kingston at Clattern Bridge, built in 1175, and is one of the oldest bridges in England.

Back on the right track I found where the two rivers meet and followed the Hogsmill. Again, I thought I knew where I was and where I would come out. But no! I have walked this river before in two sections in the past – Toworth to the source at Ewell, and Tolworth to Kingston where it feeds into the Thames – yet none of it seemed familiar!

I came out on a dual carriageway and crossed over by the lights. It took me a little while to locate the way back to the path, but from the bridge (which turnes out to be Tolworth Court Bridge!) there is an excellent view of the river.

This was a lovely path, and I was following a group of walkers who had probably walked from Ewell.

I thought this was a bridge at first but there is a pipe running over the river.

By now the sun was out and, being more sheltered, I wasn’t buffeted by the wind. On this stretch it passes by Surbiton Raceway (GoKarts), and I felt this section was familiar.

And here was my second confusion. The path ended on a main road with the Hogsmill Pub on the corner. I crossed, but it wasn’t long before I realised I was walking away from the river. I doubled back and consulted Google Maps. The only way to follow the river was to walk along the main road. The road had no pavement either side. It is a twisty turny road, and I felt rather unsafe walking along it. On the left Wimpey Homes are building new houses and apartments. Twice I came off and walked down pathways hoping to get back to the river. One turning led only to a health club, and the other was a private road, but at least there were some gorgeous ponies in a field to make friends with.

I finally found the path back to the river and saw my second heron of the day. Trying to take a photo of it proved difficult. Only my bridge camera could get that close, but even that refused to focus on anything but the foilage around it! And then it flew. Below is the best shot (nothing to write home about!)

I was now definitely on familiar ground and walking across Six Acre Meadow. This is famous for John Millais‘s painting Ophelia. The setting is here, though the model for Ophelia (Lizzie Siddel) was painted in a house lying in a bath of water lit by candles to try and keep her warm. That didn’t work. She got hypothermia!

I recenty found out that another Pre-Raphaelite painter, William Holman Hunt, also painted here. There is a great booklet that can be bought from Kingston Museum all about the Hogsmill River and the link to the Pre-Raphaelite artists.

Under the railway bridge by The Hogsmill RIver

I was on the final stretch I had planned for today. My exit point was St John’s Church, Old Malden. But before we leave this lovely river behind, I would like to direct you to the excellent website of Paul Talling where you can find the history of this river and some lovely photos of the whole route. Do take a look.