Fairytale Travel: Alice in Wonderland and The Trail of Lewis Carroll in Guildford
In this post:
- I: Lewis Carroll and Alice in Wonderland
- II: Lewis Carroll in Guildford
- III: Sculptures of Alice in Wonderland in Guildford
- IV: Guildford Castle Gardens
Welcome to my Travel series on Famous Fairytale Photoshoots where I combine my love of travel, photography, costumes and films and take you to some real life locations that inspired well-loved books and films.
Alice in Wonderland is one of my favourite stories (and Disney films) as I believe I have a child-like imagination and all the weird and wonderful characters are just right up my alley! Also, I love all the colourful imagery that one conjurs up in their heads from reading the story. Read on as I take you to Guildford, former home of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, the author…
Last year I decided to escape France for a bit and visit my good friend and fellow travel blogger, Amy, from Footprints and Memories in the UK. She invited me to stay with her and her husband and by doing so, I got to see a bit of England I wouldn’t normally have seen. They live just outside of London in the south-west borough of Kingston and I got to see their town plus a few of the surrounding ones.
Amy knew that I was into costumed photoshoots and even though I hadn’t planned on doing any during this trip, she gave me so many good ideas that I thought, “Why not?” The first one we did was “Alice in Wonderland” and the very next day after my arrival, we went to shoot in Guildford, which was just a short train ride away…
Lewis Carroll and Alice in Wonderland
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (who used the pen name of Lewis Carroll) was an English writer, mathematician, don, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. He is best known for his literary works ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland‘ and its sequel ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass.’
While teaching as a mathematician at the Christ Church College in Oxford, he became good friends with the Dean of the College, Henry Liddell and his family (wife and 10 kids). He built up great friendships with three Liddell daughters in particular. It was Alice, then 10, who became the muse and inspiration for his beloved stories. The ideas for the stories came to him by means of improvisation while he was on family picnics and boating trips with the Liddells (around July 1862) and storytelling to the girls.
Alice loved that the protagonist was named after her and asked him to write it all down. He did, and entitled the manuscript ‘Alice’s Adventures Underground‘ and presented it to her about 18 months later.
The manuscript also made its way to George MacDonald, a friend of Carroll’s and a fellow author, who had the perfect litmus test for the story: He asked his wife to read it to his own young children, who all loved it. Encouraged by the MacDonalds, Carroll revised the story for publication, retitling it to ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland‘ and added the now famous scene of the Mad Hatter’s tea party and the character of the Cheshire Cat for a manuscript that was twice as long as the one he’d originally sent to Alice Liddell.
The manuscript was also passed to publishers and the first edition came out in 1865.
‘Alice in Wonderland’ was popular almost from the moment it was published and it became even more well known when Disney came out with the film in 1951. His stories are now over 150 years old, they have still not lost any of their magic and appeal to children and adults alike. They have been translated into over 100 languages and inspired numerous films, including the two recent Disney/Tim Burton productions.
Lewis Carroll in Guildford
In August 1868, three years after the publication of his novel, Carroll then aged 36, turned up in Guildford wanting to purchase a house. The death of his father left him as the head of their large household and he was on a hunt for a new house for him and his six unmarried sisters. In November of that year, the family moved into ‘The Chestnuts‘ a new house located very close to the Guildford Castle ruins. He chose Guildford as it was convenient and accessible by rail from Oxford and because he liked taking walks in the Surrey countryside.
Although there is a strong connection between him and Guildford, he never actually lived there. He lived in Christ Church, Oxford where he taught. He did, however, spend his holidays, Christmases and many weekends in Guildford and wrote his sequel ‘Through the Looking Glass‘ there.
Guildford actually became the place where he would die, while visiting his sisters one winter. He died of pneumonia following influenza on 14 January 1898 in ‘The Chestnuts‘, in Guildford. He was two weeks shy of turning 66 years old. He was buried in Guildford at the Mount Cemetery.
The Dodgson family descendants lived ‘The Chestnuts‘ until the 1930s. Over the following decades the home was sold a few times to various Lewis Carroll fans and although it is a British heritage listed building (Grade II) it has not been maintained and is somewhat rundown. It is currently privately owned.
(Photo from Alamy as I forgot to take one of this plaque)
Sculptures of Alice in Wonderland in Guildford
There are two sculptures in Guildford dedicated to Lewis Carroll and Alice. The first is a sculpture by Jeanne Argent, erected in 1990 in the Castle Grounds, near the back garden of ‘The Chestnuts‘. It shows Alice making her way through the looking-glass and if you stand behind her you can see the castle in front of you.
In a picturesque spot by the Wey River at Millmead you’ll find some bronze sculptures by Edwin Russell, which were created in 1984. The scene depicts Alice with one of her sisters, reading the now-famous book while the white rabbit darts down the rabbit-hole.
Photoshoot in the Guildford Castle Gardens
Now that you know the background story, I hope you have enjoyed ‘Alice’ taking you on a journey through the lovely Guildford Castle Gardens…
Photos of me taken by Amy and her husband Will. Other photos taken by myself. All photos are retouched by me.
GO
Guildford is located approximately 48.5 km (30.3 miles) south-west of London. It is in the district of Guildford and the shire county of Surrey.
How to get to Guildford
Getting to Guildford by train
The quickest and easiest way is by train. There is a direct train (South-Western Railway) from London Waterloo station to Guildford station and takes about 35 minutes. It costs £13.40 one way (adult).
Getting to Guildford by bus
The bus is the cheapest way of getting to Guildford. National Express has regular services leaving from London Victoria station and the trip takes between an hour to 1h20min. Tickets cost around £7-10 one way (adult).
Getting to Guildford by car
Note that there is a congestion charge within London of £11.50 per day Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm. Traffic in/around London can be extremely bad so I don’t recommend driving unless you are planning to do a road trip, stopping by Guildford along the way.
Getting to Guildford by taxi
A taxi from London to Guildford will cost at least £100 one way.
You could also try pre-booking a shuttle bus but I’ve never used this service.
When should we visit Guildford?
It depends on what you plan to do here. If you want to see the Alice in Wonderland/Lewis Carroll stuff and take advantage of the gorgeous castle gardens (which was the highlight for me), then you must come in summer (June-August) when all the flowers are blooming. I came in August and this was the perfect month. However, weather can be rather unpredictable and it was alternating between sunny and cloudy all day long and that same week it was pouring rain so weather-wise, be prepared for anything! Even though I went in August the ‘summer’ felt more like spring or autumn to me, as I’m more used to hotter summers in the south of France or Australia. I do not recommend coming in winter as it would be utterly freezing and most attractions/monuments (see below) are closed.
How long should we spend in Guildford?
A day trip is probably enough for the average person (that’s what we did) but if you wanted to stay longer that would work as well. You could visit the Guildford Museum (which we didn’t have time for) and take a walk along the Wey river, and do a spot or shopping or eating…
STAY
I stayed with my friend in another town but if I was staying in town I’d recommend these hotels:
- Guildford Harbour Hotel (4 stars)
- The Bars Development, Guildford (3.5 stars)
or
- Airbnb
Want to try it? Get 25-30 euros off your first Airbnb rental when you use my coupon code!
SEE
Guildford Castle
There’s not much left of the castle which is thought to have been built shortly after the 1066 Battle of Hastings. Starting in 2003 the castle keep was renovated and there is a small museum about the history of the castle inside.
Address: Castle Street, Guildford, GU1 3UW, UK
Telephone: +33 (0)1483 444751
Hours: Gardens: 8am to dusk throughout the year /
Castle: March: Saturday and Sunday only, 11am – 4pm (last admission 3.30pm)
April – September: Monday – Sunday, 10am – 5pm (last admission 4.30pm)
October: Saturday and Sunday only, 11am – 4pm (last admission 3.30pm)
October half-term: Monday – Sunday, 11am – 4pm (last admission 3.30pm)
Closed: November to February.
Admission: Gardens: Free / Castle: Adult: £3.20, Child/Concessions: £1.60
Site: https://www.guildford.gov.uk/castlegrounds
—
Guildford Museum
The museum has various permanent and temporary exhibitions and here you can see toys and other artefacts owned by Dodgson/Carroll and his sisters.
Address: Corner of Quarry Street and Castle Hill, Guildford GU1 3SX, UK
Telephone: +44 (0)1483 444751
Hours: Mondays to Saturdays, 11am to 5pm. Last entry: 4.45pm. They are open on Bank Holiday Mondays. Closed Christmas Day.
Admission: Free
Site: https://www.guildford.gov.uk/museum
—
Guildford House Art Gallery
(The Tourism office is also located inside Guildford House)
Address: 155 High St, Guildford GU1 3AJ, UK
Telephone: +44 (0)1483 444751
Hours: Monday to Saturday: 10am to 4.45pm. Sundays: 11am to 4pm (May to September only).
Admission: Free
Site: https://www.guildford.gov.uk/guildfordhouse
Guildhall of Guildford
You’ll notice the stunning gilded clock from a distance.. which belongs to the Guildhall.
Address: 131 High Street Guildford Surrey GU1 3AA, UK
Telephone: +44 (0)1483 444751
Hours: The Guildhall is open for self-guided tours and guided tours from May to September on Sundays.
- From May to September the Guildhall will be open for self-guided visits every Sunday from 11am to 5pm.
- Throughout August it will also be open from Mondays to Saturdays, 10am to 5pm.
- Guided tours will be offered every Sunday at 2.30pm and 3.30pm, in association with the town guides (Booking is not required. Group tours are also available by prior arrangement).
Admission: £2 adult, £1 child. The entrance charge includes a booklet on the history of the Guildhall to accompany your visit.
Site: https://www.guildford.gov.uk/guildhall
—
The Medieval Undercroft
Build in the 1300s this was once a luxury goods store but then became the cellar of a medieval wine merchant.
Address: 72-74 High St, Guildford GU1 3HE, UK
Telephone: N/A
Hours: May to September only: Wednesdays 2pm to 4pm, Saturdays 12pm to 4pm. Closed October to April.
Admission: Free
Site: https://www.guildford.gov.uk/undercroft
—
Wanborough Barn
The Wanborough Barn is located 6km west out of town. It is a barn built by monks in 1388.
Address: Wanborough, Guildford GU3 2JR, UK
Telephone: +44 (0)1483 444751
Hours: The Wanborough Barn is only open one or two weekends per month between April-September. Please check the website for dates.
Admission: Free
Site: https://www.guildford.gov.uk/wanboroughbarn
EAT
The Kings Head Pub
After the photoshoot in the Guildford Castle gardens we were all famished so we headed to The Kings Head Pub (right next to the castle) for lunch. It was ‘pub food’ but it was really good with a variety of different things to suit all tastes. I just loved the look of the building which is from the 1500s!
The funny thing was, in the ladies bathroom there was a beautiful, ornate mirror which both Amy and I thought would be perfect for a impromptu ‘Through the Looking Glass‘ photoshoot!
Cuisine: English pub food
Bar Hours: Monday-Thursday 12.00pm-12.00am, Friday 12pm – 2.00am, Saturday 12pm – 2.00am, Sunday 12.00pm -12.00am
Food Hours: Monday -Friday 12.00pm-3.00pm & 5.00pm-9.00pm, Saturday 12.00pm-9.00pm, Sunday 12.00pm-4.00pm
Address: Corner of Quarry Street and Castle Street, Guildford GU1 3XQ, UK
Telephone: +44 (0)1483 575004
Site: http://www.thekingsheadpub.co.uk/
SHOP
What should you buy in Guildford? To be honest we didn’t spend enough time here for me to do shopping but I bought some Alice in Wonderland memorabilia in the gift store in the Tourism Office. Other than that you have your standard English boutique chain stores on the High Street.
PHOTO TIPS
I don’t really have any particular tips as Guildford is not a super touristy place so it does not get that crowded. If it does get crowded it’s still mostly locals and not tourists. For most of the day (and remember this is in August peak holiday period) we had the Guildford Castle gardens almost to ourselves. The only thing that was hard to deal with was the weather as it can be windy (uncontrollable wig flying everywhere was not fun to deal with!) and was constantly changing every few minutes. So bring a coat, scarf and umbrella just in case, even in summer!
Tell me: Have I inspired you? Would you like to visit this little piece of ‘Alice in Wonderland’? If you have any further questions or comments please send me an email, Thanks! 🙂
