History of Guildford

On 5 October 1974, bombs planted by the Provisional Irish Republican Army went off in two Guildford pubs, killing four off-duty soldiers and a civilian. The pubs were targeted because soldiers from the barracks at Pirbright were known to frequent them. The subsequently arrested suspects, who became known as the Guildford Four, were convicted and sentenced to long prison sentences in October 1975. They claimed to have been tortured by the police and denied involvement in the bombing. In 1989 after a long legal battle, their convictions were overturned and they were released.

In the 21st century Guildford is a bustling English town, with a High Street paved with granite setts often referred to as cobbles, and is one of the most expensive places to buy property in the UK outside of London. Top end shops such as Hugo Boss, Gant, Armani Exchange and Mappin & Webb can be found along the historic high street as well as department stores including House of Fraser, Debenhams and Marks and Spencers.

Guildford has a general street market held on Fridays and Saturdays. A farmers' market is usually held on the first Tuesday of each month. There is a Tourist Information Office, Guided Walks and various hotels including the historic Angel Hotel which long served as a coaching stop on the main London to Portsmouth stagecoach route. and Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel. Guildford was voted the 9th best place to live in Britain in 2006 but slipped to 12th position in 2007, "largely due to the pollution produced by the numerous cars found on the roads". Guildford is the most attractive and safe shopping destination in the UK, according to the Eve Prime Retail Survey 2004 and ranked 27th in the country overall.

Except in winter, The National Trust run short and longer trips on the Wey Navigation, starting from Dapdune Wharf in the town