*GUILFORD, (Surrey) 25 cm. 30 mm. from London, stands on the r. Wey, not far from which are the ruinous walls of an old
castle, this having been in the Saxon times a royal villa, where many of our Ks. used to pass the festivals, and in
particular K. Henry II. K. John, and K. Edward III. kept their Christmas here. It appears by Mr. Blount's account of
ancient tenures, that annis 1234, and 1254, some lands were held here by the serjeanty of keeping meretrices (which are
interpreted laundresses) in the K's court, rented at 25 1. a year, paid into the exchequer. Here is a corp. consisting of
a mayor, recorder, ald. &c. which has sent members to Pt. ever since Pts. had a being. Its Mt. which is on S. is chiefly
for corn, and its Fairs are on Good-F. April 23, and Nov. 11. The great road from London to Chichester and Portsmouth lies
through this T. which has always been famous for good inns, the cleanest of linnen, and other excellent accommodations;
and the assizes are often held here. Its mf. formerly was cloth, of which here are still some small remains. Here is a sc.
founded by K. Edward VI. and an almsh. founded by George Abbot Abp. of Canterbury, and endowed by him with lands worth 300
l. a year, of which he ordered 100 l. to be employed in setting ths poor at work, and the other 200 l. for the maintenance
of a master, 12 brethren, and 8 sisters, who are to have 2 s. 6 d. a week. The Abp's. birth-day, viz. Oct. 29, is yearly
commemorated in it, and the Abp. of Canterbury is its visitor. There were 3 Chs. in this T. but one of them fell down in
April 1740; and it has given title to many of our nobility, particularly Elizabeth, an Irish Viscountess, who was by K.
Cha. II. created Countess of Guilford for life; and John D. of Lauderdale, whom he also created Earl of Guilford; as he
did afterwards Sir Francis North. Here were formerly 2 or 3 convents, one of which was not long ago the seat of Dan.
Coswall, Esq; and had a delightful park adjoining to it, the possession of the late Ld. Onslow. Here are 2 ch. scs. for 30
boys and 20 girls; and a fine circular course for horse-matches, which begin when the Newmarket races are ended. K.
William founded a plate of 100 guineas, to be run for here every May, and used to honour the race with his presence, as
did once the late K. Geo. I. The r. Wey is made navigable to the T. and by it a great quantity of timber is carried to
London, not only from this neighbourhood, but from Sussex and Hampshire woods, above 30 m. off, from whence it is brought
hither in the summer by land carriage. This navigation is also a great support to Farnham Mt. a good deal of the corn
bought there being brought to the mills on this r. within 7 m. distance, and, after being ground and dressed, is sent down
in barges to London. The road from hence to Farnham is very remarkable, for it runs along upon the ridge of a high chalky
hill, called St. Catherines, no wider than the road itself, from whence there is a surprizing prospect, viz. to the N. and
N. W. over Bagshot-Heath, and the other way into Sussex, and almost to the South-Downs; in short, the prospect to the W.
is as it were unbounded. On this hill stands the gallows, in such a position, that the T's. people may see the executions
from their stopdoors in the high-street. In this neighbourhoood, on the left side of the road leading to Godalming, are
also the outside walls of that formerly called St. Catherine's-Chapel, that was built with a sort of tile, which when
broken has the appearance of iron, and the cement of them is so hard, that it is in a manner impenetrable. There is a
crossroad from hence to London, by way of Leatherhead or Epsom, over Bansted-Downs, which is not frequented by coaches, or
the common stages, and if not the nearest to London, is by much the pleasantest in this part of England. The Epsom road,
in particular, is always good, being a very hard gravel,