Petersfield High Street North

Part of front cover designed by Edward Grainger for Petersfield Monographs No. 2 entitled ‘High Street Petersfield’.

Visits

No doubt long known to our membership for its fine retail facilities it was fascinating to learn the history of Guildford on the first of the Society’s 2017 summer visits.

We joined our guide at the TunGate in the High Street and learnt of the Saxon origins of the town and its growth over the centuries including the building of the castle by the Normans and the medieval importance of the wool trade and subsequent strategic importance of the town as a coaching stop on the road from London to the South Coast.

As the tour proceeded down the High Street we viewed the picturesque facade of the 17th century  Guildhall with its projecting clock and the Angel Hotel, the only remaining Coaching inn with medieval crypt beneath. Opposite the Angel we descended into the medieval Undercroft with stonework carvings and vaulted ceilings and then onto to the 12th century St Mary’s Church. 

After reaching the River Wey we started the ascent reaching the 12th century Castle Keep and its beautiful landscaped gardens and then onward to the grade one listed Trinity church at the top of the High Street. Our tour ended in the superbly preserved Jacobean  Abbot Hospital built in 1619 by Guildford’s most significant son George Abbot who became Archbishop of Canterbury.

Visit to Guildford

How To Join

Contact us for an application form. Membership costs £15 per person or £20 per couple. This includes eight meetings per year with a speaker and five optional meetings of the Society’s Archaeological Group. You will also receive a copy of the Society’s twice-yearly bulletin.

Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery

Petersfield Museum

Visit Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery to see some of the archival work PAHS has undertaken.

Petersfield Musical Festival

"Petersfield

Petersfield Musical Festival has entertained the town with choral music for over 100 years.

Petersfield Physic Garden

fritillaryThe Physic Garden is open daily except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s day. Check the website for times. Entrance is free.

People of Petersfield Heath

People of the Heath Visit People of the Heath for more on the excavation of the Petersfield Heath barrows.