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Built by George Abbot in 1619, as a Hospital, this handsome building became an Almshouse for poorer people to live in for over 400 years, Guildford High Street, Surrey, England.
Built by George Abbot in 1619, as a Hospital, this handsome building became an Almshouse for poorer people to live in for over 400 years, Guildford High Street, Surrey, England.

Commentary.

Guildford is a fine, dignified and historical Market Town in Surrey.
Its High Street, shown here, is steep, but full of interesting features.
It is Cobble-stoned and pedestrianised.
It has an elaborate Guildhall and Clock-Tower.
A former Jacobean Hospital, later to become a collection of Alms-houses, dating back to 1609, stands nobly at the upper end of the street.
Founded by George Abbot, a one-time Archbishop of Canterbury, it served the poor and disabled for over 400 years.
It must be the grandest set of Alms-houses I have ever seen.
But why not?
There is a poetic justice in the poor being given a grand building to live in, as Abbot had wanted.
The Clock-Tower fronted the Guildhall.
Lead-roofed and part wooden construction,
it projects the gold-embellished clock-face
out over the High Street, such that it can be seen
from the top or bottom of the hill.
It is not that uncommon for a High Street to be quite steep.
Towns often started near a reliable water-supply.
In Guildford it is the River Wey at the lowest point,
just this side of St. Nicolas Parish Church, in shot.
Therefore, the High Street is steep because it is built on a natural river-terrace.
Beyond the river and church, part of the North Downs can be seen.
The town is surrounded by beautiful Chalk Downs and wooded Sandstone Ridges like “The Chantries,” and St. Martha’s Hill with its church standing 525 feet above sea-level.

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Taken on: October 26, 2021
Sets appears in:   • UK Premier Selection   
Groups appears in:   • United Kingdom    • Guildford (UK)    more » • English Autumn    • Villages and Towns    • Great Britain    • Autumn UK    • Beautiful Britain    • The Flikr Group    • Surrey Photographers    • Hills and Mountains    • English Landscape    • Pictures Of England    • South East England    • Canon DSLR users UK    • English Landscapes    • This Is England    • UK High Street History    • Canon DSLR    • County of Surrey    • Images Of England    • england at its best    • Landmarks in the UK    • Sussex & Surrey Digital Artists Group    • Scenes from the British Isles    • England, Beautiful English Scenes    • this_is_England    • Beautiful Surrey photography    • English Market Towns    • Britain at its Best    • A Beautiful England    • Canon SLR Photography    • Digital SLR Life    • Beautiful Architecture    • British Landscapes    • (A) WORLD HERITAGE TRAIL    « less
Camera: Canon EOS 5DS R, f/8.0, 1/250 sec, 24mm, ISO 400 (more info) (hide info)
Camera: Canon EOS 5DS R
Lens: EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure Time: 0.004 sec (1/250)
Focal Length: 24mm
ISO: 400
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: No Flash
Exposure Program: Program AE
Exposure Mode: Auto
Metering Mode: Multi-segment
White Balance: Auto
Color Space: sRGB
Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 6.14 (Windows)
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