The French remained at Farnham for ten months before the castle was retaken.

One of Farnham's most treasured possessions, in an excellent state of preservation, is the Charter granted to the town in 1249 by Bishop William de Ralegh.

The Charter of 1249 was confirmed by Bishop John Gervase in 1266 and by Henry Cardinal Beaufort in 1410. The new municipal body consisting of two bailiffs and twelve burgesses “to be chosen from the best and most worthy of the inhabitants,” was created by a Charter of 1566, granted by Bishop Horne. In 1762 one bailiff and three burgesses remained in office, and by 1789 only one bailiff, William Shotter, was left. It is recorded that he was indicted for not keeping the river bridges at Tilford in repair (Tilford was then a hamlet under Farnham) and this forced him to surrender the Charter. The deed executed by him was placed in the hands of Bishop Brownlow North. In the Civil War, the castle was, except for two short periods, in the hands of Parliamentary forces. The saddest reminder of those days is that part of the keep was “slighted” to make further occupation impossible. But if the strength of the castle weakened, the town was growing in importance.

Domestic buildings followed in the 13th century and today the castle is still a blend of the fortified and residential. From the 12th century until the 1920's it was a residence - a palace - of the Bishops of Winchester. They found it a convenient stopping place on their journeys from Winchester to London. There, through the years, they entertained Kings and Queens. The Castle saw little conflict but it was the scene of fighting during the Civil Wars. With the Reformation, Bishop Morley restored the residential buildings, retaining the shell of the medieval structure but re-modelling the interior, particularly the Great Hall. The Diocese of Guildford was created out of the Diocese of Winchester in 1927 and the buildings altered to make a residence for the Bishop of Guildford. However, no bishop has lived at the castle since 1955.

The castle serves as a reminder of the power of the Bishops of Winchester,and is notable for having been continuously occupied from the 12th to the 20th century .

Modern Day Farnham Castle

The residential part is now occupied by Farnham Castle International Briefing and Conference Centre.

There are guided tours on Wednesday afternoons. The keep is now administered by English Heritage and is open to the public during the summer from April to September and closed in Winter.

To find out more about this historical building visit, or call the very knowledgeable and friendly staff.

Farnham Castle