Here starts the blog. From one bored human bean to another. That is, assuming that you’re bored enough to find this blog.
So what about this bean? [And yes, I’m going to continue the pretense]
Author bean [I did warn you] is a first year student at the University of Surrey in Guildford.
This bean [OK, I might stop soon] is not originally from Guildford, or even Surrey, but will be calling it home for the next three years.
Freshers week is long gone, but the course work hasn’t started yet, and the social cliques are starting to form. Hence sitting alone in a can [that’s the last one, I promise] looking for something to do.
So, if you are as bored as I am, then here are some fun facts about Guildford to entertain you (all stolen from guildford.org.uk):
- Over 200,000 people contributed a brick to the cathedral construction fund.
- The university is ranked among the top 10 UK universities.
- Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known as Lewis Carrol, wrote “Through The Looking Glass” whilst living in Guildford.
- Henry III, King John, and Eleanor of Castile all stayed in Guildford Castle.
- The remains of what is believed to the oldest synagogue in Western Europe were found under the High Street.
- Parts of the film, The Omen, were filmed at Guildford Cathedral.
- Alan Turing, code-breaker and mathematician, lived in Guildford.
- Although Guildford has a cathedral it is not a city. In 2002 Guildford applied for city status, but was turned down.
- The first written reference to cricket appears in a 16th century court case involving the Royal Grammar School in Guildford.