Stoke Park, Guildford

Stoke Park
Stoke Park and Gardens
Showjumping at the Surrey County Show on Stoke Park
Location	Guildford, Surrey
Coordinates	Coordinates: 51°14′45″N 0°33′48″W / 51.245705°N 0.563288°W / 51.245705; -0.563288
Created	1925
Owned by	Guildford Borough Council
Administered by	Parks and Countryside Service
Awards	Green Flag award
Public transit access	London Road (Guildford) railway station

Stoke Park is a large park on the edge of the town centre of Guildford, Surrey, England bought by the local council from Lord Onslow in 1925 to prevent future building work and "remain for all time a lung of the town", Between London Road and Parkway, two of the four arterial roads to the A3(M), Stoke Park is largest park within the town signed area of Guildford. It is also a Green Flag award winning park. The park and its woodland have remained more or less intact since they were laid out in the 18th-century. Then, there was the manor house which owned slightly more land remaining from the manor of Stoke-next-Guildford, complete with walled garden and icehouse.

To the west of the park is Guildford College. The other side of the college, away from the park, is St John's Church. To the south of the park is Guildford Community Church, Guildford High School and London Road (Guildford) railway station. Surrounding the park to the south and east is the A3100 road. This meets the A25 road, which runs along the north side of the park, in the northeast corner close to the Guildfordian Bisons RFC pitches. To the north of the A25 road is the Guildford Spectrum with which the park shares its facilities with.

Stoke was originally a parish south of the River Wey. In 1894, it became part of Guildford, when the parish of Stoke was split into two, Stoke-within-Guildford and Stoke-next-Guildford. Before 1762, the site of Stoke Park was called the Paddocks, it was owned by a Mr Dyson who laid out its dimensions. In 1780, it was purchased by a Mr Aldesey. He bought it along with Stoke Mills. The road, that became the A320, over Wood Bridge was diverted in 1780 to the west end of St. John's Church in Stoke away from Stoke Park. It runs north to south, to the west of the Ornamental Gardens and the Model Boating Lake in the park. In 1879. Samuel Budgett bought 100 acres of the estate, along with the mansion for £35,000, from Lord Onslow.