Grade I listed · Guildford

The Castle Keep

The Castle Keep is a Grade I listed building in Guildford, first listed on 1 May 1953. It is one of 30 Grade I entries among 1,088 listed buildings in Guildford; 0% of Guildford’s current entries were listed before it.

List entry
Field	Value
Name	The Castle Keep
Grade	Grade I — exceptional interest
List entry number	1377881
Date first listed	1 May 1953
Local planning authority	Guildford
Location	51.23428, -0.57235 (map)
Official record	Historic England list entry 1377881

Planning works on this listed building?

Planium checks which consents Guildford will require for your works on The Castle Keep, lists what the heritage statement must cover and drafts the application text.

Ask Planium what consent you need

What the grade means for works

Grade I buildings are of exceptional interest — only about 2.5% of listed buildings in England. Any application for listed building consent is notified to Historic England, and alterations are scrutinised closely.

The protection covers the whole building, inside and out, plus fixtures and attached structures. Typical works that need consent: replacing windows or doors, removing walls or historic fabric, changing roof coverings, installing solar panels or external insulation, and adding extensions.

Listed buildings near The Castle Keep

Name	Grade	Distance
Remains of Shell Keep at Guildford Castle	I	17 m
Guildford War Memorial	II	46 m
Gas Lamp in Garden of Remembrance, Approximately 8 Metres South West of Castle Square Entrance	II	58 m
Microwave Masters, Terrapin Design and Harpers Antiques	II	60 m
The Two Brewers Public House	II	64 m
Former Private Apartments at Guildford Castle	I	74 m
The Chestnuts	II	82 m
The James I Restaurant	II	82 m
Pewley Cottage	II	83 m
20, Chapel Street	II	94 m

Frequently asked questions

Is The Castle Keep listed?

Yes. The Castle Keep is on the National Heritage List for England as a Grade I listed building, list entry number 1377881, first listed on 1 May 1953. The full list entry with its description and map is on Historic England’s website.

Do I need consent for works to The Castle Keep?

Works that affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest — inside or out — need listed building consent from Guildford, in addition to any planning permission or building regulations approval. Like-for-like repairs often do not, but confirm with the council’s conservation officer before you start.

Source: National Heritage List for England, © Historic England 2026, via planning.data.gov.uk. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Retrieved 12 October 2026. Local authority assigned from the list entry point. This page is a summary — the legal record is the official list entry.