 Guildford was the location of the Royal Mint from 978 until part-way through the reign of William the Conqueror.Guildford Castle is of Norman design, although there are no documents about its earliest years.Its situation overlooks the pass through the hills taken by the Pilgrims' Way, and also once overlooked the ancient ford across the Wey, thus giving a key point of military control of this long distance way across the country.