The site of the Ancient Castle of Guildford Together with the adjacent bowling green was in the year 1885 purchased by the Town Council of the Borough of Guildford from the Rt Hon John Richard Brinsley, Lord Grantley for the sum of £4490 and a further sum of £2500 was expended in laying out the Estate as Public Pleasure Grounds. Towards this expenditure a sum of £1000 was generously given by the Rt Hon Geo Cubitt MP for many years one of the Members of Parliament for the Western Division of the County and the balance was raseid by loans contracted on security of the General District Rates of the Town