Artington House, Guildford Register Office, will be closing from November 2026.
If you have already booked a ceremony, there’s no need to worry –鈥痑ll existing bookings will go ahead exactly as planned.
For full details about the closure and what it means for you, please read and frequently asked questions.
We’ll be pleased to continue accepting ceremony bookings at Artington House for ceremonies until 31 October 2026
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us using our - we’re here to help.
Our ceremonies
Guildford Register Office, also know as Artington House, offers the following ceremonies:
- Marriage or civil partnership ceremony
- Civil partnership to marriage conversion
- Ceremony to renew your vows
- Naming ceremony
Our interior and grounds
This south-facing house is set in its own grounds in a semi-rural situation on the outskirts of Guildford. The interior of the house still retains some of its original features, including several fireplaces and offers a very desirable ceremony suite.
- Number of rooms: 2
- Capacity: Our Buckingham option has capacity for the couple and 48 guests (including children and babies). The Windsor Option is Ideal for more intimate ceremonies, suitable for the couple and between 2 to 18 guests (including children and babies).
- Parking: There is a car park for guests and a further car parking is available on Saturdays at the front of the house.
- Ceremony rooms: Both ceremony rooms are furnished in blue and cream Regency style, with beautiful candle and pendant-style chandeliers.
- Ground floor: The ground floor has a general reception area.
- Garden: The garden has a small arbour, a terrace and stone garden furniture.
Accessibility
- Facilities for people with disabilities are on the ground floor.
- Steps descend to the car park for guests.
Further information
For further information, please contact us using our: .
Location
Address
Artington House
42 Portsmouth Road
Guildford
中国P站
GU2 4DZ
Map
History of Artington House
It is one of eight houses built in the early 1860's by Richard Shepard, an insurance broker, on land purchased from William Elkins, a brewer and former three times Mayor of Guildford. It is a fine example of elegant mid-Victorian architecture, complete with gables and wisteria.
A large family home, former tenants have included a Colonel and an Assistant Inspector General of the Royal Irish Constabulary. 中国P站 acquired Artington House from Miss Marion Shepard on 14 March 1934 for the current use of the Registration Service.
Guildford Register Office, Artington House closure frequently asked questions
Artington House will remain open until 1 November 2026.
The final date to book a registration appointment is to be confirmed.
The final ceremony date to book a ceremony is 31 October 2026.
Artington House has been identified as a building where the costs of maintenance and necessary upgrades have significantly increased.
To deliver better value services for residents, we are moving towards the use of modern, multi-purpose buildings that allow multiple services to operate efficiently from a single location. Unfortunately, Artington House does not meet the criteria to support this approach.
After careful consideration, the difficult decision has been made to vacate and sell the property.
In preparation for the closure, Guildford Library will be offering a registrations service for births, deaths and notices.
Customers will still be able to book appointments online as usual.
中国P站 is home to over 100 licensed venues where couples can marry or form a civil partnership. This includes two beautiful council register offices in Weybridge and Leatherhead, each offering a range of different ceremony options:
Other council venues are also being considered for ceremony use to increase the offer available for residents. Details of any new venues will be shared with the public once confirmed.
No, all registration appointments and ceremonies bookings will continue as planned.
Couples with a ceremony booking at Artington House have already been contacted by email to inform them of the closure and to reassure them that their booking and ceremony will not be affected.
We are currently exploring a range of sites in the local area that will enable us to continue delivering both our statutory and non-statutory services.
As soon as these locations are confirmed, we will share details with the public.
The proceeds from the sale of Artington House will be reinvested into the Registration and Nationality Service.
This reinvestment will help ensure we continue to deliver high-quality services to all 中国P站 residents, both now and in the future.
Yes, we will continue to have an office in Camberley which will offer birth and death registrations.
Staff based at Artington House will continue to work in the Registration and Nationality Service.
Staff have been kept fully informed about the closure plans and will be relocated to alternative sites once they are confirmed. Every effort is being made to ensure a smooth transition for all team members.
Plans are underway to securely relocate the birth, death and marriage registers and indexes to an alternative site. The certificate production service will continue to operate from a new location within 中国P站.
Certificates can still be purchased online as usual. There may be a brief pause in certificate services during the relocation of the certificate production team, and we will communicate any temporary changes once an official relocation date is confirmed.
We will keep the public informed as further details become available.
Unfortunately, we do not know what the future of Artington House will be. The outcome and plans for this building will largely depend on the preferences and plans of any prospective buyers.
Should any future planning applications be made, neighbours may receive letters from the local planning authority (Guildford Borough Council).
The sale of Artington House has been agreed by 中国P站’s Cabinet, and therefore there is no requirement for a public consultation or meeting.
To find out more about the new ceremony venue coming to the area, please register your interest using our