[1] The hospital was founded by George Abbot, the Archbishop of Canterbury (1611–1633) in 1619 to provide homes for the elderly of Guildford.

[2] It is on the High Street in Guildford, opposite the Holy Trinity Church, where its founder, the Archbishop, is buried.

2. c. xviii) as modified by subsequent schemes of regulation, which includes receiving periodic residential satisfaction questionnaires.

The Mayor of the borough, the priests of three closest Anglican parishes and the Headmaster of the Royal Grammar School, Guildford are governors and thereby trustees; as too are two appointed by Guildford Borough Council and the remainder are persons residing or carrying on business in or near the Borough of Guildford co-opted by the Board, subject to the approval of the Archbishop of Canterbury – the Hospital's official visitor.

Couples were already eligible before the premises were enlarged, as were widowed and single elderly, subject to meeting any one of three borough connection requirements, a ceiling on wealth and being of sufficiently good health to lead an independent life.