New Road Guest House

The earliest mention of Box is in 1144 although the earliest known settlement dates in the area from the 2nd century AD. The Norman church was built near to a large Roman villa which, with its 41 room, would have been the centre of a large estate. The villa had one of the richest collections of mosaic floors of any building in Roman Britain. What is possibly one of its subsidiary villas was discovered at nearby Atworth in 1938.

Quarrying continued to be a major industry over the centuries with Box stone being used for several major projects in the 15th century and 16th centuries including Longleat.

In the 17th century Box is recorded on several maps. At this time, weaving was a major home industry although the stone quarries were still in use. The opening of the Kennet and Avon Canal in 1810 was a huge boost for Box stone which was transported by barge along the canal and the River Thames directly to London

The coming of the railways, and especially Brunel’s London to Bristol Great Western Railway in early 1836 brought up to 4,000 men to dig the one and three quarter mile long Box tunnel which was the last link on the London to Bristol line. By the mid 19th century Box stone was being used to build some of the colleges at Oxford University.

Between the wars, the Royal Engineers constructed the Central Ammunition Depot in part of the Box Hill quarries. During the war an aircraft factory was established there and in the 1950s what was effectively an underground city, the Government War Headquarters, was built in one of the quarries as the country's alternative seat of power during a nuclear war.

Blast proof and completely self-sufficient, the complex; variously known as "Burlington", "Chanticleer", "Peripheral", "Site 3", "Stockwell", "Subterfuge" and "Turnstile", contained a hospital, canteens, kitchens, laundries, storerooms , offices and accommodation for 4,000 people.

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