Every item in the Guildhall collection has been given to the town and the people of Guildford. The Collection includes not only art but also furniture, official measures, a sixteenth-century sword carried during processions and, taking pride of place, the Borough Plate. This last category includes the mayoral chain of office, official maces, silver basins, ewers and tankards. The collection of oils housed at the Guildhall depicts numerous British kings and queens, as well as a rare oil painting by John Russell, RA, one of Guildford's most famous sons and an artist better known for his work with pastels, the largest collection of which is housed just a few doors up the road in Guildford House Gallery. This depicts Admiral Sir Richard Onslow receiving a Dutch flag following the naval victory at Camperdown in 1797. The Guildhall has been at the centre of civic life in Guildford since at least the reign of Elizabeth I and the beautiful surroundings greatly enhance the experience of viewing these works for the visitor.