 The George Inn, Southwark |
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| Type | Public house |
|---|---|
| Proprietor | National Trust |
| Managed by | Tenanted by brewery |
| Main feature | Historic building |
| Other features | Restaurant |
| Public access | Yes |
| Museum | No |
| Exhibition | No |
| Region | Greater London |
| Address | 77 Borough High Street, Southwark |
| Postcode | London SE1 |
| Refreshments | Yes |
| Parking | None |
| Shop | No |
| Website | NT George Inn |
| 51°30′18″N 0°05′24″W / 51.505043°N 0.089951°WCoordinates: 51°30′18″N 0°05′24″W / 51.505043°N 0.089951°W | |
The George, or George Inn, is a public house established in the medieval period on Borough High Street in Southwark, London. Currently owned and leased by the National Trust, it is located on the south side of the River Thames near London Bridge. It is the only surviving galleried London coaching inn[1]. The first map of Southwark (Duchy of Lancaster ca1543) clearly shows it marked as 'Gorge'. It was formerly known as the George and Dragon, named for the legend of Saint George and the Dragon.
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History
In 1676, the George was rebuilt after a serious fire that destroyed most of medieval Southwark. There had been many such inns in this part of London. Probably the most famous was the The Tabard where, in 1388, Chaucer began The Canterbury Tales. The Tabard was also rebuilt after the same fire, but was demolished in the late 19th century.
Later, the Great Northern Railway used the George as a depot and pulled down two of its fronts to build warehousing. Now just the south face remains.
The George was one of the many famous coaching inns in the days of Charles Dickens. Dickens in fact visited the George and referred to it in Little Dorrit. William Shakespeare was another visitor; the Globe Theatre was a short distance away.
Description
The ground floor of the inn is divided into a number of connected bars. The Old Bar used to be a waiting room for passengers on coaches. The Middle Bar was the Coffee Room, which was frequented by Charles Dickens. The bedrooms, now a restaurant, were upstairs in the galleried part of the building.
It is one of only two coaching inns to survive in Greater London, and is the only galleried example. It is next door to the White Hart and the site of The Tabard. The building is Grade I listed.
Images
 The sign depicts Saint George slaying a dragon. |
References
External links
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