Pubs & Clubs
Beers & Breweries
Pubs & Clubs
Beers & Breweries
Join Us
Heritage Pub
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits

George, London

Operator: Greene King
75-77 Borough High Street, Borough Market, London, SE1 1NH (View on Google Map)
Real ale discount scheme

Dating from the 17th century this public house is London's last remaining galleried inn and not surprisingly is Grade I listed. The building is owned by the National Trust and leased to Greene King. Large outdoor seating area in the cobbled courtyard in front of the pub. Various ground floor drinking areas to explore and an upstairs Gallery Bar which is not always open. The courtyard is shared with the separate former Heeltap bar that is now renamed The George and run as a sports bar.

Historic Interest

The Grade I-listed George was rebuilt in 1676 after a major fire in Southwark and is the last galleried coaching inn in London – but even this is but a fragment of its former self. It used to extend round the four sides of a courtyard. Part of it was demolished in 1889 to make way for the construction of railway warehousing. The galleries gave access to the first and second floor rooms. The upstairs rooms are panelled and are particularly fine. Most of the pub’s spaces involve modern fittings but the Parliament Bar has some of the oldest woodwork purpose-fitted for a pub anywhere (some of it might even date back to the rebuilding of the inn).

Information for this venue is provided by the South East London Branch of CAMRA
Previous Names
George Inn
Local Authority
Southwark
Last updated
14/07/2024
Last surveyed
14/02/2023
Pub ID
SEL/10467
Asset of Community Value

Three star - A pub interior of outstanding national historic importance

Listed status: I

Owned by the National Trust since 1937, this is one of the country’s most historically important pubs, and the only  purpose-built pub in London to be considered worthy of Grade 1 listing by Historic England. It’s a fascinating place to explore. The capital’s only galleried coaching inn, it’s a remarkable survivor dating from a 1676 rebuild after a fire destroyed the 16th-century original. The first and second floor galleries, with their dramatically warped woodwork, look out onto a large courtyard.  There are several ground-floor rooms, with several external doors leading into them. The Parliament Bar, the first room on the right, has remarkable old woodwork (might some of it even be late 17th-century?). Its two fireplaces and a disused doorway indicate that this small room was once two even smaller rooms. Nearest the street there is full-height horizontal boarding and simple fixed seating plus a venerable fireplace. Here coach passengers might have waited and could tell the time by the one-handed clock. At the eastern end of the room is a highly unusual glazed-in servery with a very rare set of (disused) Victorian ‘cash-register’ hand-pumps.

Most of the interior of the other rooms is relatively modern but done sympathetically as befits a Grade 1 listed building. Adjoining the Parliament Bar is a 17th century staircase – with suitably creaking boards – that leads up to the first-floor gallery and a fine room with wood panelling and a large brick fireplace. The upstairs rooms – including the Talbot Room on the second floor apparently converted from an attic – are reached by a splendid central staircase (probably Victorian) that winds its way up to all floors. Originally the galleried walls extended around three sides of the courtyard but the other parts were demolished in 1889 for railway development.

General information about historic pub interiors

An amazing survivor from the days when Southwark was a major terminus for the coaching trade between London and southern England. The George was rebuilt in 1676 after a major fire in Southwark and is the last galleried coaching inn in London – but even this is but a fragment of its former self. It used to extend round the four sides of a courtyard – just as the New Inn in Gloucester does to this day. Part of it was demolished in 1889 to make way for the construction of railway warehousing. The galleries gave access to the first and second floor rooms have plain, white-painted balusters. The upstairs rooms are panelled and are particularly fine. Most of the pub’s spaces involve modern fittings but the first bar you come to has some of the oldest woodwork purpose-fitted for a pub anywhere (some of it might even date back to the rebuilding of the inn). The two fireplaces suggest it was two rooms at one time but they have been amalgamated.

The larger part of this room has a mighty fireplace and a glazed-in servery with vertical sashes. Inside you can see a now disused set of ‘cash-register’-style Victorian handpumps (the handles move in quadrant-shaped slots to draw the beer) - they are reported as still being in use in the 1970s. The maker’s name – South of Blackfriars Road – is prominent. A working set in daily use is at the Old Crown, Kelston, Somerset;

In the part nearest the road is full-height horizontal boarding; simple fixed seating against the walls and in the window; and an ancient fireplace with a wooden hood. The tap room houses a 'Parliament clock' - in 1797 a tax of five shillings was levied on people who possessed a watch or clock. Not surprisingly many disposed of their timepieces and relied on clocks in public places. The one at the George was one such. The pub is owned and leased out by the National Trust which acquired it in 1937.
 

General information about historic pub interiors
Seen some incorrect or missing details? let us know.
Opening
Food
Monday
11:00am - 11:00pm
11:00am - 10:00pm
Tuesday
11:00am - 11:00pm
11:00am - 10:00pm
Wednesday
11:00am - 11:00pm
11:00am - 10:00pm
Thursday
11:00am - Midnight
11:00am - 10:00pm
Friday
11:00am - Midnight
11:00am - 10:00pm
Saturday
11:00am - Midnight
11:00am - 10:00pm
Sunday
Noon - 11:00pm
Noon - 9:00pm
Spotted an error with the opening times? Let us know

Current beers

This Pub serves 5 changing beers and 1 regular beer.

Regular and recently seen

George, London

Add it to our list and share what's currently being served!.
Are you a CAMRA member? Contribute by submitting a beer score
Spot a Beer
Submit beer score
Changing

Two of these are house beers labelled George Inn Ale & Golden George (beers from the Greene King stable)

Changing beers typically include: Greene King (varies) , Southwark (varies) , Timothy Taylor - Landlord

Source: National

Do you know what Regular beers or changing beers this Pub serves? Let us know
Your scores
Join CAMRA to access beer scoring and view scores for other pubs.
Become a member.
Retrieving scores
You have no beer scores submitted.

Facilities
Lunchtime Meals Lunchtime Meals
Evening Meals Evening Meals
Garden Garden
Family Friendly Family Friendly
Function Room Function Room
Smoking Smoking
Wi Fi Wi Fi
Features
Real Ale Real Ale
Real Heritage Pub Real Heritage Pub
Cask Marque Cask Marque
Member Discount Scheme Member Discount Scheme
10% discount off cask beer for CAMRA members
Transport
Close to bus routes (150m)
Many routes all stop nearby.
Nearby Station (300m)
London Bridge
Close to London Underground/Overground/DLR (300m)
London Bridge
Are these pub facilities or features correct? Let us know

Nearby

View All
(Pub, External, Key). Published on 22-05-2021
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Bridge Tap
Pub
Real Ale Available
32-34 Borough High Street, Borough, London, SE1 1XU
0.0 miles
(Pub, External, Key). Published on 01-12-2021
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Southwark Tavern
Pub
Real Ale Available
22 Southwark Street, Borough Market, London, SE1 1TU
0.0 miles
(Pub, External). Published on 13-05-2013
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Old King's Head
Pub
Real Ale Available
King's Head Yard, 45-49 Borough High Street, Borough Market, London, SE1 1NA
0.0 miles
(Pub, External). Published on 20-05-2013
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Katzenjammers
Pub
The Hop Exchange, 24 Southwark Street, Borough, London, SE1 1TY
0.0 miles
(Pub, External). Published on 31-05-2013
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
St Christopher's Inn
Pub
Real Ale Available
121 Borough High Street, Borough, London, SE1 1NP
0.1 miles
(Pub, External). Published on 25-11-2017
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
George
Pub
Real Ale Available
Chaucer House, White Hart Yard, Borough High Street, Borough Market, London, SE1 1NX
0.1 miles
(Key). Published on 08-04-2014
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Sheaf
Pub
Real Ale Available
The Hop Exchange, 24 Southwark Street, Borough, London, SE1 1TY
0.1 miles
Street frontage - note second floor lopped for new bridge. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 02-10-2013
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Wheatsheaf
Pub
Real Ale Available
6 Stoney Street, Borough Market, London, SE1 9AA
0.1 miles
(Pub, External). Published on 08-05-2013
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Bunch of Grapes
Pub
Real Ale Available
2 St Thomas Street, London Bridge, London, SE1 9RS
0.1 miles
(Pub, External). Published on 01-07-2013
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Globe
Pub
Real Ale Available
8 Bedale Street, Borough Market, London, SE1 9AL
0.1 miles

Need accommodation?

 

 

Home
© Campaign for Real Ale 2023 - 2024