The George Inn

Once upon a time, Borough High Street was packed with inns and taverns. In the medieval era, common folk would regularly make the arduous religious pilgrimage to Canterbury, a journey of many days on difficult roads, and on the way they needed places to eat, rest and stable their horses. It was stories told in places like these that formed the basis of The Canterbury Tales – in fact, it is thought that Chaucer began his great work in a nearby inn called The Tabard.

The Old and the New

Sadly, that old alehouse was demolished in the 19th century, but the George has all of its homely character and wayfarers appeal. It was built in 1677 in the wake of a large local fire, and has now outlasted all of its fellow coaching houses – it’s the only remaining galleried coaching inn in London. There’s a great sense of history about the old wooden gallery overlooking the street, made all the more emphatic by the modern building on the opposite side of the courtyard, which has incorporated the galleried style into its design.

Pub Grub

Inside, there’s everything you should find in a good British pub. Deep armchairs, decent ale, tasty pub grub, and open log fires for the winter. On summer days the crowd tend to spill out into the courtyard, where cobbles and conversation have been shared for centuries.