27-29 High Street, The George

  • There were three separate buildings here before the whole building was renovated by Geoff Young
  • Archway opened up in 1979
  • 1980. The George
  • When the George Gallery
  • The George
  • Pictures from the rear of the property
  • Pictures from the rear of the property
  • The George Gallery
  • 1994. The Gallery
  • 1994. The Gallery
  • One of the fireplaces before renovation
  • The George Gallery
Archive Notes:

The George, with origins back to 1570 and belomging to the House family, was a packhorse inn in the 16th century, being on the old coaching route and thus attracting passing trade. Inspection of the wall line opposite the George suggests that this was set back to allow coaches to swing into its courtyard. After coaches were re-routed along the London Road, it closed as an inn. Closed as an inn by or before 1852, it was converted into three tenements, the middle one completely blocking the former arch, and the large inn rooms divided up. It remained so until 1959 when it was converted to two homes. Any stable block at the rear of the property has long-since disappeared.  The remains of a wooden gallery is shown in the photos. Tudor wall paintings were uncovered in 1979, see record 300.

Mr and Mrs Young inherited the house c. 1980 and it took them 1½ years to restore the fine stone building to its original appearance, and it became their home, with a gift shop in the former tap-room. At one stage it traded as George Gallery.

See record 300 for the file on The George History, and for more detail including details of the award from Oxford Preservation Trust in 1984.

See also 1312

Other assorted documents relating to The George can only be seen in WVA.

 

Archive Number: