Rebuilt in 1676, it survived The Blitz and (arguably more deadly for coaching inns) the railway boom) so can still be found off Borough High Street. It remained unchanged until the turn of this century, when it was partly demolished for the Great Northern Railway Goods Office. There’s only one traditional galleried coaching inn left in London and that’s the magnificent George Inn. The George that Shakespeare knew burnt down in 1676 but the house was immediately rebuilt to the original template. William Shakespeare lived and worked in the area of the George Inn and there is no doubt that he would have frequented the Inn on a regular basis and even possibly have played there. The first theatres were built in a similar style, mirroring the galleries a major change being to shape the seating around a semi-circle rather than a rectangle taking on the features of amphitheatres. Its wide, double-tiered balconies became an excellent vantage point for the plays that would be acted out below. Like the other Southwark inns, the George was built around three sides of a courtyard - thus spawning the expression 'inn-yard'. The history of The George can be traced back to 1542 although it is likely that an inn existed here for some time before. And the George Inn - which also served as a theatre was no exception. The inns of Southwark have a long, colourful and famous history. The bedchambers (now the restaurant) were in the galleried part. The ground floor is divided into several connecting bars and boasts a wealth of oak beams. It is located in a cobbled courtyard just off of Borough High Street. Unfortunately, only the south side remains, the rest of the inn having been demolished for theĬonstruction of warehouses by the Great Northern Railway. It still functions as a pub and restaurant and even as a stage set for Shakespeare's plays. The attached stables, staffed by hostlers, cared for the horses. The inn served the needs of travellers, for food, drink, and rest. The George Inn is London's last remaining galleried coaching inn and is now protected by the National Trust. The coaching inn (also coaching house or staging inn) was a vital part of Europe's inland transport infrastructure until the development of the railway, providing a resting point ( layover) for people and horses. The George Inn Theatre - Elizabethan (Inn-yard)
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