The George Inn at Norton St Philip

Situated at the junction of the A366 with the B3110 close to the A36 road and approx. 7 miles from the Somerset city of Bath, the inn was built in the 14th or 15th century and and is now a Grade I listed building. The establishment claims that it is the oldest tavern in England but as yet they have not provided any photos of the era to verify this.
[At least 10 other establishments lay claim to being the oldest pub in the country!]

In the year 1226 the monks from Hinton Priory at nearby Hinton Charterhouse, petitioned the landowner, the Countess of Salisbury, for a new site to achieve greater solitude. She gave them her manors of Hinton Charterhouse and Norton St Philip and a new house was consecrated at Hinton Charterhouse in May 1232. A licence to sell alcohol here at what is now The George is claimed from 1397... which may have only been a local licence from the Prior of Hinton Priory as Governmental licences for providing alcohol were only introduced in 1552.

The timber-framed upper floors were added In the 15th century.

The inn became a regular part of the stage coach route between London and South West England. It was also used as the headquarters of Monmouth's army, during the Monmouth Rebellion in 1685, after his retreat from Bath. In the aftermath of the failed rebellion Judge Jefferies used the George Inn as a courtroom and conducted 12 executions on the village common, as part of the Bloody Assizes.

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