Why The George Inn Is Worth Seeking Out
You may have come looking for The George Inn because you’ve heard it described as London’s last surviving galleried coaching inn—or perhaps you’re exploring Borough Market and want to see one of Southwark’s most remarkable historic survivors.
Either way, don’t head straight for the bar when you arrive.
Walk through the entrance from Borough High Street into George Inn Yard and stop in the courtyard. The long timber-fronted building in front of you, with two tiers of wooden galleries running above the ground-floor rooms, is the reason you came.
And yes—you can simply walk in. The courtyard may look like a separate historic space when you first approach, but it is part of the working pub. You’re welcome to walk through, head inside for a drink and bring your pint back out to one of the courtyard tables.
Don’t be surprised if those tables are busy with drinkers. The George is still very much a working London pub, not a preserved museum.
Galleried inns like this once lined the great coaching routes into London, providing food, drink, lodging and space for horses and coaches. The George survived long after most disappeared, although what you see today is only part of the original inn. Sections that once enclosed more of the courtyard were demolished in the late 19th century.
Take a minute to look up at the galleries before you go inside.
Then head toward the ground-floor rooms. That’s where some of The George’s best historic details are still waiting.
Step Inside the Parliament Bar
Head for the first room on the right. This is the Parliament Bar.
Start with the old woodwork, fixed seating and fireplaces, then look for one of the room’s stranger survivors: a one-handed Parliament clock.
But the real curiosity is near the old servery. Look for the disused Victorian handpumps with handles that once moved through curved slots rather than pulling forward like the familiar handpumps you’ll see at pub bars today.
The galleries may get you through the gate, but some of the oldest pieces of the working pub are waiting inside.
And since you’re already at the bar, this is a very good time to order a pint.
What’s the Pint Pick?
Order a pint of The George Inn Ale if it’s on the handpump.
This 4% house-branded bitter is an easy choice for a first visit. Greene King IPA turns up in pubs across the country; The George Inn Ale gives you something carrying the name of the historic inn you came to see.
Order your George Inn Ale at the bar and pay when you order. If the card machine prompts you for a tip, skip it. Digital prompts are increasingly common, but tipping is still not customary when buying drinks at a UK pub bar counter.
Then take your pint back out into the courtyard—or keep exploring inside.
What’s the Dickens Connection?
Charles Dickens knew this part of Southwark well, and The George is one of the historic inns that made its way into his writing.
He visited The George when it was operating as a coffee house and later mentioned the inn by name in Little Dorrit. Unlike some of the more colorful literary legends attached to old London pubs, this is a genuine Dickens connection—we just don’t need to assign him a favorite chair.
With your pint in hand, take another look around the old rooms and timberwork. Then head back outside for one last look at those galleries.
Before You Leave, Look Up One More Time
Head back into the courtyard before you leave and look up at the galleries again.
The surviving wing is only part of the coaching inn that once wrapped around more of George Inn Yard. Large sections were demolished in the late 19th century as the surrounding railway expanded, leaving the galleried range you see today.
What survived is now the last remaining galleried coaching inn in London.
It’s worth one last look before you head back through the passage to Borough High Street.
Keep Exploring London’s Historic Riverside Pubs
The Anchor Bankside — Continue toward the Thames for another Southwark survivor, where a sprawling riverside terrace and centuries of Bankside history sit just steps from Shakespeare’s Globe.
The Mayflower — Follow the river east to Rotherhithe for the historic pub associated with the Mayflower and Captain Christopher Jones, complete with a riverside jetty and its unusual Descendants Book.