Page:The George Inn, Southwark.djvu/59

 Neat Post Chaises.

Goods for the above Waggons sent for and delivered immediately.

Waller, in 1855, says the George is very spacious, and extends a long way back, no doubt, considering this wonderful bill of Scholefield's.

The Rev. Mr. Benson, chaplain of St. Saviour's, a sociable man and good local antiquary, had a talk with Mrs. Scholefield about the old place, which he jotted down in some valuable volumes of Notes, Cuttings and Illustrations of St. Saviour's—a bequest of his to the British Museum. She told him of a round room for the ostlers in the days of pack-horses, and of a stable below ground with steps leading down to it; this still exists, though the entrance is blocked up. She also spoke, among other things, of a date, 1552, found on the chestnut beams, but there was probably a mistake here, for, as Mr. Corner expressly states, and as may be gathered from our account, no part of the actual George Inn is older than 1676. The beams referred to were supposed to have been found by Mr. Evans when making his showroom for hops. Mr. Scholefield died in 1836; his widow continued the business until her death in 1859.

Some years since the "George" was sold to the trustees of Guy's Hospital, which adjoins it on the east; since that, some eleven or twelve years ago, it was bought, as I am informed, by the Great Northern Railway Company, at a cost of about £11,000. It is now used as a receiving-house and something like a hundred tons of goods are weighed here per day. The "George" appears to be the least altered of the Southwark inns, though it is only the principal yard next the street which remains more or less intact. Like most seventeenth century inns, it has galleries on three sides, but the one to the south extends only a short distance. About twenty-five years ago the balustrades on the east and north sides were removed and the galleries boarded up. That which still exists is often