The George and Dragon

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 16/05/2018

SJ 67 NE 6/79

GREAT BUDWORTH C.P. HIGH STREET (North side) The George and Dragon

(Formerly listed as George and Dragon Inn)

GV II Inn, circa 1880, by John Douglas for Rowland Egerton Warburton. Brick; roughcast upper storey; hipped clay-tile roofs.

Two storeys; symmetrical with one bay to each side of pyramid-roofed two-storey projecting porch with oak door on ornate hinges in basket-arched opening; moulded brick first floor band; above the inner door a stone is inscribed with Warburton's verse: "As Saint George in armed affray/Doth the fiery dragon slay/So may'st thou with might no less/Slay the dragon drunkeness"; brick-mullioned four-light leaded window; cavetto plaster eaves.

Each wing has a brick-mullioned window of four lights to lower storey and of three lights to upper storey; steep roof with lucarne in each wing; lateral chimney left linked by small roof to hip. Sides and rear wing have no features of special interest.

Very rich cut-out pictorial sign on ornate, long wrought iron bracket from right corner of inn, made in 1880s by the estate blacksmith. Oak post-and-rail fence to each side of porch inscribed: LIFE IS BUT SEEDTIME AND HARVEST : GOD SPEED THE PLOUGH + WHEN DRINK YOUR ALES (with carved Green Man's head) : REST ALL YE NIGH ALEYARD & KIRKYARD : DO NOUGHT THEREIN BESET WITH SINS : LABOUR MIGHTILY : PROSPER HE WHO BUILDETH ON ROCK : NOUGHT GREAT IS WON WITHOUT PRICE : REMEMBER THEM : BEWARE YE BEELZEBUB : GUARD WELL THY FREEDOM : YEA MAN SHALL REACH OUT AND EVEN SOW SEED UPON STAYS.

Interior: Some features by Douglas survive; stone in bar inscribed NIL NIMIUM CUPITO Mee : R+I : 1722. (Desire nothing in excess); a little C17 structure may be incorporated in the present building. "This inn is not all new, but has been refaced .... with very good result. It forms a most pleasing point of interest at the corner of the roadway with its Nuremburg sign-piece, steep-tiled roof .... moulded brickwork window jambs and leaded lights" T Raffles Davison, The British Architect DECEMBER 12 1884.

Listing NGR: SJ6642677542