The George Hotel

YARMOUTH

SZ3589 QUAY STREET 1354-0/10/381 (North side) 18/01/67 The George Hotel

II*

Hotel, formerly mansion. c.1700-1710. Built by Henry Holmes. Governor of the Isle of Wight as the Governor's house on the site of a former governor's house, built after 1669 by Sir Robert Holmes. It was converted into an inn in 1764. South front stuccoed on ground floor and roughcast above, west front painted brick with hipped old tiled roof with 2 tall brick chimneystacks. 2 storeys and attics. 7 windows to south front and 6 windows to west front. South front has 2 hipped dormers. Sash windows, mainly 16-pane early C19 type but some with horns. An old early C19 print shows the windows were originally casements opening at the bottom. Wide eaves cornice with guttering decorated by lion's head masks. Stringcourse and plinth. Central early C19 doorcase with dentilled cornice and pilasters. Rectangular fanlight with Gothick glazing. Modern door. West front has 2 hipped dormers with casements. 1st floor has 4 early C18 windows with thick glazing bars. To north and east is an extension of 1898, stuccoed with tiled roof and brick chimneystacks and sash windows in keeping with original part. Interior has hall with fine early C18 well staircase with 3 turned balusters to each tread, scrolled tread ends, column newel and marquetry inlay. 2 tall staircase windows and early C18 panelling. Bar has cambered brick fireplace flanked by pilasters and a bolection moulded fireplace and deep fielded panelling with dado rail. Dining Room also has deep fielded panelling and dado rail. No 7 bedroom has fielded panelling and dado rail similar to the Dining Room. No. 8 bedroom has bolection-moulded fireplace. Passage has marble fireplace. One of the grandest town house interiors in the Isle of Wight. (Pevsner: B O E Hampshire and the Isle of Wight: 777; C W R Winter: Manor Houses of the Isle of Wight: 157).

Listing NGR: SZ3539089762