The Royal George

Cadw's description

Location

On the W side of Northgate Street facing the Town Quay and Mill Bridge.

History

Late C18 inn, shown in Paul Sandby engraving of 1778, in J. Laporte engraving 1804, and in watercolour by J. C. Buckler 1815. The inn stood against the right tower of the medieval North Gate, and the slightly chamfered NW corner shows the point of joining. The 1778 engraving shows the building obscured by part of the town wall, but in front of the wall a large stepped mounting block on which was the inn sign. The 1815 watercolour shows the North Gate, and the inn with smaller upper windows, no centre upper window, and a simple doorcase without columns. A later illustration shows the front with the doorcase, but still with small upper windows, and the rear wing with Georgian bowed shopwindow (as on No 29 Main St.).
There was another house of similar scale attached to W, demolished in C20 for public toilet.
The inn is presumably named for the Royal George, which sank with great loss of life in 1782. It is recorded as being kept by G. Hurlow, shipowner and merchant, c. 1797 and in the 1820s to 1840s by William Bowen, father and son, who kept the Mill on the bridge. Another miller, Thomas Jones kept it from 1844 to the 1860s, and the inn then closed and may have been the Jones family house. Reopened 1874 by G. Hurlow Scale of Eastington, grandson of G. Hurlow. Run by the Gedge family 1878-1905, then sold. Altered after 1981 listing. It contains one of the six known 'Chinese Chippendale' style staircases in Pembroke.

Exterior

Inn, painted stucco with slate close-eaved roof and painted rendered end stacks. Plain three-storey, three-bay front to the Quay with slate gabled roof with cement rendered flanking stacks. Plinth, window openings with plain reveals, 16-pane sashes on lower floors and narrower 12-pane sashes on second floor. Central doorcase altered in 1980s with engaged Roman Doric columns, apparently original, but the box top replacing a modillion cornice. Panelled reveals, C20 door and overlight with thin rectangular panes. Left end gable has overhanging verges.
Rear wing to Northgate St. of two storeys, double-fronted. Two renewed square-headed C19 two-light shop windows with shaped heads to lights flanking C20 door with blocked overlight, two renewed 4-pane sashes above.

Interior

Ground floor much altered. The six-panel doors in the entrance hall have gone. Staircase behind front room has damaged wooden Chinese Chippendale style balustrades, the lower section altered, possibly boxed in. Upper flight has diagonally crossed pattern between uprights.

Reason for designation

Included for its special architectural interest as a prominent later C18 inn on the Town Quay.