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History of the George & Dragon Pub

The first mentions of the site being used as a Public House are from 1823 and refer to the George & Dragon Inn as being in Silver Street, adjacent to tenement wharfs for ship-building (now Marks & Spencer) and the former blacksmiths on the corner of Zion Place.

Although we are told that there was once a granite Horse Trough at the rear of the Building marked ‘Provided by the George & Dragon Inn and dated 1763’ – BUT we have not seen this ourselves and no one has yet been able to find us a picture where this is clearly shown.

Silver Street also seems to have been a totally inappropriate name and it was never more than an alley behind the current Premises, now known as Undercliffe, although as you can see from the pictures this was originally the front of the building and it was conveniently located for the time at the bottom of Brown Steps, unbelievably once one of the original routes into Dartmouth coming in to town from the North – it would have been hard work going back up again carrying anything heavy that is for sure! – though now it is great for an energetic walk, and Bake Hill as it was called with the original Old Bakery House (now Holiday lets – nice ones, owned by our neighbours John & Silvia Riddals, well known Dartmouth river folk in their day (Bake Hill is now known as now Clarence Hill on the maps!). All of this was only just back from the foreshore and what were once very busy shipyards and chandlers, etc.

Now this narrow street is known simply as 'Undercliffe'.

The Pub is also shown on the 1885 and earlier town maps in the Dartmouth museum.

The George & Dragon Pub is also clearly shown on the 1885 and earlier town maps in the Dartmouth museum. In the 20th Century, the George & Dragon freehold was purchased by the Heavitree Family Brewery now Heavitree Brewery LLC on the 25th October 1926 when they acquired the Warfleet Brewery in Dartmouth from Jasper Bartlett.

The George & Dragon today is the result of a major refurbishment and redevelopment with huge improvements to the premises and facilities by a great team – Thank you to everyone involved – you may well be in the picture gallery on our G&D Refurbishment page!