George & Dragon

Image: © Gerald England Taken: 18 Jun 2016

The George & Dragon is probably the oldest pub in Newton. Records date the licence back to around 1756. It wasn't the large public house there today; probably just a small cottage. Before 1756 it is thought that the premises were a shop before it gained a licence. The first recorded landlord was James Harrison, who kept the house for over twenty years. The next landlord, Jonathan Smith the elder, kept the George and Dragon from 1778 to 1826, a grand total of 48 years.When he died in 1826 his wife Elizabeth carried on for a further eight years and then Thomas Smith, thought to be a son carried on until 1850. It seemed to be a family tradition to be in the licensed trade as Jonathan had another son known as Jonathan The Younger who kept the Shoulder Of Mutton Inn on Talbot Road (1819-1823) and also the Bay Horse (1825-1834). The George & Dragon is supposed to be haunted by a ghost affectionately known as Ferdinand who seems to have been around since the 1950s. Nobody knows his origin; he is described as of average height with long, bushy beard, side whiskers, and wearing a long frock coat. The pub boasts a fine bowling green at the rear and over the years a consistently good bowling team have won many prizes in local leagues. http://hydonian.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/george-and-dragon.html In 2016 the pub underwent extensive refurbishment and gained new signage Image in the process. In front of the pub is the Bennett Street War Memorial Image

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