Old George Inn & Mall, Salisbury

This three-story building on Salisbury’s High Street now serves as the main entrance to Old George Mall—practically swallowing the ground floor in the process. But before it became a gateway to retail therapy, this place played host to some very notable characters.

Originally built in the 14th century as a coaching inn, it took its name from the Guild of Saint George, founded by Salisbury’s mayor and corporation. In 1645, Protestant leader Oliver Cromwell bunked down here on his way to join his troops. Samuel Pepys, ever the food critic, praised the fare as “very good diet” but also “very dear.” In true Pepys fashion, he got into a spat with the landlady and promptly moved somewhere cheaper.

Step inside the Old George, and you’ll find a labyrinth of crooked hallways, slanted floors, and steep, uneven stairs. A fire door from the mall reveals the Inn’s old banqueting hall, complete with wooden beams, a minstrel’s gallery, and a Jacobean mantelpiece. Overhead, the carved heads of King Edward II and Queen Isabella make for an interesting touch—though the queen allegedly murdered the king, they seem to be making amends up there.

Charles Dickens name-dropped the inn in “Martin Chuzzlewit”, and it’s said Shakespeare’s troupe once rehearsed “As You Like It” here. The 14th-century charm of the Old George stands in stark contrast to the sleek shops and cafes of the mall, but together, they make for a fascinating blend of history and modern convenience.