The Grade II listed George Hotel, in High Street, has reopened after a £10million revamp, having been closed since July 2019.
Previously a hive of activity for 500 years, the building has undergone a complete refurbishment and vital restoration work.
However, it has retained a number of historic features and its woodwork and beams date back more than 600 years.
Bygone era - The George during the 1960s
Behind the hotel’s Georgian façade lies a timber-framed building which likely dates from the second half of the 14th century.
The first known reference to the property as an inn was in 1494, although the hotel’s extensive cellars are likely older and feature the ruins of an ancient Roman gravel pavement – a chilling reminder of Queen Boudica’s rampage which razed Roman Colchester to the ground in AD60.
Today we can bring you a selection of pictures providing a snapshot of life at the George.
They highlight the immense charm and character of the building through the ages.
Bubbly - this promotional picture of one of the hotel's bedrooms was taken in the 1970s
Building work - scaffolding is up during some repair works in the 1950s
Stepping back in time - this illustration of High Street, by W Bartlett, was published in 1831. The George is to the right of the stage coach and appears much as today, with five windows on each floor and a balcony between the ground and first storeys
Parked up - this picture is on display in the hotel’s reception and shows the courtyard in the 1920s. You can see the stable, with its first-floor loft. Both the stable and western wing were built between 1848 and 1876
Overgrown - this picture shows the western courtyard, before the present bay-fronted single storied extension was built between 1933 and 1943. It is on display in the hotel’s reception
Meal time - a photograph of the dining room, from a newspaper advert in 1927
Pride of place - The George has been a feature of High Street for centuries and this photo dates back to 1929. Note the large-paned Victorian sash windows, which have since been ‘re-Georgianised’
Gathering - this wonderful picture was taken in the 1920s. It shows various gentlemen proudly showing off medals outside The George
Colchester High Street circa 1910
The front of The George after a 1990s refurbishment
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