Caxton Manor House, (The George) 53 Ermine Street

History of Caxton Manor House

53 Ermine Street

Listed Building:

Manor house, at one time The George Coaching Inn. Late C16, refronted in early C18 with C19 and C20 alterations.

George Inn Caxton

George Inn Caxton

George Inn Caxton

In 1793 the George was kept by Robert Fuller and no coach stopped here.

In 1839 Joseph Cannon was landlord and the Regent Coach, to and from Stamford, stopped here on each journey.

1847 – 1864 William Kidman the farmer

In 1864 the learned American blacksmith Elihu Burritt stayed here on his walk from London to the north of Scotland. He describes the town as a small rambling village, which looked as if it had not shaved or washed its face and put on a clean shirt for a shocking length of time. He out up at the ‘George’ and mentions the low jointed roof and brick floor. he ate his supper at a little round table inside the outspreading chimney, which contained trammels, spit and hooks of the 15th century, and when he looked up he could see the stars over the outlet of the chimney. (W M Palmer 1926 Notes on Caxton) Burritt also said: There was only one coaching inn in the town, but it had contracted itself into the fag-end of a large, dark, seedy-looking building, where it lived by selling beer and other sharp and cheap drinks to the villagers.

1875 William Pateman

1880 ceased to be an inn.

1939

George Inn, Caxton, 1939 (photo E Rolleston) (Cambridgeshire Collection)

Caxton Manor c.1600 refronted 18th cent. (RCHM)

Caxton Manor c.1600 from NW. (RCHM)