George Yard shopping precinct takes its name from the George Inn, almost certainly named after England’s patron saint, which stood on the west side of Bank Street 60 yards to the north of the precinct entrance.

The inn’s bedrooms would have had outside access in two galleried wings at the rear of the premises.

The earliest date of which I am certain is 1576 and it had ceased to be used as an inn by 1627.

In 1597 the innkeeper James Wilkinson suffered a burglary in which gilt cups valued at £8, a lot of money, were stolen by a group of Braintree gentlemen.

Most notably the property was occupied for his entire life, 1857 until his death in 1929, by renowned town Doctor John “Jack” Harrison.

The site is occupied by Iceland today.

The plan shows the eight-bedroom property, which had a kitchen in its extensive cellars, and land stretching westwards to Sandpit Lane.

It was of oak framed and plaster construction, brick-fronted by 1764.

The key to letters on the map are as follows.

“A” was the main inn which became Dr Jack’s home, “C” was his consulting room with “B” the cart entrance.

The only brick buildings were a store and coal house at “D” while the three crosshatched ones (“E”) were greenhouses.

“F” was an extensive garden and orchard with a summerhouse.

A rear exit to George Yard was at “G” and a well and pump were situated in the inn yard.

The garden at “H” is thought to be the last vestige of the original village green and was Dr Jack’s front garden.

It was bought by Braintree Urban District Council and removed in 1939, along with the island building to the north, for road im- provement purposes.

In 2018 I will write a tale about Dr Jack himself.

By Mike Bardell