York Place and George Court

CHAPTER 10: YORK PLACE (formerly Of Alley) AND GEORGE COURT

York Place, a narrow court running parallel with the Strand between Villiers Street and George Court, was oringinallay called exchange Alley, probably from its prosimity to the New Exchange, but within the first few years of its existence it became known as Of Alley, a name which it retained until circa 1855 when it was given its present designation. The houses there are of little architectural merit though the shop fronts are of some interest.

George Court is approached by a flight of steps between Nos. 50 and 51, Strand. The George on the east side has been in use as an inn ever since it was built circa 1675. It consists of two storeys and attics over the public rooms, and has a stucco front and tiled roof (Plate 51b). Internally the premises have been stripped of any panelling and the rooms are now plain. The upper part of the stairs, however, is original and consists of close strings, stout turned balusters, square newels with turned pendants and a heavy handrail and appears to date from the end of the seventeenth century.

No. 1 at the north-west end of the Court has a red brick doublefronted exterior of three storeys over low shops (Plate 51b). The window frames are flush and the arches in gauged work and the general appearance of the front, which is very dilapidated, appears to date from the first quarter of the eighteenth century. Internally the building is in a very poor state of repair and only the shops, the fronts of which are of later date, are occupied.

A stone tablet at the south-west corner of George Court bears the inscription:

George Court
  M
17 G + E 78

Ground Landlords.

The George P. H.—Hoare & Co. Ltd.; No. 1—London County Council.