The History of The George & Dragon Pub, Charlton-on-Otmoor (Oxfordshire)

THE HISTORY OF THE GEORGE & DRAGON PUB, CHARLTON-ON-OTMOOR

Now a private residence, The George & Dragon pub stands on High Street in the village of Charlton-on-Otmoor. The building dates from the 17th century.

This pub played an important part in Oxfordshire history, as it is where the 'Otmoor Association' was formed in 1830, comprising of a group of locals who opposed the enclosure of Otmoor; their meetings in The George & Dragon eventually led to the Otmoor Riots!

The pub was routinely used to hold inquests, such as the one into the death of George Shepherd in February 1853 - poor George had apparently walked from Oxford back to Charlton, complaining of shortness of breath upon his return. He settled in a chair, and at 9.30pm that evening, "fell from his chair, quite dead". The inquest concluded that he'd died due to 'disease of the heart'.

One former landlady appears to have been a Mrs Kirby, who was mentioned in a local newspaper in 1830 when she allowed the will of Mr Richard Neale to be read on the premises.

The pub ceased trading around 1980, and the only remaining operational public house in the village is The Crown, situated close by.

(Image courtesy of WikiPubs).

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