The George Inn is a sandstone building on the A48 on the junction with Church Road.
In the 1891 and 1903 licensing books the George is listed as an alehouse being free of brewery tie. The owners are detailed as the Representatives of Mrs Stephens. The annual rateable value was £32.15.0d. and the George closed at 10pm. The Birks family were in residence at the George for at least 30 years. Joseph Birks is listed in 1876 and William Charles Birks (Joseph’s son?) was landlord in 1885 and 1906 references. In 1919 Henry Howard Davies was at the George Inn and the 1939 Directory lists Frederick Edmund Hyde.
Gloucester Citizen, Monday 30th June 1890:
THE SWING BOAT FATALITY AT LYDNEY.
Mr. M. F. Carter held an inquest at the George Inn, Aylburton, near Lydney, on Saturday, touching the death, which occurred on Thursday evening, of James Beach.
Joseph James, a young collier, of Viney Hill, near Blakeney, said the deceased was a collier of Oldcroft. He was nineteen years of age. Witness went with the deceased and others to Lydney fair on Wednesday, the 25th inst. Five of them had two quarts of beer between them during the evening. At night, about eleven o’clock, witness and the deceased got into a boat for a swing. Deceased sat down on the seat, and witness, who intended standing up to swing, turned his back to the deceased. They had been swinging not more than two minutes when he discovered that his comrade was on the ground. They were not up to the full stroke. He could not say if the deceased was standing up when he fell, as he could not see him.
He did not know that they were cautioned not to stand up. Deceased, in witness’s opinion, was sober. William Brinkworth, who was in charge of the boat, said the deceased and the previous witness had been swinging earlier in the evening. They stood up, and deceased actually got outside and stood on the back of the seat. They declined to sit down, and it was with difficulty that the boat was stopped on account of the danger they were in. Witness was not watching them closely when the accident happened, and could not say if one or both were standing up. He was attending to a second swing. He was sorry to say that in that part of the country people would not sit down to swing. If they could not stand up they would have nothing to do with it. People were always cautioned, but it was of no use. P.C. Slatter stated that he conveyed the deceased to the Cottage Hospital at Aylburton, where he was attended to by a medical man, and where he died at four o’clock on Thursday from a fracture of the skull. The Coroner said it was strange that Foresters should be so determined to run such terrible risk. People who were bent on committing suicide did it, and if they persisted in recklessness accidents of that kind must occur.
A verdict of accidental death was returned.
Gloucester Journal, Saturday 30th March 1912 – Lydney Petty Sessions: The magistrates granted the application made by Mr Berthon on behalf of the Alton Court Brewery for certain structural alterations to the George Inn, Aylburton.
The Citizen – Tuesday, October 15th, 1985 – First pub for new Forest Brewery – The new brewery, due to open in the Forest of Dean later this month, has bought its first public house, The George at Aylburton. Mr Andrew Baber, managing director of the Hawthorn Brewing Company Ltd., which is building new premises near Cinderford, said he was delighted to have bought such a popular inn on the edge of the Forest. “We are looking at various others in the Forest and surrounding areas and will be announcing the purchase of further pubs shortly,” he said.
New tenant at The George, a former coaching inn, is Mr Gary Davis, who gained experience at the Old Winding Wheel, Bream, and at the Travellers Rest, Stowe Green. At 24 he becomes possibly the youngest licensee in the Forest of dean. His mother, Mrs Ann Davis, will be responsible for preparing food at The George.
The 4,500 sq.ft. brewery is nearing completion and beer will be sold at its own pubs and free houses throughout Gloucestershire, Avon, Gwent, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
The Citizen. Friday, October 18th, 1985 – Brush-up for The George – Hawthorn Brewing Co. Ltd., the new brewery at Cinderford due to start production this month, is planning to improve its first public house, The George Inn, Aylburton. But managing director, Mr Andrew Baber, said: “We will take care to retain the pubs character as a village pub in the heart of the community.” The brewery bought the George from Mr and Mrs Gerry Holland, who had run the pub for five years.
There has been a pub on the site of the George since the 1850’s. The deeds record the sale of the pub at auction in 1911 to the Alton Court Brewery Ltd., of Ross on Wye, for £1,600.
In October 1999 an old stone building next to the pub was renovated to form an annexe to the George Inn. The building had been rendered and the conversion revealed the original stone. The owner at the time, Anthony Baber, said: “It has always been known as the Old Brewery but that isn’t necessarily what it was – it is such an old building it might have had several uses.” An old air raid shelter was found during the building works.The annexe is now called Millingbrook Lodge and offers en-suite facilities to all 14 rooms ranging from twin to king size.
The Millingbrook Lodge website states that The George Inn ‘serves a selection of fine locally sourced real ales along with draught beers, lagers, ciders, a range of wines and spirit combined with great home-cooked meals which can be sampled in our comfortable and welcoming lounge, restaurant and bar. The landlord Ian and his team keep an impeccable cellar and continue to offer award winning service.’ ‘The George Inn prides itself on great service, fresh home-cooked meals, a forest famous reputation for great value for money and has a ‘second-to-none’ standing with the local community.
An ’eating out’ review in the ‘Forester’ newspaper in March 2011 concluded that ‘the pub’s winning formula of value for money not only draws crowds to the carvery but has won them three awards recently including one of the top 100 businesses in the UK, and most loved business in the Forest.’
Landlords of the George Inn include:
1876 Joseph Birks
1885,1906 William Charles Birks
Provincial News (Lydney) – Saturday 3rd December 1910 – Funeral: The funeral of the late Mr William Charles Birks, of the George Inn, Aylburton, who died on 23rd November, took place on Monday afternoon last in the family grave at St. Mary’s Parish Churchyard, Lydney. The body was enclosed in a polished oak coffin, with brass mountings, and the breastplate bore the inscription – “William Charles Birks, died November 23rd 1910. Aged 69 years.”
1919 Henry Howard Davies
1939 Frederick Edmund Hyde
1988 Peter Turner
2001 Derek Smallman and Gill Dennis
2019 Ian and Carole Lilley