Probably the most well known pub in the area and certainly one of the oldest.

Thought to have been established in 1610 and run by Moses Brian, it was originally called The White Horse, becoming the George & Dragon in 1855.

The pub has a smuggling history, something that was once rife in the area. It might be surprising, but most of the smuggling was actually the export of wool, the import of alcohol was a bonus!

A classic view of Tarring village looking north.

In 1967, during some building work, a 22ft well was discovered under the kitchen floor.

Sometimes the strangest things happen.

Got chatting to the young assistant bar manager as he was going around straitening pictures. The landlord was off on his honeymoon apparently, and he brought my attention to this picture of a green dragon which I at first thought was a tapestry, but which in fact turned out to be a painting.

He took it off the wall and showed me the reverse . . .
. . . someone had thoughtfully made a note of its origin, it reads:

'Painting hung at the Dragon Croyden until pub was demolished in the 1950's. By Richard Booker' (or Boorer)

The original Green Dragon in Croydon was replaced with a block of offices and shops, though the new building is at least named Green Dragon House. A few doors down is a converted bank that now carries the old pub name.

The 'George' , or 'G&D' as it is known locally, is a bit of a time capsule, where original brick and flint walls can be seen inside. The different floor levels remind you that it has expanded over many many years and dark wooden beams abound about the place. Many of these are later replacements, but originals can still be spotted.

On entering the pub, you are greeted by the singular long bar with a recessed 'sports' bar (no pool table, just a dart board) on the left and a back room come diner on the right. There is also a cosy little corner tucked away. The back door leads out to a garden in three sections.

A real traditional pub, where you are made to feel welcome - and it's dog friendly too.

It's somewhat unusual to have a pub sign displayed hanging 'up' rather than down but there is a good reason for this. Despite the High Street being one of the narrowest, it wasn't that long ago that double decker buses ran a regular service past the pub.

The White Horse (possibly from 1658)
1781 - The George - 1878 The George & Dragon

1610 - Brian Moses - Mansion House and stables
1636 - William Fletcher - Tavern
1658 - William Fletcher - Inn known as the White Horse
1729 - Thomas Clear
1781 - William Grevatt - The George
1789 - William Bartley & John Hide
1806 - John Hide & John Hughes (Brewer)
1814 - John Hughes & Nathaniel Hall
1828 - Nathaniel Hall & Richard Tamplin*
1855 - Charles Winton
1855 - Charles Winton - Inn keeper & butcher
1859 - C Winton
1866 - C Winton
1878 - Mark Hide
1878 - renamed - George and Dragon
Alfred Richardson
1890 - Alfred Richardson
1899 - Wm Luther
1905 - W H Lucas
1815 - Alfred C Norris
1974 - Richard Goodchild
*A member of the Tamplin Brewing family