Bedford was once home to two George Inns: one was next door to the Swan Inn at the southern end of the high street, while that featured here was located where Debenhams stands today. The picture top-left shows the inn yard of 1783, looking through the arch to the main courtyard. The arch remained for Thomas Fisher to capture  in his drawing of the High Street above, in the early nineteenth century, though by then the niche and statue of St George had gone. Both pictures show the arch from the east side looking west, and the earlier picture shows the existence of an outer yard which has since become part of the High Street. The inn is first recorded in 1481 when it belonged to the prior of Newnham Abbey; during the eighteenth century the main courtyard witnessed the performance of plays, and in 1792 the space was used by the congregation of the Mill Street Baptist Church. The final "last orders" was called at the inn in 1928 and the building was demolished some time after 1937.