A heritage assessment was undertaken by Leigh Alston in May 2016 to inform and accompany a planning/Listed Building application for refurbishment.<1> The George Hotel is a nationally important timber-framed medieval inn dating from the latter part of the 14th century or very early in the 15th, with possibly older cellars beneath. The original inn at 116 High Street is documented from 1494 and is listed at grade II*, but has recently expanded into the adjoining 16th century building at no.117 which is separately listed at grade II. Much of the medieval fabric is either hidden by later plaster or missing, but a number of impressive features survive including a rare first-floor open hall that currently forms a stair landing, complete with soot-encrusted timbers and a finely carved crown-post ostensibly from its rebuilt roof (now incorporated into a staircase). A wall painting discovered in 1984 and displayed on the same landing illustrates the exotic nature of the interior in circa 1600. A well preserved medieval shop front can be seen in the lounge on the corner of George Street, along with its impressive original ceiling joists, and a 15th century gateway is fully exposed in the picturesque inn yard to the rear. The flint-walled cellars extend beneath the entire High Street range with ceilings supported on massive oak joists in a manner usually associated with the 13th century and before. According to the listing description they contain two medieval fireplaces and other features which are currently hidden behind late-20th century plaster and dry-lining. No. 117 was built early in the 16th century as an imposing three-storied structure with jettied first and second floors overhanging the street in the latest fashion of its day. The George was also jettied to both the High Street and George Street but probably rose to only two stories initially. At the beginning of the 17th century it was provided with a new roof and upper storey with double jetties to match its neighbour, but the upper jetty was cut off and the ground floor pushed out into the street when the present Georgian façade was added in circa 1800. The new 17th century structure stopped short of no.117 to form a passage as shown on a map of 1745, and a western window is now hidden in its roof. The buildings of the courtyard include a medieval range adjoining George Street that was extended in brick in the 18th century, but date chiefly from the 19th and 20th centuries. The northern block was added as a kitchen and dance hall between 1933 and 1943, and the bay-fronted extension to the western side of the yard was built at the same time.