The Tabard was an inn in Southwark established in 1307 that stood on the east side of Borough High Street, at the road's intersection with the ancient thoroughfare to Canterbury and Dover. It was built for the Abbot of Hyde, who purchased the land to construct a place for himself and his ecclesiastical brethren to stay when on business in London.
Just before it was demolished in 1873Blue Plaque on site in Talbot YardTabard Inn Southwark 1810 by Philip Norman
The inn was located on the south bank of the Thames, just north of where the two Roman roads of Stane Street and Watling Street merged. It stood near the Manor of Southwark, controlled by the Bishops of Winchester. Also known as the Liberty of Winchester, the manor lay outside the jurisdiction of the City of London. Activities that were forbidden within the City of London and the county of Surrey, including prostitution and animal baiting, were permitted within Southwark, which thus became medieval London's entertainment district. In those times, the Tabard would have been filled with pilgrims, drunks, travellers, criminals, and prostitutes (colloquially known as the "Winchester Geese").
Chaucer wrote that the Tabard was the location where the pilgrims first met on their journey to Canterbury in the 1380s. The inn's proprietor was a man named Harry Bailey:[1]
Bifel that in that season on a day, In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage To Caunterbury with ful devout corage, At nyght was come into that hostelrye Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye Of sondry folk, by aventure yfalle In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they alle, That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde; The chambres and the stables weren wyde, And well we weren esed atte beste;
The antiquaryJohn Stow wrote in his Survey that by the 16th century it was among several inns at this location in Southwark: "many fair inns, for receipt of travellers, by these signs: the Spurre, Christopher, Bull, Queen's Head, Tabard, George, Hart, King's Head" &c.[2]
Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the mid-16th century, "the Tabard of the Monastery of Hyde, and the Abbot's Place, with the stable and gardens thereunto belonging" were sold to John and Thomas Master. The goldsmith John Mabbe (died 1578) acquired the inn. His son Robert Mabbe pledged a share of the inn to the goldsmith Affabel Partridge for a loan.[3]
Destruction and replacementedit
On 26 May 1676, ten years after the Great Fire of London, a great blaze started in Southwark. The Tabard was among many buildings that were either burned down or pulled down to create fire breaks. The blaze, which took 17 hours to contain, destroyed most of medieval Southwark. King Charles II and his brother the Duke of York were both involved in the firefighting effort. Although the medieval building was destroyed, the site was immediately rebuilt and renamed The Talbot.
Closureedit
In the early 18th century, the new inn was profiting from the growth in stagecoach traffic between London and the channel ports because of the growth in turnpikes. By the early 19th century, the Talbert remained a well-renowned coaching inn. However, with the advent of the railways, it eventually closed. The building was then converted into stores. It was demolished in 1873.
Notesedit
^Southwark: Famous inns, Old and New London: Volume 6 (1878), pp. 76–89, accessed: 16 June 2008
^Quoted in Walter Thornbury and Edward Walford, Old and New London: A Narrative of Its History, Its People and Its Places (London) 1893:76.
^William Rendle & Philip Norman, Inns of Old Southwark (London, 1888), pp. 405-411.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Tabard.
The Tabard Inn in Southwark, another nineteenth-century engraving
tabard, southwark, established, 1307, that, stood, east, side, borough, high, street, road, intersection, with, ancient, thoroughfare, canterbury, dover, built, abbot, hyde, purchased, land, construct, place, himself, ecclesiastical, brethren, stay, when, busi. The Tabard was an inn in Southwark established in 1307 that stood on the east side of Borough High Street at the road s intersection with the ancient thoroughfare to Canterbury and Dover It was built for the Abbot of Hyde who purchased the land to construct a place for himself and his ecclesiastical brethren to stay when on business in London The Tabard Inn Southwark around 1850The Tabard was famous for accommodating people who made the pilgrimage to the Shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral and it is mentioned in the 14th century literary work The Canterbury Tales Contents 1 Early history 2 Destruction and replacement 3 Closure 4 Notes 5 External linksEarly history edit nbsp Just before it was demolished in 1873 nbsp Blue Plaque on site in Talbot Yard nbsp Tabard Inn Southwark 1810 by Philip NormanThe inn was located on the south bank of the Thames just north of where the two Roman roads of Stane Street and Watling Street merged It stood near the Manor of Southwark controlled by the Bishops of Winchester Also known as the Liberty of Winchester the manor lay outside the jurisdiction of the City of London Activities that were forbidden within the City of London and the county of Surrey including prostitution and animal baiting were permitted within Southwark which thus became medieval London s entertainment district In those times the Tabard would have been filled with pilgrims drunks travellers criminals and prostitutes colloquially known as the Winchester Geese Chaucer wrote that the Tabard was the location where the pilgrims first met on their journey to Canterbury in the 1380s The inn s proprietor was a man named Harry Bailey 1 Bifel that in that season on a day In Southwerk at the Tabard as I layRedy to wenden on my pilgrymageTo Caunterbury with ful devout corage At nyght was come into that hostelryeWel nyne and twenty in a compaignyeOf sondry folk by aventure yfalleIn felaweshipe and pilgrimes were they alle That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde The chambres and the stables weren wyde And well we weren esed atte beste The antiquary John Stow wrote in his Survey that by the 16th century it was among several inns at this location in Southwark many fair inns for receipt of travellers by these signs the Spurre Christopher Bull Queen s Head Tabard George Hart King s Head amp c 2 Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the mid 16th century the Tabard of the Monastery of Hyde and the Abbot s Place with the stable and gardens thereunto belonging were sold to John and Thomas Master The goldsmith John Mabbe died 1578 acquired the inn His son Robert Mabbe pledged a share of the inn to the goldsmith Affabel Partridge for a loan 3 Destruction and replacement editOn 26 May 1676 ten years after the Great Fire of London a great blaze started in Southwark The Tabard was among many buildings that were either burned down or pulled down to create fire breaks The blaze which took 17 hours to contain destroyed most of medieval Southwark King Charles II and his brother the Duke of York were both involved in the firefighting effort Although the medieval building was destroyed the site was immediately rebuilt and renamed The Talbot Closure editIn the early 18th century the new inn was profiting from the growth in stagecoach traffic between London and the channel ports because of the growth in turnpikes By the early 19th century the Talbert remained a well renowned coaching inn However with the advent of the railways it eventually closed The building was then converted into stores It was demolished in 1873 Notes edit Southwark Famous inns Old and New London Volume 6 1878 pp 76 89 accessed 16 June 2008 Quoted in Walter Thornbury and Edward Walford Old and New London A Narrative of Its History Its People and Its Places London 1893 76 William Rendle amp Philip Norman Inns of Old Southwark London 1888 pp 405 411 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Tabard The Tabard Inn in Southwark another nineteenth century engraving 51 30 14 N 0 5 23 W 51 50389 N 0 08972 W 51 50389 0 08972 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Tabard amp oldid 1177954665, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
