This etext was produced by Joyce M. Noverr (JMNoverr@att.net). THE INNS AND TAVERNS OF "PICKWICK" WITH SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THEIR OTHER ASSOCIATIONS by B.W. Matz [illustration: Scene in the yard of the Bull Inn, Whitechapel. Mr. Pickwick starts for Ipswich. From an engraving by T. Onwhyn] CONTENTS PREFACE Chapter I. "PICKWICK" AND THE COACHING AGE II. THE "GOLDEN CROSS," CHARING CROSS III. THE "BULL," ROCHESTER, "WRIGHT'S NEXT HOUSE," AND THE "BLUE LION," MUGGLETON IV. THE "WHITE HART," BOROUGH V. "LA BELLE SAUVAGE" AND THE "MARQUIS OF GRANBY," DORKING VI. THE "LEATHER BOTTLE," COBHAM, KENT VII. THE "TOWN ARMS," EATANSWILL, AND THE INN OF "THE BAGMAN'S STORY" VIII. THE "ANGEL," BURY ST. EDMUNDS IX. THE "BLACK BOY," CHELMSFORD, THE "MAGPIE AND STUMP," AND THE "BULL," WHITECHAPEL X. THE "GREAT WHITE HORSE," IPSWICH XI. THE "GEORGE AND VULTURE" XII. THE "BLUE BOAR," LEADENHALL MARKET, "GARRAWAY'S" AND THE "WHITE HORSE CELLAR" XIII. FOUR BATH INNS AND THE "BUSH," BRISTOL XIV. THE "FOX UNDER THE HILL," OTHER LONDON TAVERNS, AND "THE SPANIARDS," HAMPSTEAD XV. THE "BELL," BERKELEY HEATH, THE "HOP POLE," TEWKESBURY, AND THE "OLD ROYAL," BIRMINGHAM XVI. COVENTRY, DUNCHURCH, AND DAVENTRY INNS, AND THE "SARACEN'S HEAD," TOWCESTER XVII. "OSBORNE'S," ADELPHI, AND TONY WELLER'S PUBLIC-HOUSE ON SHOOTER'S HILL XVIII PICKWICK AND THE GEORGE INN PREFACE It is not claimed for this book that it supplies a long-felt want, or that it is at all necessary to the better understanding of the immortal work which inspired it. Nor does the author offer any apology for adding yet another volume to the long list of books, already existing, which deal in some way or other with England's classic book of humour, because it isn't so much his fault as might appear on the surface. A year or two ago he contributed to an American paper a series of twenty articles on some of the prominent inns mentioned in the works of Dickens, and before the series was completed he received many overtures to publish them in volume form. To do so would have resulted in producing an entirely inadequate and incomplete book, whose sins of omission would have far outrun its virtues, whatever they might have been. As an alternative, he set himself the task of dealing with the inns and taverns mentioned in The Pickwick Papers alone, grafting certain of those articles into their proper place in the scheme of the book, and leaving, perhaps, for a future volume, should such be warranted, the inns mentioned in other books of the novelist. If the reading of this volume affords half the pleasure and interest the writer has derived from compiling it, the overtures would then seem to have been justified, and the book's existence proved legitimate.