Such inns as there were were generally dirty and flea-ridden; the food simply local cheese accompanied by bread often twelve months old, all washed down with coarse wine.

按传统语法，as there were 是修饰 inns 的定语从句，第一个 were 是 there be 存在句的，第二个 were 是 Such inns 的谓语系动词，这样，定语从句的were 跟 主句的 were 就挨在一起了。

as there were （像当时已有的酒店那样）

两个be 动词连在一起的情况比较常见。例如：

The definition of what a horse is is as follows. 马的（马是什么的）定义如下。