Kings Arms

My wife and I stayed in the Kings Room for one night and would not hesitate to return to this idyllic hostelry. The history literally oozes out of the very fabric of the building and all the staff are very friendly and attentive. The room itself was especially comfortable and a pint or two was enjoyed in the bar chatting with a very friendly couple who lived in the village. The evening meal was exceptional and my wife and I agreed it was one of the best meals we could remember having in a very long time. The menu was well balanced and every course superb. The sauces accompanying the lamb and duck were particularly sumptuous.

A very attractive looking old coaching inn in this slightly off the beaten track village, there is a pleasant looking courtyard at the front as well as a small beer garden at the rear. It looks to be quite a substantial size, although it also offers accomodation so not all of it is open to the public. We had hoped to have a bite to eat for lunch such as a sandwich and a bowl of chips, but apparently these are not offered. We do have some pub classics, said the friendly barman, and indeed the menu listed a burger or fish & chips, both at £17. Deciding we’d just settle on some crisps instead, we were again disappointed to be told that they only had peanuts and pork scratchings. It was a similar problem with the drinks – of three beer engines on the bar, two were unclipped and the third had run out. Ciders fared little better, with the Thatcher’s Gold being off, leaving just Orchard Thieves. I would have expected an upmarket pub such as this in a small rural village would have made a bit of an effort to stock something local (Honey’s or Iford, perhaps?) rather than something from a global conglomerate. Overall, a pleasant old pub and friendly staff, but the lack of choice on both the food and drink fronts mean I won’t be making an effort to return anytime soon.