The Famous Grouse - Telegraph

THE ADAM AND EVE, COCK AND RABBIT, THE DOVE, THE EAGLE, THE EIGHT BELLS, EUSTON TAP, FOX & HOUNDS, THE GEORGE INN, THE GUN INN, HARWOOD ARMS, HAUNCH OF 

VENISON, THE JAMAICA WINE HOUSE, THE LEATHER BOTTLE, THE LONDON Sunday, October APPRENTICE, 16, 2011 THE telegraph.co.uk/famousgrouse 

MILBURY’S, THE MURDERERS, THE PELTON ARMS, PROSPECT OF WHITBY, THE RED LION, 

THE RED LION, THE ROYAL STANDARD OF ENGLAND, THE SEKFORDE ARMS, THE SPORTSMAN, THE THATCHED TAVERN, THE TRAFFORD ARMS, YE OLDE MITRE, THE WHITE CROSS, 

THE BEAR INN, THE BELL INN, THE CROWN AT WELLS, THE DOLPHIN HOTEL, The THE Famous GAGGLE OF GEESE, Grouse 

THE GEORGE INN, THE NOBODY INN, THE PIPERS INN, THE RADNOR ARMS, THE 

TINNERS ARMS, TRENGILLY WARTHA INN, THE BEAR, THE BERKELEY ARMS, THE BOAT INN, THE DOLPHIN INN, THE DRY DOCK, THE EAGLE AND CHILD, THE FARMERS BOY INN, THE 

FLYING CHILDERS INN, THE RED LION, THE SNOOTY FOX, THE TURF TAVERN, YE OLDE TRIP TO JERUSALEM, BLACK BOY INN, THE GOLDEN CROSS, THE NEUADD ARMS HOTEL, THE 

PACKET HOTEL, THE ROYAL OAK HOTEL, YE OLDE BULL’S HEAD INN, YE OLDE MURENGER HOUSE, THE CARTS BOG INN, THE GEORGE AND DRAGON, THE KING’S ARMS, THE LORD 

CREWE ARMS HOTEL, THE PLOUGH INN, SAVILE ARMS, THE WHITE HOUSE, THE BICKERTON POACHER, THE CHESHIRE CHEESE, THE FOOLS NOOK, THE GLOBE, THE GOLDEN BALL, 

OLD BLACK BULL, THE OLD CROWN, THE PHILHARMONIC DINING ROOMS, THE SHAKESPEARE, THE SHIP VICTORY, YE CRACKE, THE ABERDEEN ARMS, BACKSTAGE AT THE GREEN 

HOTEL, BORDER HOTEL, BOTHY RESTAURANT AND BAR, C’MON INN, THE DROVERS INN, THE FIDDICHSIDE INN, THE FOX AND HOUNDS, THE GLOBE INN, THE JIGGER INN, KINLOCH 

CASTLE, THE OLD FORGE, ÒRAN MÓR, THE OXFORD BAR, THE PAGEANT, POETS BAR AT THE KENMORE HOTEL, THE PRETORIA BAR, THE SHEEP HEID INN, SHIELDAIG BAR & COASTAL 

KITCHEN, TEUCHTERS BAR, BLAKES OF THE HOLLOW, THE CROWN LIQUOR SALOON, MURIEL’S, THE ADAM AND EVE, COCK AND RABBIT, THE DOVE, THE EAGLE, THE EIGHT BELLS, 

EUSTON TAP, FOX & HOUNDS, THE GEORGE INN, THE GUN INN, HARWOOD ARMS, HAUNCH OF VENISON, THE JAMAICA WINE HOUSE, THE LEATHER BOTTLE, THE LONDON APPRENTICE, 

THE MILBURY’S, THE MURDERERS, THE PELTON ARMS, PROSPECT OF WHITBY, THE RED LION, THE RED LION, THE ROYAL STANDARD OF ENGLAND, THE SEKFORDE ARMS, THE 

SPORTSMAN, THE THATCHED TAVERN, THE TRAFFORD ARMS, YE OLDE MITRE, THE WHITE CROSS, THE BEAR INN, THE BELL INN, THE CROWN AT WELLS, THE DOLPHIN HOTEL, THE 

GAGGLE OF GEESE, THE GEORGE INN, THE NOBODY INN, THE PIPERS INN, THE RADNOR ARMS, THE TINNERS ARMS, TRENGILLY WARTHA INN, THE BEAR, THE BERKELEY ARMS, THE 

BOAT INN, THE DOLPHIN INN, THE DRY DOCK, THE EAGLE AND CHILD, THE FARMERS BOY INN, THE FLYING CHILDERS INN, THE RED LION, THE SNOOTY FOX, THE TURF TAVERN, YE 

OLDE TRIP TO JERUSALEM, BLACK BOY INN, THE GOLDEN CROSS, THE NEUADD ARMS HOTEL, THE PACKET HOTEL, THE ROYAL OAK HOTEL, YE OLDE BULL’S HEAD INN, YE OLDE 

MURENGER HOUSE, THE CARTS BOG INN, THE GEORGE AND DRAGON, THE KING’S ARMS, THE LORD CREWE ARMS HOTEL, THE PLOUGH INN, SAVILE ARMS, THE WHITE HOUSE, THE 

BICKERTON POACHER, THE CHESHIRE CHEESE, THE FOOLS NOOK, THE GLOBE, THE GOLDEN BALL, OLD BLACK BULL, THE OLD CROWN, THE PHILHARMONIC DINING ROOMS, THE 

SHAKESPEARE, THE SHIP VICTORY, YE CRACKE, THE ABERDEEN ARMS, BACKSTAGE AT THE GREEN HOTEL, BORDERHOTEL, BOTHY RESTAURANT AND BAR, C’MON INN, THE DROVERS 

INN, THE FIDDICHSIDE INN, THE FOX AND HOUNDS, THE GLOBE INN, THE JIGGER INN, KINLOCH CASTLE, THE OLD FORGE, ÒRAN MÓR, THE OXFORD BAR, THE PAGEANT, POETS BAR 

AT THE KENMORE HOTEL, THE PRETORIA BAR, THE SHEEP HEID INN, SHIELDAIG BAR & COASTAL KITCHEN, TEUCHTERS BAR, BLAKES OF THE HOLLOW, THE CROWN LIQUOR SALOON, 

MURIEL’S, THE ADAM AND EVE, COCK AND RABBIT, THE DOVE, THE EAGLE, THE EIGHT BELLS, EUSTON TAP, FOX & HOUNDS, THE GEORGE INN, THE GUN INN, HARWOOD ARMS, 

HAUNCH OF VENISON, THE JAMAICA WINE HOUSE, THE LEATHER BOTTLE, THE LONDON APPRENTICE, THE MILBURY’S, THE MURDERERS, THE PELTON ARMS, PROSPECT OF WHITBY, 

THE RED LION, THE RED LION, THE ROYAL STANDARD OF ENGLAND, THE SEKFORDE ARMS, THE SPORTSMAN, THE THATCHED TAVERN, THE TRAFFORD ARMS, YE OLDE MITRE, THE 

WHITE CROSS, THE BEAR INN, THE BELL INN, THE CROWN AT WELLS, THE DOLPHIN HOTEL, THE GAGGLE OF GEESE, THE GEORGE INN, THE NOBODY INN, THE PIPERS INN, THE 

RADNOR ARMS, THE TINNERS ARMS, TRENGILLY WARTHA INN, THE BEAR, THE BERKELEY ARMS, THE BOAT INN, THE DOLPHIN INN, THE DRY DOCK, THE EAGLE AND CHILD, THE 

FARMERS BOY INN, THE FLYING CHILDERS INN, THE RED LION, THE SNOOTY FOX, THE TURF TAVERN, YE OLDE TRIP TO JERUSALEM, BLACK BOY INN, THE GOLDEN CROSS, THE 

NEUADD ARMS HOTEL, THE PACKET HOTEL, THE ROYAL OAK HOTEL, YE OLDE BULL’S HEAD INN, YE OLDE MURENGER HOUSE, THE CARTS BOG INN, THE GEORGE AND DRAGON, 

THE KING’S ARMS, THE LORD CREWE ARMS HOTEL, THE PLOUGH INN, SAVILE ARMS, THE WHITE HOUSE, THE BICKERTON POACHER, THE CHESHIRE CHEESE, THE FOOLS NOOK, 

THE GLOBE, THE GOLDEN BALL, OLD BLACK BULL, THE OLD CROWN, THE PHILHARMONIC DINING ROOMS, THE SHAKESPEARE, THE SHIP VICTORY, YE CRACKE, THE ABERDEEN 

ARMS, BACKSTAGE AT THE GREEN HOTEL, BORDER HOTEL, BOTHY RESTAURANT AND BAR, C’MON INN, THE DROVERS INN, THE FIDDICHSIDE INN, THE FOX AND HOUNDS, THE 

GLOBE INN, THE JIGGER INN, KINLOCH CASTLE, THE OLD FORGE, ÒRAN MÓR, THE OXFORD BAR, THE PAGEANT, POETS BAR AT THE KENMORE HOTEL, THE PRETORIA BAR, THE 

SHEEP HEID INN, SHIELDAIG BAR & COASTAL KITCHEN, TEUCHTERS BAR, BLAKES OF THE HOLLOW, THE CROWN LIQUOR SALOON, MURIEL’S, THE ADAM AND EVE, COCK AND 

RABBIT, THE DOVE, THE EAGLE, THE EIGHT BELLS, EUSTON TAP, FOX & HOUNDS, THE GEORGE INN, THE GUN INN, HARWOOD ARMS, HAUNCH OF VENISON, THE JAMAICA WINE 

HOUSE, THE LEATHER BOTTLE, THE LONDON APPRENTICE, THE MILBURY’S, THE MURDERERS, THE PELTON ARMS, PROSPECT OF WHITBY, THE RED LION, THE RED LION, THE 

ROYAL STANDARD OF ENGLAND, THE SEKFORDE ARMS, THE SPORTSMAN, THE THATCHED TAVERN, THE TRAFFORD ARMS, YE OLDE MITRE, THE WHITE CROSS, THE BEAR INN, 

THE BELL INN, THE CROWN AT WELLS, THE DOLPHIN HOTEL, THE GAGGLE OF GEESE, THE GEORGE INN, THE NOBODY INN, THE PIPERS INN, THE RADNOR ARMS, THE TINNERS 

ARMS, TRENGILLY WARTHA INN, THE BEAR, THE BERKELEY ARMS, THE BOAT INN, THE DOLPHIN INN, THE DRY DOCK, THE EAGLE AND CHILD, THE FARMERS BOY INN, THE FLYING 

CHILDERS INN, THE RED LION, THE SNOOTY FOX, THE TURF TAVERN, YE OLDE TRIP TO JERUSALEM, BLACK BOY INN, THE GOLDEN CROSS, THE NEUADD ARMS HOTEL, THE 

PACKET HOTEL, THE ROYAL OAK HOTEL, YE OLDE BULL’S HEAD INN, YE OLDE MURENGER HOUSE, THE CARTS BOG INN, THE GEORGE AND DRAGON, THE KING’S ARMS, THE 

LORD CREWE ARMS HOTEL, THE PLOUGH INN, SAVILE ARMS, THE WHITE HOUSE, THE BICKERTON POACHER, THE CHESHIRE CHEESE, THE FOOLS NOOK, THE GLOBE, THE 

GOLDEN BALL, OLD BLACK BULL, THE OLD CROWN, THE PHILHARMONIC DINING ROOMS, THE SHAKESPEARE, THE SHIP VICTORY, YE CRACKE, THE ABERDEEN ARMS, 

BACKSTAGE AT THE GREEN HOTEL, BORDER HOTEL, BOTHY RESTAURANT AND BAR, C’MON INN, THE DROVERS INN, THE FIDDICHSIDE INN, THE FOX AND HOUNDS, THE GLOBE 

INN, THE JIGGER INN, KINLOCH CASTLE, THE OLD FORGE, ÒRAN MÓR, THE OXFORD BAR, THE PAGEANT, POETS BAR AT THE KENMORE HOTEL, THE PRETORIA BAR, THE SHEEP 

HEID INN, SHIELDAIG BAR & COASTAL KITCHEN, TEUCHTERS BAR, BLAKES OF THE HOLLOW, THE CROWN LIQUOR SALOON, MURIEL’S, THE ADAM AND EVE, COCK AND RABBIT, 

THE DOVE, THE EAGLE, THE EIGHT BELLS, EUSTON TAP, FOX & HOUNDS, THE GEORGE INN, THE GUN INN, HARWOOD ARMS, HAUNCH OF VENISON, THE JAMAICA WINE HOUSE, 

THE LEATHER BOTTLE, THE LONDON APPRENTICE, THE MILBURY’S, THE MURDERERS, THE PELTON ARMS, PROSPECT OF WHITBY, THE RED LION, THE RED LION, THE ROYAL 

STANDARD OF ENGLAND, THE SEKFORDE ARMS, THE SPORTSMAN, THE THATCHED TAVERN, THE TRAFFORD ARMS, YE OLDE MITRE, THE WHITE CROSS, THE BEAR INN, THE 

BELL INN, THE CROWN AT WELLS, THE DOLPHIN HOTEL, THE GAGGLE OF GEESE, THE GEORGE INN, THE NOBODY INN, THE PIPERS INN, THE RADNOR ARMS, THE TINNERS 

ARMS, TRENGILLY WARTHA INN, THE BEAR, THE BERKELEY ARMS, THE BOAT INN, THE DOLPHIN INN, THE DRY DOCK, THE EAGLE AND CHILD, THE FARMERS BOY INN, THE 

FLYING CHILDERS INN, THE RED LION, THE SNOOTY FOX, THE TURF TAVERN, YE OLDE TRIP TO JERUSALEM, BLACK BOY INN, THE GOLDEN CROSS, THE NEUADD ARMS 

HOTEL, THE PACKET HOTEL, THE ROYAL OAK HOTEL, YE OLDE BULL’S HEAD INN, YE OLDE MURENGER HOUSE, THE CARTS BOG INN, THE GEORGE AND DRAGON, THE KING’S 

ARMS, THE LORD CREWE ARMS HOTEL, THE PLOUGH INN, SAVILE ARMS, THE WHITE HOUSE, THE BICKERTON POACHER, THE CHESHIRE CHEESE, THE FOOLS NOOK, THE 

GLOBE, THE GOLDEN BALL, OLD BLACK BULL, THE OLD CROWN, THE PHILHARMONIC DINING ROOMS, THE SHAKESPEARE, THE SHIP VICTORY, YE CRACKE, THE ABERDEEN 

ARMS, BACKSTAGE AT THE GREEN HOTEL, BORDER HOTEL, BOTHY RESTAURANT AND BAR, C’MON INN, THE DROVERS INN, THE FIDDICHSIDE INN, THE FOX AND HOUNDS, 

THE GLOBE INN, THE JIGGER INN, KINLOCH CASTLE, THE OLD FORGE, ÒRAN MÓR, THE OXFORD BAR, THE PAGEANT, POETS BAR AT THE KENMORE HOTEL, THE PRETORIA 

BAR, THE SHEEP HEID INN, SHIELDAIG BAR & COASTAL KITCHEN, TEUCHTERS BAR, BLAKES OF THE HOLLOW, THE CROWN LIQUOR SALOON, MURIEL’S, THE ADAM AND EVE, 

COCK AND RABBIT, THE DOVE, THE EAGLE, THE EIGHT BELLS, EUSTON TAP, FOX & HOUNDS, THE GEORGE INN, THE GUN INN, HARWOOD ARMS, HAUNCH OF VENISON, THE 

JAMAICA WINE HOUSE, THE LEATHER BOTTLE, THE LONDON APPRENTICE, THE MILBURY’S, THE MURDERERS, THE PELTON ARMS, PROSPECT OF WHITBY, THE RED LION, 

THE RED LION, THE ROYAL STANDARD OF ENGLAND, THE SEKFORDE ARMS, THE SPORTSMAN, THE THATCHED TAVERN, THE TRAFFORD ARMS, YE OLDE MITRE, THE WHITE 

CROSS, THE BEAR INN, THE BELL INN, THE CROWN AT WELLS, THE DOLPHIN HOTEL, THE GAGGLE OF GEESE, THE GEORGE INN, THE NOBODY INN, THE PIPERS INN, THE 

RADNOR ARMS, THE TINNERS ARMS, TRENGILLY WARTHA INN, THE BEAR, THE BERKELEY ARMS, THE BOAT INN, THE DOLPHIN INN, THE DRY DOCK, THE EAGLE AND 

CHILD, THE FARMERS BOY INN, THE FLYING CHILDERS INN, THE RED LION, THE SNOOTY FOX, THE TURF TAVERN, YE OLDE TRIP TO JERUSALEM, BLACK BOY INN, THE 

GOLDEN CROSS, THE NEUADD ARMS HOTEL, THE PACKET HOTEL, THE ROYAL OAK HOTEL, YE OLDE BULL’S HEAD INN, YE OLDE MURENGER HOUSE, THE CARTS BOG INN, 

THE GEORGE AND DRAGON, THE KING’S ARMS, THE LORD CREWE ARMS HOTEL, THE PLOUGH INN, SAVILE ARMS, THE WHITE HOUSE, THE BICKERTON POACHER, THE 

CHESHIRE CHEESE, THE FOOLS NOOK, THE GLOBE, THE GOLDEN BALL, OLD BLACK BULL, THE OLD CROWN, THE PHILHARMONIC DINING ROOMS, THE SHAKESPEARE, 

THE SHIP VICTORY, YE CRACKE, THE ABERDEEN ARMS, BACKSTAGE AT THE GREEN HOTEL, BORDER HOTEL, BOTHY RESTAURANT AND BAR, C’MON INN, THE DROVERS 

INN, THE FIDDICHSIDE INN, THE FOX AND HOUNDS, THE GLOBE INN, THE JIGGER INN, KINLOCH CASTLE, THE OLD FORGE, ÒRAN MÓR, THE OXFORD BAR, THE PAGEANT, 

POETS BAR AT THE KENMORE HOTEL, THE PRETORIA BAR, THE SHEEP HEID INN, SHIELDAIG BAR & COASTAL KITCHEN, TEUCHTERS BAR, BLAKES OF THE HOLLOW, THE 

CROWN LIQUOR SALOON, MURIEL’S, THE ADAM AND EVE, COCK AND RABBIT, THE DOVE, THE EAGLE, THE EIGHT BELLS, EUSTON TAP, FOX & HOUNDS, THE GEORGE INN, 

THE GUN INN, HARWOOD ARMS, HAUNCH OF VENISON, THE JAMAICA WINE HOUSE, THE LEATHER BOTTLE, THE LONDON APPRENTICE, THE MILBURY’S, THE MURDERERS, 

THE PELTON ARMS, PROSPECT OF WHITBY, THE RED LION, THE RED LION, THE ROYAL STANDARD OF ENGLAND, THE SEKFORDE ARMS, THE SPORTSMAN, THE THATCHED 

TAVERN, THE TRAFFORD ARMS, YE OLDE MITRE, THE WHITE CROSS, THE BEAR INN, THE BELL INN, THE CROWN AT WELLS, THE DOLPHIN HOTEL, THE GAGGLE OF GEESE, 

THE GEORGE INN, THE NOBODY INN, THE PIPERS INN, THE RADNOR ARMS, THE TINNERS ARMS, TRENGILLY WARTHA INN, THE BEAR, THE BERKELEY ARMS, THE BOAT INN, 

THE DOLPHIN INN, THE DRY DOCK, THE EAGLE AND CHILD, THE FARMERS BOY INN, THE FLYING CHILDERS INN, THE RED LION, THE SNOOTY FOX, THE TURF TAVERN, YE OLDE 

TRIP TO JERUSALEM, BLACK BOY INN, THE GOLDEN CROSS, THE NEUADD ARMS HOTEL, THE PACKET HOTEL, THE ROYAL OAK HOTEL, YE OLDE BULL’S HEAD INN, YE OLDE 

MURENGER HOUSE, THE CARTS BOG INN, THE GEORGE AND DRAGON, THE KING’S ARMS, THE LORD CREWE ARMS HOTEL, THE PLOUGH INN, SAVILE ARMS, THE WHITE HOUSE, 

THE BICKERTON POACHER, THE CHESHIRE CHEESE, THE FOOLS NOOK, THE GLOBE, THE GOLDEN BALL, OLD BLACK BULL, THE OLD CROWN, THE PHILHARMONIC DINING ROOMS, 

THE SHAKESPEARE, THE SHIP VICTORY, YE CRACKE, THE ABERDEEN ARMS, BACKSTAGE AT THE GREEN HOTEL, BORDER HOTEL, BOTHY RESTAURANT AND BAR, C’MON INN, THE 

DROVERS INN, THE FIDDICHSIDE INN, THE FOX AND HOUNDS, THE GLOBE INN, THE JIGGER INN, KINLOCH CASTLE, THE OLD FORGE, ÒRAN MÓR, THE OXFORD BAR, THE PAGEANT, 

POETS BAR AT THE KENMORE HOTEL, THE PRETORIA BAR, THE SHEEP HEID INN, SHIELDAIG BAR & COASTAL KITCHEN, TEUCHTERS BAR, BLAKES OF THE HOLLOW, THE CROWN 

LIQUOR SALOON, MURIEL’S, THE ADAM AND EVE, COCK AND RABBIT, THE DOVE, THE EAGLE, THE EIGHT BELLS, EUSTON TAP, FOX & HOUNDS, THE GEORGE INN, THE GUN INN, 

HARWOOD ARMS, HAUNCH OF VENISON, THE JAMAICA WINE HOUSE, THE LEATHER BOTTLE, THE LONDON APPRENTICE, THE MILBURY’S, THE MURDERERS, THE PELTON ARMS, 

PROSPECT OF WHITBY, THE RED LION, THE RED LION, THE ROYAL STANDARD OF ENGLAND, THE SEKFORDE ARMS, THE SPORTSMAN, THE THATCHED TAVERN, THE TRAFFORD 

ARMS, YE OLDE MITRE, THE WHITE CROSS, THE BEAR INN, THE BELL INN, THE CROWN AT WELLS, THE DOLPHIN HOTEL, THE GAGGLE OF GEESE, THE GEORGE INN, THE NOBODY 

INN, THE PIPERS INN, THE RADNOR ARMS, THE TINNERS ARMS, TRENGILLY WARTHA INN, THE BEAR, THE BERKELEY ARMS, THE BOAT INN, THE DOLPHIN INN, THE DRY DOCK, THE 

EAGLE AND CHILD, THE FARMERS BOY INN, THE FLYING CHILDERS INN, THE RED LION, THE SNOOTY FOX, THE TURF TAVERN, YE OLDE TRIP TO JERUSALEM, BLACK BOY INN, THE 

GOLDEN CROSS, THE NEUADD ARMS HOTEL, THE PACKET HOTEL, THE ROYAL OAK HOTEL, YE OLDE BULL’S HEAD INN, YE OLDE MURENGER HOUSE, THE CARTS BOG INN, THE GEORGE 

AND DRAGON, THE KING’S ARMS, THE LORD CREWE ARMS HOTEL, THE PLOUGH INN, SAVILE ARMS, THE WHITE HOUSE, THE BICKERTON POACHER, THE CHESHIRE CHEESE, THE FOOLS 

NOOK, THE GLOBE, THE GOLDEN BALL, OLD BLACK BULL, THE OLD CROWN, THE PHILHARMONIC DINING ROOMS, THE SHAKESPEARE, THE SHIP VICTORY, YE CRACKE, THE ABERDEEN 

Distributed with 

The Sunday Telegraph 

Discover 

UK pubs that 

are all famous 

for a reason

D2 

�� | FAMOUS PUBS 

THE 2011 

FAMOUS 

PUBS 

When you discover 

a Famous Grouse 

Famous Pub, you’ll 

find a unique and 

unusual place 

worth celebrating 

— and one you’ll 

want to visit again 

Commissioning editor Julia Newcomb 

Art editor Sally Farr 

Contributing writers Rufus Purdy, 

Louise Renwick and Melissa Crowther 

Sub editors Chris Jones, Paul Carroll 

and Brett Lampitt 

Main pub photography Andrew Martin, 

Andy Paradise, Alamy, Arwyn Roberts 

and Photolibrary 

The public houses published in this 

supplement have been nominated by 

readers and reviewed by the Telegraph. 

While the Telegraph and The Famous 

Grouse have taken all reasonable steps 

to check their accuracy, neither the 

Telegraph nor The Famous Grouse 

takes responsibility for the views 

and claims they may contain. 

Following the success of last 

year’s quest to find the most 

famous pubs in the UK, 

The Famous Grouse has 

again compiled a guide to 

great British pubs. 

This collection of renowned 

pubs is truly exceptional, and 

the result of a nationwide 

search to find places in which 

to drink. All of them stand out 

from the ordinary and deserve 

to be celebrated. 

In this special guide, The 

Famous Grouse Famous Pubs, 

you’ll find inns and hotels of 

all shapes and sizes, from 

towns, cities and all corners 

of the United Kingdom. And 

like The Famous Grouse, 

every one of them is famous 

for good reason. 

Some have gained a 

dedicated following for their 

gourmet food or expertly 

crafted choice of drinks. 

Others fulfil perfectly the 

pub’s role as a community 

hub, and have raised 

thousands of pounds for 

worthy causes. 

Glance through the list 

and you’ll discover the 

grandest people’s palaces 

with dazzling architectural 

and decorative flourishes, 

alongside bars that are 

literally holes in the wall. 

What’s more, a great 

number of these pubs warrant 

inclusion for their place in 

Britain’s heritage. In this list, 

you’ll find public houses that 

have witnessed some of the 

most momentous episodes in 

our island’s history. 

This being Britain, there’s 

no small measure of 

eccentricity in our selection. 

From the Haunch of Venison 

pub in Salisbury which 

exhibits a mummified hand 

from the 19th century to 

the 500-year-old facade of 

The Crown at Wells which was 

used as one of the locations 

in the hit comedy film Hot 

Fuzz featuring Simon Pegg 

in 2007. 

Whatever the basis of their 

fame, all of these pubs have 

been nominated by the people 

best able to judge their merit: 

the customers who go back 

again and again. Here are 

their nominations. 

�� 

�� 

The Adam and Eve 

Norwich, Norfolk 

The oldest pub in Norwich, 

The Adam and Eve was 

recorded as an alehouse 

in 1249, and was frequented 

by the stonemasons building 

the nearby Norwich 

Cathedral. The monks who 

owned the building also 

gave its ale to their patients 

at a charity hospital that 

helped the poor. 

The ghost of Lord Sheffield 

– killed by rebels nearby 

during Kett’s Rebellion in 

1549 – is reputed to still haunt 

the building. Licencee Rita 

tells of a bell in the upper bar, 

which rings when no one is 

there and stools which scrape 

the floor after closing time. 

This atmospheric pub, 

which is a frequent winner 

in Norwich, also serves 

excellent food. 

�Bishopgate, Norwich, Norfolk, 

NR3 1RZ; 01603 667423; 

www.adamandevenorwich.co.uk 

The Cock and Rabbit 

Great Missenden, 

Buckinghamshire 

Set in the idyllic hamlet 

of The Lee in the Chiltern 

Hills, The Cock and Rabbit 

has become known as 

the pub frequented by 

Barnaby and Troy in ITV’s 

Midsomer Murders. Look out 

for a signed photograph of 

them in the hallway. 

The pub and adjoining 

award-winning Italian 

restaurant, set in beautiful 

gardens, have been owned 

and run for 26 years by 

Italian Gianfranco Parola. 

The Piedmont-born chef 

serves guests with homemade 

Italian cuisine, 

including the popular 

Pasta Graziemille – prepared 

using wild garlic picked from 

the surrounding woods. 

�The Lee, Great Missenden, 

Buckinghamshire, HP16 9LZ; 

01494 837540; 

www.graziemille.co.uk 

The Dove 

Hammersmith, London 

James Thomson, the 18thcentury 

poet, was a regular 

and reputedly wrote the 

words to Rule, Britannia 

here. Above the fireplace 

there’s a list of the famous 

personalities (musicians, 

poets, writers and comedians) 

who have bought a drink 

or two while contemplating 

life and the river. 

A firm fixture of west 

London pub life, the pub 

holds a prime position on 

the Thames just before 

Hammersmith Bridge – 

a favourite place to watch 

the Oxford and Cambridge 

Boat Race. 

OCTOBER 16 2011 The Sunday Telegraph 

Distributed with The Sunday Telegraph 

�19 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, 

London, W6 9TA; 020 8748 

9474; www.fullers.co.uk 

The Eagle 

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire 

One of the oldest and largest 

inns in Cambridge – dating 

back to the 15th century and 

built on land owned by 

Corpus Christi College – The 

Eagle is most famous for

The Sunday Telegraph OCTOBER 16 2011 D3 


being the bar where the 

scientists James Watson and 

Francis Crick first announced 

their discovery of the “Secret 

of Life” (DNA). This is 

commemorated on a blue 

plaque next to the entrance. 

Check out the ceiling in 

the back bar, where Second 

World War pilots signed 

their names using lighters, 

candle smoke and lipstick. 

Poet James 

Thomson wrote 

the words to Rule, 

Britannia while 

in The Dove 

at Hammersmith 

�� 

� �� 

The Famous Grouse has been 

making blended whisky 

since 1897. We’re 

often asked the secret 

to our success… It is a 

closely guarded recipe 

and all we’ll say is it’s 

built around two of 

the world’s most 

revered malt 

whiskies, The 

Macallan and 

Highland Park, 

which contribute 

to its beautifully 

balanced tone. You 

can recognise the 

bottle by the Red 

Grouse emblem. 

FAMOUS PUBS | �� 

From left: The Adam & Eve; the sign of Cambridge’s famed The Eagle pub; the bar of Euston Tap and the fine views from The Dove’s garden 

Look out for the outline 

of a naked woman drawn 

in lipstick on the ceiling 

– said to have been the 

landlord’s sister who 

“looked after” the airmen 

and soldiers who frequented 

The Eagle during the 

war. Many ghosts, including 

those of two airmen, are 

said to haunt the premises. 

�Benet Street, Cambridge, 

Cambridgeshire, CB2 3QN; 

01223 505020; www.gkpubs.co.uk/ 

pubs-in-cambridge/eagle-pub 

The Eight Bells 

Hatfield, Hertfordshire 

Built in 1226, this old familyrun 

pub is remembered 

as the resort of fictional 

character Bill Sykes 

from Charles Dickens’ 

Oliver Twist. Dickens himself 

stayed here in 1838 and 

in Oliver Twist, Part 21 (1839), 

Chapter 48, The Flight of 

Sykes, the housebreaker 

and his dog travel through 

Islington, up Highgate 

Hill and down the other 

side, skirt Caen Wood, 

cross Hampstead Heath 

and arrive at evening at 

“a small public-house” 

in the quiet village of 

Hatfield – undoubtedly 

The Eight Bells. 

Notorious 18th-century 

highwayman Dick Turpin, 

also frequented the pub, 

while in more recent 

times famous actors 

including Angelina Jolie 

and Russell Brand have been 

spotted here taking a break 

from filming at nearby 

Hatfield Hall. 

�2 Park Street, Hatfield, 

Hertfordshire, AL9 5AH; 01707 

272477; www.theeightbells.com 

Euston Tap 

King’s Cross, London 

Bringing the best craft beers 

to London, this unique 

pub prides itself in stocking 

27 beers on draft including 

the best quality cask ales 

and keg beers, plus around 

150 bottles. The Euston Tap 

is not brewery owned and 

rather than finding the 

wackiest beers from 

around the globe, or 

aiming for the biggest list, 

the beers are chosen for 

their quality. 

Set in one of the former 

Victorian-built gatehouses 

to London’s Euston station 

and one of the only 

surviving parts of the 

original railway station, 

the various destinations 

around the UK reached 

from Euston are engraved 

into the facade of the 

stonework. 

The opposite gatehouse is 

currently under renovation 

and will open mid November 

as The Cider Tap – dedicated 

entirely to cider. 

�190 Euston Road, King’s Cross, 

London, NW1 2EF; 

020 3137 8837; 

www.eustontap.com 

Fox & Hounds 

Southampton, Hampshire 

Tucked away in the amusingly 

named village of Hungerford 

Bottom, Bursledon, close 

to the Hamble River, the 

Fox & Hounds pub building 

dates back to the 16th century. 

The charming old Lone Barn 

restaurant, to the rear, 

was moved from Winchester

D4 


�� 

brick by brick to its present 

position in 1974. Roaring fires, 

candlelit tables, great food 

and four frequently changing 

guest ales attract locals, 

visitors to Southampton 

and those from further afield. 

You can’t fault the setting and 

the surrounding countryside. 

�Hungerford, Bursledon, 

Southampton, Hampshire, SO31 8DE; 

02380 987218; www.chefandbrewer. 

com/pub-food/fox-houndssouthampton-bursledon 

The George Inn 

Southwark, London 

A great historic pub owned by 

the National Trust, The George 

is the only surviving galleried 

London coaching inn. Charles 

Dickens visited The George – a 

certificate of his life insurance 

is framed on the wall – and he 

referred to it in Little Dorrit. 

William Shakespeare was also 

reputedly a regular here. 

Alongside this history this 

proper English pub has a great 

selection of ales and good 

locally sourced food. Its patio 

is the perfect destination for 

a pint and some lunch after a 

wander along the Thames’ 

Southbank, or round nearby 

Borough Market. Locals 

describe the pub as a place 

to see the past and the future, 

the old and the young. 

�The George Inn Yard, 77 Borough 

High Street, Southwark, London, 

SE1 1NH; 020 7407 2056; 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ main/ 

w-georgeinn 

The Gun Inn 

Keyhaven, Hampshire 

A traditional inn dating back to 

the 16th century, offering real 

log fires, low beamed ceilings, 

cosy alcoves and a great setting 

for relaxing after a long winter 

walk by the shore. Within the 

New Forest National Park and 

near to the quay at Keyhaven, it 

is also an excellent stop before 

taking the ferry to Hurst Castle, 

which was built by Henry VIII. 

In summer, The Gun’s 

gardens are a great spot to 

enjoy a ploughman’s, while 

inside the family rooms are full 

of interesting antiquities. 

Boasting more than 240 malt 

whiskies, it’s a great place to 

select your favourite dram. The 

hosts are welcoming and also 

dog-friendly. 

�Keyhaven Road, Keyhaven, 

Hampshire, SO41 0TP; 

01590 642391; www.theguninn.co.uk 

Harwood Arms 

Fulham, London 

The first and only pub in 

London with a Michelin star, 

the Harwood Arms is renowned 

for offering delicious dishes 

that use seasonal produce 

and the best in game and 

wild food — often sourced 

from one of the owner’s estates 

in Berkshire — while being 

very reasonably priced. 

Famous for its venison scotch 

eggs, this rural haven is tucked 

away in a residential area 

behind Fulham Broadway. 

On Tuesday nights, the whole 

pub gets involved with the pub 

quiz — of which the first prize is 

four main meals. 

Despite being fully booked 

two weeks in advance on 

weekdays, and up to a month 

at the weekends, its sofas 

and bar-tops are kept free for 

people popping in for a pint — 

a consideration that allows the 

pub to keep its “local” vibe. 

�27 Walham Grove, Fulham, 

London, SW6 1QR; 020 7386 

1847; www.harwoodarms.com 

Haunch of Venison 

Salisbury, Wiltshire 

This pub’s pewter bar-top is 

believed to be the last complete 

example of its kind in England. 

The very small “Horsebox” bar 

is purported to have been used 

by Churchill and Eisenhower 

during the planning of the 

D-Day landings. 

A mummified hand on 

display was found in the pub in 

the 19th century and is said to 

belong to a patron who was 

caught cheating at cards. His 

ghost still haunts the bar, along 

with the wandering spirit of the 

Grey Lady, who moves items 

around the pub and rattles 

doors while she searches 

for her baby. 

When the pub’s cellar housed 

a brothel, a secret underground 

passage to the local church was 

a popular entrance and exit. 

�1 Minster Street, Salisbury, 

Wiltshire, SP1 1TB; 01722 411313; 

www.haunchofvenison.uk.com 

The Jamaica Wine House 

City, London 

Tucked away at the end of 

medieval St Michael’s Alley 

in the City of London, the 

“Jampot”, as it’s known locally, 

was home to the first coffee 

house in London in the 17th 

century and is still a wonderful 

place for a post-work drink, 

hidden away from the tourists 

walking down Cornhill just 

a few yards away. 

During summer, workers 

from nearby offices spill out 

into the alleyways and 

adjoining courtyard and the 

place has the most wonderful 

buzz. Highlights are the 

original coffee ovens in the 

cellar bar, and a stone doorstep 

that’s virtually worn through 

after more than 400 years’ use 

by thirsty guests. The beers 

and whiskies are great, the 

architecture superb, the staff 

wonderful. A lovely place to sip 

a wee dram of Scotland’s finest. 

�St Michael’s Alley, Cornhill, London, 

EC3V 9DS; 020 7929 6972; 

www.jamaicawinehouse.co.uk 

The Leather Bottle 

Cobham, Kent 

Literary fans will be interested 

to know that patron Charles 

Dickens mentions the pub in 

The Pickwick Papers, which he 

wrote here, and was a frequent 

guest in room six. The pub is 

filled with original Dickens 

books, and other framed 

memorabilia cover the walls. 

Nearby Rochester, which 

inspired many of Dickens’ 

works, is a 15-minute drive away. 

Its excellent food and 

beautiful landscaped gardens 

make this a perfect al fresco 

eating destination. 

This year, The Leather Bottle 

was the starting point for the 

One Hundred Membership 

Supercar Challenge, and a 

host of celebrities stayed 

overnight at the pub. 

�54-56 The Street, Cobham, Kent, 

DA12 3BZ; 01474 814327; 

www.theleatherbottle.co.uk 

The London Apprentice 

Isleworth, Middlesex 

This riverside pub, close to 

Syon Park, makes a great place 

The Prospect 

of Whitby was 

once nicknamed 

the 

‘Devil’s Tavern’ 

thanks to its 

dangerous 

reputation 

to stop if you’re out for a walk 

or biking along the Thames. 

Licensed as a pub since 

1731, punters from days gone 

by are said to have included 

Henry VIII, Charles I, Charles 

II, Lady Jane Grey and Oliver 

Cromwell. There’s a (now 

blocked off) tunnel linking 

All Saint’s Church with the 

inn, which is believed to 

have been used by Thames 

smugglers to pass contraband 

from the church vaults to 

the pub’s cellars. 

A favourite with rugby fans, 

the pub is just a mile from 

Twickenham stadium – close 

enough to walk, yet far enough 

away from the crowds to 

enjoy drinks in a glass that’s 

not plastic. 

The pub offers six real ales 

that change weekly, a range of 

whiskies as well as dangerously 

addictive chips. 

�62 Church Street, Old Isleworth, 

Middlesex, TW7 6BG; 

020 8560 1915; 

www.thelondonapprentice.co.uk 

The Milbury’s 

Beauworth, Hampshire 

Aside from its infamous homemade 

pies, this 400-year-old 

oak-beamed pub is well known 

for its 300ft well and the 

surprising presence of a giant 

20ft wooden wheel inside the 

pub that was once used for 

drawing water up the well. 

Landlord Martin tells of days 

(long before health and safety 

regulations) when patrons 

would be rewarded with a pint 

of beer if they could complete 

the equivalent of a two-mile 

run inside the wheel, which 

would raise a bucket of water 

from the bottom of the well 

(past the priest hole concealed 

100ft down) and into the pub. 

�Holden Lane, Beauworth, 

Hampshire, SO24 0PB; 01962 


‘The Murderers’ 


Awarded the title of Best Sports 

Pub in the Eastern Region at 

the 2011 Great British Pub 



Awards, The Gardeners Arms — 

or “The Murderers” as it has 

been known since 1895 — 

gained its gruesome nickname 

after a former landlady’s 

daughter Millie was murdered 

by her estranged husband, 

Frank Miles. According to 

publican Philip Cutter, who 

has been researching the pub’s 

history throughout his 24 years 

working there, Miles escaped a 

death sentence after a petition 

of more than 22,000 signatures 

convinced the judge to show 

clemency towards him on 

grounds of extreme provocation. 

�2-8 Timber Hill, Norwich, Norfolk, 

NR1 3LB; 01603 621447; 

www.themurderers.co.uk 

The Pelton Arms 

Greenwich, London 

Famous for appearing in Rock 

and Chips, the prequel to Only 

Fools and Horses, where it 

became “The Nag’s Head”, The 

Pelton is a friendly local pub 

serving real ale and great 

British food. A relaxing garden



and traditional pub games 

such as bar billiards and darts 

make this a lovely pub whatever 

the weather. 

On Wednesday nights, you 

can eat from the traditional 

English menu and pay what you 

think your meal was worth. On 

the same evening the pub hosts 

a knitting meet-up which 

attracts old and young. 

�23-25 Pelton Road, Greenwich, 

London, SE10 9PQ; 

020 8858 0572; 

www.peltonarmspub.com 

Prospect of Whitby 

Wapping, London 

Built in 1520, this is one of the 

oldest riverside drinking 

establishments in London. 

Smack bang on the Thames, 

this glorious old pub is redolent 

of the era of piracy, pressganging 

and British naval 

prowess, and was once 

nicknamed the “Devil’s Tavern” 

thanks to its dangerous 

reputation. A noose outside is 

a reminder of Execution Dock 

— just up the river — where 

pirates and smugglers met their 

grisly ends, and the pub is full 

of old maritime artifacts. The 

upstairs Smugglers Room was 

once a haven for plotting pirates. 

Samuel Pepys was a regular — 

there’s a room named after him 

— and Charles Dickens and 

artists Whistler and Turner have 

also been customers here. 

�57 Wapping Wall, Wapping, London, 

E1W 3SH; 020 3432 1071; 

www.taylor-walker.co.uk 

The Red Lion 

Knotty Green, Beaconsfield, 

Buckinghamshire 

This welcoming country pub 

has been at the heart of the 

community in the hamlet of 

Knotty Green since at least 

1753. The pub is famous for 

once being Enid Blyton’s local 

— Green Hedges, the house 

where she wrote hundreds of 

children’s books, was just 

across the road. 

To commemorate her 

patronage, the pub has a 

photograph of the author sitting 

by the fireplace on one wall, 

while the Enid Blyton snuggery 

– home to a collection of her 

books and some original Noddy 

prints – attracts visitors from 

around the world. 

Visiting the pub is a doctor’s 

order for one infamous 

86-year-old local who has 

been dropping in every 

lunchtime for 48 years. 

�Penn Road, Knotty Green, 

Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, 

HP9 2TN; 01494 680 888; 

www.redlionweb.com 


Ealing, London 

Opposite the famous Ealing 

Studios, this family-run pub 

became known as Stage Six 

during the 1940-50s heyday 

of Ealing comedies such as 

The Lady Killers and The Man 

in the White Suit. It regularly 

attracted the studio’s directors 

and producers and also became 

the reputed watering hole 

of many an acting legend, 


including the likes of Alec 

Guinness and Peter Sellers. 

The pub’s interior is testament 

to this long association, with 

stills from the films and 

portraits of their stars adorning 

the walls, and the bond 

between the pub and the 

revived studio continues today. 

�13 St Mary’s Road, Ealing, London, 

W5 5RA; 020 8567 2541; 

www.fullers.co.uk 

The Royal Standard of England 

Forty Green, Buckinghamshire 

England’s oldest free house 

has a great atmosphere, a 

superb location, hearty, 

traditional English food — 

always cooked from fresh 

— and an impressive range 

of beers. The owners not only 

support small local breweries — 

they also serve Belgian beers 

that are hard to find elsewhere 

in Britain. 

Sitting by the fire in the 

evening drinking local ale 

and eating mutton pie, you 

get the wonderful impression 

that you’re doing exactly the 

same as the first punters did 

when the pub opened 900 years 

ago. Best of all, you can dine 

in the room where King 

Charles II used to entertain 

his mistresses. A gem of 

a place. 

�Forty Green, Beaconsfield, 

Buckinghamshire, HP9 1XT; 

01494 673382; www.rsoe.co.uk 

The Sekforde Arms 

Clerkenwell, London 

This traditional London 

pub has been serving since 

1840. Named after Thomas 

Sekforde, a local lawyer and 

patron of literature, this is a 

rare local haven. 

The most popular meals 

include sausage, chips and 

beans, and horseshoe gammon, 

chips, peas and egg. Landlord 

Peter surmises that Karl Marx 

and Lenin would have drunk in 

the pub when they worked 

editing a newspaper on 

Clerkenwell Green, and that 

Charles Dickens, who banked 

at the Finsbury Savings Bank 

on Sekforde Street, would have 

been a regular patron. 

More recently, when Pink 

Floyd recorded in a studio at 

1 Sekforde Street, they were 

also regulars here. 

�34 Sekforde Street, Clerkenwell, 

London, EC1R 0HA; 020 7253 3251; 

www.youngs.co.uk 

The Sportsman 

Lower Kingswood, Surrey 

The Sporty, as it is known 

locally, was a royal hunting 

lodge in 1532 and is now 

popular with locals, old and 

young, horse riders, ramblers 

and dog walkers. the pub is 

perfect for a warming dram 

when snowed in, or for a hot 

toddy while sheltering from the 

freezing rain. 

Prepare to be surrounded by 

100 dogs during Scruffs — the 

pub’s annual dog show — or to 

join the crowds for a snifter on 

Hogmanay, May Day, weddings 

or parties. There are also 

regular quiz nights and 

comedy events. 

�Mogador Road, Lower Kingswood, 

Surrey, KT20 7ES; 01737 246655; 

www.timewellspent.info 

The Thatched Tavern 

Ascot, Berkshire 

Popular with walkers in Great 

Windsor Park, just 500 metres 

away — and even horse riders 

Clockwise from main 

picture: one of the grim 

souvenirs at ‘The 

Murderers’; The White 

Cross can be marooned 

by the rising waters of 

the Thames; Dickens 

supped at The Leather 

Bottle in Kent; a young 

Del Boy drank at The 

Pelton Arms in London; 

a sign fo the 16thcentury 

The Gun Inn 

�� 

� �� 

The Famous Grouse 

Master Blender will 

‘nose’ up to 600 whisky 

samples every day, to 

check for quality and 

consistency. So highly 

tuned are his skills, the 

Master Blender never 

wears aftershave or 

eats garlic, in 

case it lowers 

his sense of 

smell. From 

the cask to 

the bottle, 

The 

Famous 

Grouse will 

go through 

no less 

than 8,000 

separate 

checks. 

Only then 

is its fine 

quality 

assured. 

who have been known to leave 

their charges tied up in the 

car park – The Thatch, as it is 

known, is steeped in fascinating 

local history. 

A well-known landmark in 

the 1700s, it is said that Queen 

Victoria’s royal carriage was 

sometimes seen waiting 

outside, while her personal 

servant, John Brown, was 

fortifying himself inside before 

making his onward journey to 

Windsor Castle. 

These days the dailychanging 

fresh fish specials and 

superb home-made desserts 

make it popular all year round 

– especially during Royal Ascot 

when the place is packed for 

breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

�Cheapside, Ascot, Berkshire, 

SL5 7QG; 01344 620874; 

www.thethatchedtavern.co.uk 

The Trafford Arms 


Despite being totally gutted by 

bombing and a subsequent fire 

during the Second World War, 

The Trafford Arms is a thriving, 

very popular, community pub 

that is closely involved with 

local charities. 

The utilitarian 1950s exterior 

belies a far more sophisticated 

interior where the present host 

ensures that his customers are 

catered for with a wide range of 

real ales and excellent food, 

plus a range of events. It is also 

believed that the landlord is the 

first publican to hold the title of 

Sheriff of Norwich. 

�61 Grove Road, Norwich, Norfolk, 

NR1 3RL; 01603 628466; 

www.traffordarms.co.uk 

Ye Olde Mitre 

Holborn, London 

Finding this quirky “olde 

worlde” corner pub for the first 

time feels like nothing short of 

an adventure. Built in the mid- 

1500s, close to Hatton Garden, 

the building has changed little 

over the years. 

The pub features the remains 

of an ancient cherry tree in the 

front bar behind the door, 

which is said to have been 

danced around by the young 

princess Elizabeth Tudor and 

Sir Christopher Hatton to 

celebrate May Day. 

The pub regularly receives 

accolades for its well-kept real 

ales and whiskies. And the food 

on offer is what landlord 

Eaman Scott calls “English 

tapas at its best”: a range of 

toasted sandwiches, pork 

pies, scotch eggs, pickled 

eggs and gherkins. 

�1 Ely Court, Holborn, London, EC1N 

6SJ; 020 7405 4751 

The White Cross 

Richmond, Surrey 

This Young’s pub becomes cut 

off from the rest of the city if 

the Thames’ waters rise above 

a certain height and the beer 

garden and entrance are 

flooded. Drinkers are then 

marooned inside the pub until 

the tide recedes. 

Anyone wanting to leave 

before the waters subside can 

borrow a pair of the pub’s 

wellies, while staff will often 

wade out with a pair for thirstylooking 

new arrivals, or offer a 

fireman’s lift, depending on the 

size of the customer. A local 

Rastafarian with a boat also 

ferries customers to and fro. 

�Riverside (off Water Lane), 

Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1TH; 020 

8940 6844; www.youngs.co.uk

D6 


�� 

�� 

The Bear Inn 

Wincanton, Somerset 

A coaching inn from the early 

18th century, The Bear is the 

oldest pub in Wincanton. It 

has a traditional feel, with low 

beams and open fires, and is 

a draw for racegoers on their 

way to the local course — as 

well as Terry Pratchett fans. 

Wincanton is twinned with 

the fictional city of Ankh- 

Morpork from the author’s 

Discworld books, which is 

why Mrs Whitlow’s Artery 

Hardening Hogswatch Pies 

(pork pies with a twist, made 

by landlady Jo) sometimes 

appear on the menu. Pratchett 

isn’t the only author to have 

a connection with the historic 

pub, however, as James 

Woodforde mentions it in his 

18th-century book The Diary 

of a Country Parson. 

�12 Market Place, Wincanton, 

Somerset, BA9 9LP; 01963 32581; 

www.thebearwincanton.co.uk 

The Bell Inn 

Yatton Keynell, nr Chippenham 

Marking the finishing point 

of the annual Wrong Way 

Round event — Wiltshire’s 

near-100-mile-long charity 

bike ride — the 17th-century 

Bell Inn near Chippenham 

is an attractive, whitewashed 

building outside which 

flower baskets swing lazily 

in the West Country breeze. 

It has gained an excellent 

reputation for food over 

the years, and its famously 

huge portions of home-made 

pâté and toast, liver, bacon 

and onions, and pork Marsala 

— all served up in a 

reassuringly old-fashioned, 

low-ceilinged, oak-beamed 

interior — are as popular 

with savvy local diners 

as they are with hungry 

cyclists. 

�High Street, Yatton Keynell, 

nr Chippenham, SN14 7BG; 

01249 782216; 

www.yattonkeynell.com 

The Crown at Wells 

Wells, Somerset 

A focal point in Wells for more 

than 500 years, The Crown 

was originally built as houses; 

it was also once divided 

into two separate inns, The 

Crown and The Royal Oak. 

Stay there today and you 

probably wouldn’t guess that 

American Quaker William 

Penn (of Pennsylvania fame) 

preached to a crowd from one 

of its windows in 1685, only 

to be interrupted by a local 

constable with a warrant 

for his arrest — for unlawful 

speaking. Policemen 

played their part here again 

more recently: the pub’s 

facade was borrowed for 

the film Hot Fuzz. 

�Market Place, Wells, Somerset, 

BA5 2RP; 01749 673457; 

www.crownatwells.co.uk 

The Dolphin Hotel 

Wincanton, Somerset 

Traditionally the stop of 

choice for sailors travelling 

between Plymouth and 

London, this 18th-century 

coaching inn may once 

have been symbolic of 

that last, heady night of 

shore-leave freedom. 

Today, it’s a welcoming 

hostelry with a fine range 

of West Country beers and 

ciders. Although it possesses 

an elegant, country-house 

feel, the food is every bit as 

hearty as in the days when 

it was served to shantysinging 

nautical types. The 

breakfasts are legendary, 

and people come from 

as far afield as Australia, 

the US and Chile to 

sample the enormous 

Dolphin Deluxe. 

�34 High Street, Wincanton, 

Somerset, BA9 9JF; 01963 32215; 

www.thedolphinhotelwincanton.com 

The Gaggle of Geese 

Buckland Newton, Dorset 

A lovely, food-focused rural 

pub in the rolling Dorset 

countryside north of 

Dorchester, The Gaggle 

of Geese is famous for 

displaying the first Olympic 

torch to be brought into 

The Nobody 

Inn is a 

traditional, 

charm-filled 

village pub — 

all Windsor 

chairs, dark 

beams and 

inglenook 

fireplace 

�� 

� �� 

The Famous Grouse has 

a long heritage with 

the Gloag family. The 

whisky was first 

produced by the Gloag 

family in 1896, with the 

skill and care passed 

through six generations. 

Matthew Gloag 

renamed his 

Grouse Brand 

Whisky to 

The Famous 

Grouse at the 

stroke of 

midnight 

on August 

12, 1905. 

And you 

can find 

his 

signature 

on every 

bottle 

of The 

Famous 

Grouse. 


Distributed with The Sunday Telegraph




Clockwise from main picture: old-world 

charm at The Nobody Inn; The Tinners 

Arms offers “a good pub atmosphere 

and stunning Atlantic views”; The 

Radnor Arms, which has an on-site 

microbrewery; The Dolphin Hotel is 

famous for its big breakfasts 

the UK. Carried across the 

Channel by a medal-winning 

naval commander for the 

1948 Games, it ended up 

on the pub’s wall when his 

granddaughter became 

landlady in 2008. As the 

Dorset coast will host the 2012 

Olympic sailing events, The 

Gaggle of Geese makes an 

appropriate home. But the 

fabulous menu, dominated 

by local produce, is just as 

good a reason to make a visit. 

�Buckland Newton, Dorset, 

DT2 7BS; 01300 345249; 

www.thegaggle.co.uk 

The George Inn 

Norton St Philip, Somerset 

In the rolling, green hills 

surrounding Bath, the 700year-old 

George Inn in the 

village of Norton St Philip 

is one of the oldest in Britain. 

This cosy, cheerful pub has 

real old-world charm and 

makes a beautiful spot to 

end a countryside walk – 

best rewarded with one 

of the superb home-made 

steak, ale and mushroom 

pies. The pub’s patronage 

is steeped in history: the 

Duke of Monmouth, 

illegitimate son of Charles 

II, made his headquarters 

here during his attempt 

to snatch the throne from 

his brother James II in 1685. 

And locals claim that Oliver 

Cromwell, “Hanging Judge” 

Jeffreys and Samuel Pepys 

have also stopped off. The 

George has also appeared 

in a number of films including 

The Remains of the Day 

and Tom Jones, and was 

used in the TV adaptation 

of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. 

�Norton St Philip, nr Bath, 

Somerset, BA2 7LH; 

01373 834224; 

www.georgeinnnsp.co.uk 

The Nobody Inn 

Doddiscombsleigh, Devon 

This pub is a lot more popular 

than it sounds. Rather than 

any lack of custom, the 

“nobody” in the name refers 

to a former landlord’s coffin 

which was found to be empty 

when it was brought back 

to the inn during his wake. 

In fact, this traditional, 

charm-filled village pub — 

all Windsor chairs, dark 

beams and inglenook 

fireplace — has much to 

attract visitors and locals: 

good food, five tasteful 

bedrooms, and more than 

200 malt whiskies lining 

the back of the bar. If you 

prefer walkies to whiskies, 

you can borrow landlady 

Susan’s Jack Russell, Taxi, 

for a stroll in the Teign 

Valley countryside. 

�Doddiscombsleigh, Exeter, 

Devon, EX6 7PS; 01647 252394; 

www.nobodyinn.co.uk 

The Pipers Inn 

Ashcott, Somerset 

For more than 300 years, 

The Pipers Inn — the only 

pub so named in Britain, 

according to landlord Roger 

Buckley — has served as 

a resting place for travellers, 

including eloping couples 

on their way to Gretna Green 

(not to mention their parents, 

following hot on their heels). 

The 17th-century former 

coaching inn is also known 

for its distinctive looks: it 

is essentially two buildings 

stuck together, one of grey 

stone, the other painted pink. 

Wordsworth visited for 

breakfast one day in 1841 

— and though the pub has 

a good reputation for food, 

sadly, breakfast is no 

longer on the menu. 

�70 Bath Road, Ashcott, 

Somerset, TA7 9QL; 

01458 210030; 

www.pipers-inn.co.uk 

The Radnor Arms 

Coleshill, Oxfordshire 

Having horseshoes on the 

wall is a bit of a pub cliché — 

but excusable when the 

building used to be a forge. 

In fact, the pretty Radnor 

Arms in the National Trust 

village of Coleshill was only 

converted to a pub after the 

Second World War (during 

which time Coleshill had 

served as the nerve centre 

for the British Resistance). 

Fittingly, the pub offers fires 

by which to relax and its 

very own smithy-inspired 

ales (with names such as 

Anvil, and Hammer and 

Tongs). The on-site Old 

Forge microbrewery has 

been going for only a year 

or so, helping to put the pub 

on the map. 

�Coleshill, Oxfordshire, SN6 7PR; 

01793 861575; 

www.radnorarmscoleshill.co.uk 

The Tinners Arms 

Zennor, Cornwall 

This wonderfully pretty inn, 

sitting in the shadow of 

St Senara’s church, has 

been serving up pints to 

everyone from beachcombers 

and buccaneers for more 

than 700 years. A long time 

to get the formula right — 

and anyone who enjoys a 

good pub atmosphere and 

stunning Atlantic views 

will love it. The main bar, 

which features a rough 

stone fireplace and a low, 

beamed ceiling, has a cosy, 

ship’s-cabin feel, and is 

perfect for settling down 

with a glass of local ale 

or something from the 

pub’s huge choice of 

malt whiskies. 

�Zennor, Cornwall, TR26 3BY; 

01736 796927; 

www.tinnersarms.co.uk 

Trengilly Wartha Inn 

near Falmouth, Cornwall 

It’s up a creek, but that’s 

exactly where you’d expect 

to find an idyllic pub in 

Cornwall. The Trengilly 

Wartha Inn — on Polwheveral 

Creek to be exact — is 

a country inn with bedrooms, 

a bistro and even a beer 

garden with underground 

heating. The pub has 

won plenty of accolades — 

it was runner-up for a 

Pub of the Year award 

last year — notably for its 

food, for which it uses 

suppliers so local they 

include a forager called 

Miles. Cornish cheeses 

and a crab ploughman’s 

(when available) feature 

on the menu. Its latest 

national acclaim came 

after barring chancellor 

George Osborne, in protest 

at an increase in the duty 

on beer. 

�Nancenoy, Constantine, 

Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 5RP; 

01326 340332; 

www.trengilly.co.uk

D8 


�� 

The Bear 

Oxford, Oxfordshire 

Standing at the corner of 

Oxford’s Alfred Street and Blue 

Boar Street, The Bear is one of 

the oldest pubs in Britain, 

dating back to 1242. The 

current building was 

constructed in the early 17th 

century, and is famous for an 

extensive collection of framed 

ties on the walls — given by 

visitors in exchange for a halfpint 

of beer. The historic 

surroundings attract students, 

locals and tourists alike, and 

the home-cooked food — which 

includes a wonderful venison 

pâté and superb fish and chips 

— is alone worth a visit. 

�6 Alfred Street, Oxford, 

Oxfordshire, OX1 4EH; 01865 


The Berkeley Arms 

Wymondham, Leicestershire 

Ever since husband-and-wife 

team Neil and Louise Hitchen 

took over in early 2010, this 

pub’s reputation has soared. 

The Berkeley Arms has always 

been a pleasant place for a pint, 

but thanks to Neil’s culinary 

expertise it’s now one of the 

finest dining destinations in the 

region. The locally sourced 

menus — featuring duck breast 

with sweet potato fondant, and 

praline parfait with honeyroasted 

pear — have garnered 

plenty of awards. Book a table 

before it gets too popular. 

�59 Main Street, Wymondham, 

Leicestershire, LE14 2AG; 01572 

787587; www.theberkeleyarms.co.uk 

The Boat Inn 

Ashleworth, Gloucestershire 

The Jelf family has run this 

riverside pub for more than 350 

years, so they’ve had plenty of 

time to get the formula right. 

Legend has it that a Jelf family 

member helped Charles II 

escape from the parliamentarians 

after the Battle of Worcester, 

and was rewarded with ferrying 

rights across the river — thus 

guaranteeing a steady flow of 

customers. They’d probably 

have come anyway: the topnotch 

drinks selection pulls in 

modern-day punters in droves. 

�Ashleworth Quay, Gloucestershire, 

GL19 4HZ; 01452 700272; 

www.boat-inn.co.uk 

The Dolphin Inn 

Middleton Cheney, Oxfordshire 

Built in 1707 by the green in the 

village of Middleton Cheney, 

The Dolphin has a friendly 

atmosphere and welcoming 

landlord. A local and 

international favourite, people 

travel from all over the world to 

see the pub’s display of whisky 

memorabilia. The Dolphin 

sponsors 12 local sports teams, 

including one that plays the 

unusual Aunt Sally, a traditional 

Oxfordshire throwing game. 

�Middleton Cheney, Oxfordshire, 

OX17 2PW; 01295 713544; 

www.the-dolphin.co.uk 

The Dry Dock 

Leicester, Leicestershire 

The Dry Dock is famous for the 

fact that it’s modelled on a ship, 

albeit one that has run aground 

some 70 miles inland. 

From the outside it gives the 

impression that you’re about to 

be press-ganged into the Navy. 

But walk up the gangplank and 

into the boat’s interior and 

you’ll find all the pool tables, 

leather sofas and jukeboxes 

you’d expect in a student bar. 

Nautical but nice. 

�Putney Road East, Leicester, 

LE2 7TF; 0116 255 9596; 

www.screampubs.co.uk 

The Eagle and Child 


An inn with some serious 

literary heritage, The Eagle and 

Child began serving drinks 

back in the mid 17th century 

The Flying 

Childers has 

all the cosy 

bars, crackling 

open fires and 

home-cooking 

smells that 

weary walkers 

daydream 

about 

Clockwise from top left: 

The Snooty Fox at 

Evenley; Caernarfon’s 

cosy Black Boy Inn; 

fine dining on offer at 

The Berkeley Arms; 

The Eagle and Child has 

some serious literary 

credentials; 

Nottingham’s historic 

Olde Trip to Jerusalem 

and is now owned by St John’s 

College — though it’s a good 

deal more impressive than 

most student bars. 

The wonderful woodpanelled 

bar was the meeting 

place for the Inklings writers’ 

group, which included JRR 

Tolkien and CS Lewis, and in 

recent times has been 

frequented by novelist Colin 

Dexter, creator of the irascible 

Inspector Morse. 

If you’re seeking inspiration 

for your own literary 

masterpiece, you could do far 

worse than hang out in this 

atmospheric pub for a while. 

�49 St Giles, Oxford, Oxfordshire, 

OX1 3LU; 01865 302925; 

www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk 

The Farmers Boy Inn 

Longhope, Gloucestershire 

A traditional oak-beamed pub 

on the Gloucestershire- 

Herefordshire border, the 

17th-century Farmers Boy Inn 

is famed locally for its gourmet 

steak-and-Guinness pies — and 

the word is starting to spread. 

The restaurant serves up a 

range of delicious home-made 

pies, and you can visit the 

neighbouring Mad About Pies 

shop and buy one to cook at 

home. The pub itself is friendly 

and welcoming – thanks in 

no small part to the excellent 

customer service provided by 



the manager and his staff – and 

it also offers several cosy 

bedrooms for overnight guests. 

�Ross Road, Longhope, 

Gloucestershire, GL17 0LP; 01452 

831300; www.farmersboyinn.co.uk 

The Flying Childers Inn 

Stanton in Peak, Derbyshire 

This is a quintessential Peak 

District pub, with all the cosy 

bars, crackling open fires and 

home-cooking smells that 

weary walkers dream about. 

The pub gets its name from 

an 18th-century racehorse 

owned by the Duke of 

Devonshire, and animals — 

those of the canine variety, 

anyway — are made as welcome 

as humans, with specialist 

snacks provided. Shelter is to 

be found in two comfortable 

snugs, and warming sustenance 

comes in the form of affordable 

soups and stews, including a 

delicious pheasant casserole 

with home-grown vegetables. 

�Stanton in Peak, Derbyshire, 

DE4 2LW; 01629 636333; 

www.flyingchilders.com 


Evenley, Northamptonshire 

Regarded by some as the 

friendliest pub in the Midlands, 

The Red Lion is ideal both 

for watching cricket in the 

summer (it’s set within windowsmashing 

distance of Evenley’s



village green) and for warming 

yourself in front of its roaring 

fire in the winter. And with the 

Mercedes Formula One Team 

headquarters located down the 

road in Brackley, there’s a 

chance you could find yourself 

standing next to Michael 

Schumacher at the bar. 

�39 The Green, Evenley, NN13 5SH; 

01280 703469; Nottinghamshire, 

www.redlionevenley.com 

The Snooty Fox 

Lowick, Northamptonshire 

This 17th-century inn was 

originally called The White 

Horse — in honour of a steed 

that brought back a local soldier 

from the Battle of Naseby 

during the Civil War, then 

dropped dead outside the front 

door. The inside of the pub is as 

traditional as the exterior, 

though some of the furnishings 

betray a modern sense of style, 

and it’s a great place in which 

to sample its fine range of 

English ales. A separate 

restaurant serves an inspired 

British-meets-Italian menu. 

�16 Main Street, Lowick, 

Nottinghamshire, NN14 3BH; 01832 

733434; www.thesnootyfoxlowick.com 

The Turf Tavern 


This hidden gem at the heart of 

Oxford was named Town Pub of 

the Year in the Good Pub Guide 

2011. Accessed via a cobbled 

street, The Turf Tavern is 

famous in literary circles for 

being visited by Jude Fawley 

in Thomas Hardy’s Jude 

the Obscure. 

In the winter, you can buy 

glasses of marshmallows to 

toast on the fire under the old 

beams, and in the summer the 

two large beer gardens are a 

delight. The pub has been 

featured in several episodes of 

Inspector Morse, and is renowned 

as the place where a younger 

Bill Clinton “did not inhale”. 

�4-5 Bath Place, Oxford, Oxfordshire, 

OX1 3SU; 01865 243235; 

www.theturftavern.co.uk 

Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem 

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 

So called because this is where 

the Crusaders reputedly 

stopped off for refreshment 

on their way to the Holy Land, 

the oldest inn in England is 

a Nottingham institution. 

Situated at the base of the cliffs 

beneath Nottingham Castle, the 

pub connects to a network of 

caves that housed the castle’s 

12th-century brewhouse. 

However, an excellent range of 

real ales and a fine pub-grub 

menu demonstrate that this is 

far more than just a curiosity. 

�Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham, 

Nottinghamshire, NG1 6AD; 0115 947 

3171; www.triptojerusalem.com 

�� 

� �� 

A distinctive member of 

The Famous Grouse 

family, The Black 

Grouse has a unique, 

aromatic smokiness, 

which it derives from its 

unique blend of peated 

malts. Try it any way 

you like: neat, over ice, 

or in a 

delicious 

‘Black and 

Black’ — 

made by 

mixing 

The Black 

Grouse 

with cola, 

a squeeze 

of fresh 

orange 

juice and 

pouring 

over 

plenty 

of ice. 

�� 


Black Boy Inn 

Caernarfon, Gwynedd 

Located within Caenarfon’s 

medieval walls, just a minute’s 

walk from the castle, the 

charming Black Boy Inn is as 

popular with Cofis (Caernarfondwellers) 

as it is with tourists. 

Nobody seems entirely sure 

how the 16th-century pub got 

its name: some say it’s a 

homage to a young black 

mariner who docked here; 

others claim it comes from 

a buoy that used to bob in the 

harbour; and some even think 

it’s a reference to Charles II’s 

childhood nickname. But the 

origins don’t really matter. What 

does is that the cosy pub still 

offers roaring fires, a delightful 

oak-beamed interior, and 

comfortable, hotel-style 

accommodation. An unfussy 

menu takes full advantage of 

fresh, local seafood and organic 

Welsh produce, matched by a 

wonderful selection of drinks. 

�Northgate Street, Caernarfon, 

Gwynedd, LL55 1RW; 01286 673604; 

www.black-boy-inn.com 

The Golden Cross 

Cardiff, Glamorganshire 

Some pundits have said that 

The Golden Cross in the centre 

of Cardiff “has the most 

spectacular pub interior in the 

whole of Wales”. It also has a 

pretty spectacular exterior, too. 

It’s covered, both inside and 

out, in decorative tiles made 

by ceramics company Craven 

Dunnill for its opening in the 

1800s. They even cover the long 

bar, making it a rare example 

of its kind. It’s worth visiting 

for more than just the décor, 

however: the beer comes 

straight from the Brains 

brewery just a froth’s blow 

away, and in the evenings, the 

place comes to life as one of 

the city’s main gay night spots. 

�282 Hayes Bridge Road, Cardiff, 

Glamorganshire, CF10 1GH; 

02920 343129 

The Neuadd Arms Hotel 

Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys 

This 19th-century pub/hotel is 

cosy, comfortable and quiet — 

indeed, it couldn’t really get 

quieter, as it’s located in 

Llanwrtyd Wells, a town known 

for being the smallest in 

Britain. The speciality here is 

home-made curry, matched 

with home-made beer. The 

on-site Heart of Wales Brewery 

was set up by the owners in 

2004 and can produce more 

than 3,000 pints a week — so 

there’s plenty on tap with which 

to steel yourself for the manly 

pursuits held annually in the 

surrounding countryside, 

including the World Bog 

Snorkelling Championship 

and the Man versus Horse 

Marathon. (The horse is always 

favourite to win.) 

�The Square, Llanwrtyd Wells, 

Powys, LD5 4RB; 01591 610236; 

www.neuaddarmshotel.co.uk 

The Packet Hotel 

Cardiff Bay, Glamorganshire 

From deprivation to 

destination: Cardiff Bay, 

formerly known as Tiger Bay, 

has come a long way. Once 

home to workers from all over 

the world (as well as Shirley 

Bassey), the docks district has 

been transformed over the past 

decade with tourist attractions, 

hotels, restaurants and, of 

course, the Welsh Assembly 

building. The Packet, however, 

built in 1864, is one of the few 

reminders of the area’s past. 

Its name is taken from the 

packet ships that used to call 

here, and the fact that it offered 

rooms to sailors. It features a 

striking wooden gantry behind 

the bar, Brains beer on tap and 

plenty of regulars. 

�95 Bute Street, Cardiff, 

Glamorganshire, CF10 5AB, 02920 

487167; www.sabrain.com/packet

D10 


�� 

The Royal Oak Hotel 

Roath, Cardiff, Glamorganshire 

Sunday lunches, church 

pews, b&b accommodation, 

free gigs… With its various 

attractions, this large, 

Victorian-built corner pub, 

located to the north-east of 

Cardiff city centre, draws a 

diverse crowd, from young 

students to long-standing 

regulars (none so long 

standing, however, as a 

previous landlady, Kitty 

Burns, who lived there for 

57 years). The knock-out 

feature here is boxing: there 

is a training gym and boxing 

ring upstairs, and the walls 

are covered in black and 

white stills of local champions 

— including the 1910 Lonsdale 

Belt winner “Peerless” Jim 

Driscoll, a relative of Kitty’s. 

�200 Broadway, Cardiff, 

Glamorganshire, CF24 1QJ; 

029 2019 1048; 

www.theroyaloakcardiff.co.uk 

Ye Olde Bull’s Head Inn 

Beaumaris, Anglesey 

Ye Olde Bull’s Head is a pub 

of contrasts. It’s steeped in 

history and has a traditional, 

beamed bar, yet it’s a five-star 

hotel with all the mod cons. 

Its new annexe, the 

Townhouse, comprises 

a retro-inspired collection 

of vivid, colour-themed 

bedrooms — and ironically 

was once home to the 

Rowlands Temperance Hotel, 

whose mission it was to 

promote abstinence. 

“Ye Olde” famous visitors 

range from the commanding 

(Civil War parliamentarian 

general Thomas Mytton) to 

the cultured (Dickens and 

Johnson). If you want proof of 

just how pivotal this pub has 

been to the town over the 

centuries, note the ducking 

stool in the bar — which you 

can still sit on. 

�Castle Street, Beaumaris, 

Anglesey, LL58 8AP; 01248 

810329; www.bullsheadinn.co.uk 

Ye Olde Murenger House 

Newport, Gwent 

Known as Newport’s “haven 

in a superpub ghetto”, this 

traditional hostelry is popular 

with all ages — particularly 

real ale fans, who appreciate 

the fact that Samuel Smith’s 

rare OBB cask ale is sold 

here. In fact, Samuel Smith’s 

brewery saved this pub from 

collapse in the 1970s and 

restored the building — the 

last timber-framed one in 

Newport. (In medieval times 

a Murenger collected the tax 

or “murage” for the upkeep of 

the town walls from those 

who lived within them.) 

A ceiling upstairs, which 

dates back to 1530 and the 

time of Henry VIII, features a 

plaster moulding of the Tudor 

Rose and the Pomegranate of 

Aragon – celebrating Henry’s 

first marriage, to Catherine 

of Aragon. 

In more recent history, the 

pub was a favourite with 

local girls during the Second 

World War, who came here 

to stock up on items supplied 

by the American GIs stationed 

in Newport. 

�52-53 High Street, Newport, 

Gwent, NP20 1GA; 

01633 263 977 

�� 

�� 

The Carts Bog Inn 

Langley, Northumberland 

You won’t find a more 

traditional pub or a warmer 

welcome in the North 

Pennines. Set in an Area of 

Outstanding Natural Beauty, 

The Carts Bog — once a 

coaching inn — is renowned 

throughout the region for its 

fine food and drink, and 

panoramic views. The new 

owner, who refurbished the 

place last year, uses his family’s 

farm to supply beef, and other 

local sources for the freshest 

vegetables, fish and game. Try 

one of the popular Bog Pies, 

accompanied by a pint of 

Bog Bitter, sourced from 

Newcastle’s Mordue brewery. 

�Langley, Northumberland, 

NE47 5NW; 01434 684338; 

www.cartsbog.co.uk 

The George and Dragon 

Hudswell, North Yorkshire 

Truly the hub of the village 

of Hudswell, The George and 

Dragon is owned by around 

250 people, nearly half of 

whom live in the village. This 

truly cooperative venture — 

the first of its kind in North 

Yorkshire — has been made 

a success by the commitment 

of Jackie and Margaret, the 

daughter-and-mother team 

who run the place and 

organise regular events. Part 

of the pub is taken up by the 

Little Shop — supposedly the 

smallest shop in the country 

— and it also houses a small 

community library. 

�Hudswell, North Yorkshire, 

DL11 6BL; 01748 518373; 

www.georgeanddragonhudswell.com 

The King’s Arms 

York, North Yorkshire 

Situated at a low level on the 

banks of the River Ouse, The 

King’s Arms regularly falls 

victim to the floods that 

plague this beautiful medieval 

city. Whereas some publicans 

would have simply given up 

and moved on, the landlord 

here has turned the rising 

water into a selling point, and 

drinkers can plot each year’s 

flood levels on a floor-toceiling 

plaque in the bar. 

Popular with locals and 

tourists alike, who love the 

quayside location, the pub is 

filled with mementoes from 

Scandinavian visitors who 

come to town each February 

for York’s Viking Festival. 

�3 King’s Staith, York, North 

Yorkshire, YO1 9SN; 01904 659435 

The Lord Crewe Arms Hotel 

Blanchland, Northumberland 

Formerly part of Blanchland 

Abbey, the medieval Lord 

Crewe Arms is as atmospheric 

a hotel as you’ll find in the 

UK. Filled with huge stone 

fireplaces, timber beams and 

many a hidden nook and 

cranny — not to mention 

the occasional ghost — the 

building is certainly historical. 

The bar area is located in the 

abbey’s old crypt, which adds 

a Hammer Horror ambience, 

while the garden, which looks 

out across open moorland, is 

renowned as one of the finest 

in the North East. There’s an 

excellent restaurant, too. 

�Blanchland, Northumberland, 

DH8 9SP; 01434 675251; 

www.lordcrewehotel.co.uk 

The Minerva 

Hull, East Yorkshire 

As befits a pub on Hull’s 

marina, The Minerva is proud 

of its seafaring links. The 

views of the Humber Estuary 

are second-to-none; there 

is maritime memorabilia 

everywhere you turn; and the 

giant haddock and chips on 

the menu is the finest in the 

city. Made up of five higgledypiggledy 

rooms, the pub is 

home to the smallest snug in 

the UK (accommodating just 

two people), a tiny theatre, 

and Hull’s only three-bar 

billiards tables – all of which 

add to the wonderfully oldfashioned 

experience. 

�Nelson Street, Hull, East 

Yorkshire, HU1 1XE; 01482 

210025; www.minervapub.com 

The Plough Inn 

Hutton Henry, Co Durham 

The only pub in the County 

Durham village of Hutton 

Henry, The Plough has been 

the community focal point for 

centuries. Understandably 

popular with locals, it is 

equally welcoming to those 

who pass through the former 

mining village on their way to 

and from the big cities of Tyne 

and Wear or the dramatic 

coastline of North Yorkshire. 

Serving a good range of local 

ales, it is a suitably authentic 

place to stop amid the unique 

landscapes, where industrial 

vistas combine with stunning 

rural scenery to create 

a haunting beauty. 

�Front Street, Hutton Henry, Co 

Durham, TS27 4RH; 01429 836506 

Savile Arms 

Thornhill, West Yorkshire 

One of just three UK pubs 

partially built on consecrated 

ground, this small village inn 

has been here since 1777. 

Originally called The 

Scarborough Arms and Inn 

and owned by the Earl of 

Scarborough, Lord Savile, the 

property is still managed by 

the Savile estate. This friendly, 

traditional pub with logburning 

stoves and exposed 

oak beams really hasn’t 

changed much since the 

1960s, apart from the addition 

of a mural in one of the 

rooms covering all four walls, 

depicting the history of 

Thornhill. Local artist 

Stephen Hines took eight 

months to finish the work. 

�Church Lane, Thornhill, nr 

Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, 

WF12 0JZ; 01924 463 738 

The White House 

Hartlepool, Co Durham 

A pub restaurant with real ale 

and a locally sourced menu 

that focuses on seasonal 

ingredients, The White House 

occupies what was once the 

main building of a boys’ 

grammar school, St Francis 

RC School. This is the only 

pub in this residential quarter 

of Hartlepool, and everyone, 

old or young, is made to feel 

welcome here — especially at 

the weekly quiz nights. 

�Wooler Rd, Hartlepool, Co 

Durham, TS26 0DR; 01429 224392; 

www.emberpubanddining.co.uk 


photograph: the beer garden 

at The Lord Crewe Arms 

hotel looks out over the 

moor; parts of Ye Olde 

Murenger House date back 

to 1530; Ye Olde Bull’s Head 

has five-star quality 





The Globe’s 

sloping floor is 

legendary — 

and avoid the 

‘tsunami 

corner’ if you 

want to keep 

your shoes dry 

�� 

� �� 

Scotland’s favourite 

whisky is welcoming 

two new members to 

its family; The Snow 

Grouse, 

the first 

whisky 

designed 

to be 

served 

straight 

from the 

freezer, 

and The 

Naked 

Grouse, a 

premium 

blended 

ultrasherried 

whisky. 


�� 

�� 

The Bickerton Poacher 

Bulkeley, Cheshire 

Nestling close by the 

Sandstone Trail long-distance 

walk, this pleasant country 

pub draws in hikers and locals 

in equal measure. All love it 

for the ancient wishing well 

next to the bar, the delightfully 

old-fashioned skittle alley — 

which, it’s claimed, dates back 

to 1664 — and the high-quality 

pub food. The weekend 

carvery and the enormous Big 

Man’s Breakfast are highly 

recommended. There’s a fully 

equipped campsite (complete 

with children’s play area) next 

door, and the pub runs its own 

grocery shop to supply those 

spending the night in caravans 

or under canvas. 

�Wrexham Road, Bulkeley, 

Cheshire, SY14 8BE; 01829 720226; 

www.bickertonpoacher.com 

The Cheshire Cheese 

Wallasey, Merseyside 

A proper, old-fashioned local 

pub in the oldest part of 

Wallasey, The Cheshire Cheese 

is well known locally for the 

strong characters that stand 

on either side of its bar. In the 

17th century, it was the regular 

stopover place of William of 

Orange (later King William III) 

as he sought reparation from 

the House of Stuart and 

launched attacks on Ireland 

from the Wirral. Nowadays, it’s 

a lovely – and deceptively 

large – neighbourhood pub 

with a pleasant beer garden 

and a dedication to handpulled 

real ales. It even hosts 

an annual beer festival. 

�2 Wallasey Village, Wallasey, 

Merseyside, CH44 2DH; 0151 630 

3641; www.thecheesewallasey.com 

The Fools Nook 

Macclesfield, Cheshire 

This waterside pub has its 

origins in the building of the 

Macclesfield Canal in the late 

1820s. The engineers, who 

were in the area to create this 

vital supply line, needed 

somewhere to drink after 

work, so the pub — originally 

known as The Royal Oak — was 

created from existing cottages. 

It became The Fools Nook in 

1962 (in honour of Samuel 

“Maggoty” Johnson, an 18thcentury 

local landowner who 

was Britain’s last professional 

jester), since when it has 

maintained its reputation for 

serving quality food and beer 

in a lovely setting. 

�Leek Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire, 

SK11 0JF; 01260 253662; 

www.foolsnook.com 

The Globe 

Liverpool, Merseyside 

A tiny city-centre pub that 

condenses Liverpool’s essence 

into one small bar and back 

snug, The Globe is famed for 

its excellent selection of fine 

drink and the characters that 

both work and drink here. 

From the friendly Scouse 

barmaids and the 

octogenarian glass collector 

who insists on referring to 

everyone under 70 as “lad” to 

the wise-cracking locals, it is 

a real “people” pub in which 

decor and presentation come 

second to the human 

experience – and visitors from 

all over the world return again 

and again. The sloping floor 

is legendary – and avoid the 

“tsunami corner” if you want 

to keep your shoes dry. 

�17 Cases Street, Liverpool, 

Merseyside, L1 1HW; 0151 707 0067 

The Golden Ball 

Morecambe, Lancashire 

Known locally as 

“Snatchems”, this riverside 

pub got its moniker due to 

the number of drunken locals 

who, in days gone by, were 

abducted and forced on to 

vessels leaving the nearby 

port of Lancaster. Visitors are 

unlikely to be press-ganged 

these days, but the pub is said 

to be haunted by the ghosts 

of several reluctant sailors, 

who obviously still feel at 

home amid its old-fashioned 

charm. Slaves were once 

brought up the neighbouring 

River Lune; though these 

days the view is more likely to 

be of jet skis and powerboats. 

�2 Lancaster Road, Morecambe, 

Lancashire, LA3 3ER; 01524 69310

D12 


�� 

The Old Black Bull 

Preston, Lancashire 

A gorgeous, Tudor-fronted 

building in the centre of 

Preston, The Old Black Bull 

is said to stand on top of a 

network of old tunnels that 

lead from the pub to the church 

– supposedly to allow thirsty 

clerics access to the inn 

without being seen. 

The clientele these days – 

which includes former 

Lancashire cricketer and 

England captain Andrew 

Flintoff when the local boy is 

back in town – is equally loyal. 

The landlords, Stan and Pam, 

have been running the pub for 

more than 20 years, and their 

friendliness and dedication to 

quality cask ales guarantees 

that anyone who visits is sure 

to come back. 

�35–36 Friargate, Preston, 

Lancashire, PR1 2AT; 01772 823397; 

www.clovertaverns.co.uk 

The Old Crown 

Hesket Newmarket, Cumbria 

Believed to be the first 

co-operatively owned pub 

in the UK, The Old Crown, 

together with its award-winning 

microbrewery, is firmly in the 

possession of the villagers of 

picturesque Hesket Newmarket. 

The two independent 

businesses, situated on the 

northern edge of the Lake 

District, were purchased when 

the couple who had run them 

since the Eighties retired, 

and none of the locals could 

bear the thought of them 

being bought by one of the 

big breweries. 

Popular with climbers, 

including famous local Chris 

Bonington, the pub has even 

played host to Prince Charles. 

�Hesket Newmarket, Cumbria, 

CA7 8JG; 01697 478288; 

www.theoldcrownpub.co.uk 

The Philharmonic Dining Rooms 


Set in the heart of Liverpool’s 

cultural quarter, with the 

award-winning Royal Liverpool 

Philharmonic Orchestra based 

just across the road, The 

Philharmonic Dining Rooms 

(known to Scousers simply 

as The Phil) is unsurprisingly 

popular with the city’s 

musicians – both classical 

and popular. Indeed, a certain 

local foursome were regulars 

here in the days before they 

started changing the world’s 

musical landscape for ever 

in the Sixties. 

This is a lively pub with a 

stunning art deco interior 

reminiscent of a gentlemen’s 

club. It even has two snugs, 

appropriately called Brahms 

and Liszt, and has probably 

the poshest toilets in northern 

England. Well, if they’re good 

enough for John, Paul, George 

and Ringo… 

�36 Hope Street, Liverpool, 

Merseyside, L1 9BX; 0151 707 2837; 

www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk/ 

thephilharmonicdiningroomsliverpool 

The Shakespeare 

Manchester 

Close to Manchester’s Arndale 

Centre, The Shakespeare 

couldn’t provide more of a 

contrast to all the rampant 

commercialism of its nearneighbour. 

This proper, oldfashioned 

pub, complete with 

black-and-white Tudor frontage, 

began life as an inn called 

The Shambles over in Chester, 

but was brought into 

Manchester and rebuilt brick 

by brick in the Twenties. 

It may have inherited the 

ghost of a murdered girl – the 

pub even featured in the Sky 

Living series Most Haunted – 

but the beer at The Shakespeare 

is every bit as impressive as its 

spirits. The pub grub is 

excellent, too. 

�16 Fountain Street, Manchester, 

M2 2AA; 0161 834 5515; 

www.theshakespeare.com 

The Ship Victory 

Chester, Cheshire 

A small and cosy pub in the 

centre of Chester, The Ship 

Victory is a pleasant place to 

stop for a pint in this historic 

city. What makes it truly special, 

though, is its extraordinary 

dedication to charitable causes. 

Most recently, through 

quizzes and events – including 

the annual Turkey Trot around 

Chester racecourse – it has 

raised many thousands of 

pounds for the local breastcancer 

unit. If you’re in town, 

make sure you pop into “the 

little pub with the big heart” 

and raise a glass to them. 

�47 George Street, Chester, 

Cheshire, CH1 3EQ; 01244 376453 

Ye Cracke 


A traditional and atmospheric 

pub on Liverpool’s Rice 

Street, Ye Cracke (the “Ye” 

is pronounced “The”) is most 

famous for its connection 

with John Lennon. 

The young musician attended 

the nearby art school in the 

late Fifties, and spent plenty 

of time hanging out in the 

pub’s War Office, a snug at 

the rear of the building which 

originally earned its name 

from regulars discussing 

British military exploits there. 

Lennon drank here with his 

girlfriend, Cynthia, later his 

first wife, and his best friend 

Stuart Sutcliffe, known as the 

Fifth Beatle, who died tragically 

young in 1962. 

It’s still a great boozer that’s 

popular with the city’s arty 

set; you’ll often find people 

strumming guitars and 

scribbling poetry at its 

delightfully scuffed tables. 

�13 Rice Street, Liverpool, 

Merseyside, L1 9BB; 0151 709 4171 

A young John 

Lennon drank 

in Ye Cracke 

as an art 

student with 

his girlfriend 

Cynthia 

�� 

The Aberdeen Arms 

Tarland, Aberdeenshire 

Situated in the Aberdeenshire 

village of Tarland, which is 

something of a centre for 

traditional Scottish music, The 

Aberdeen Arms is famous for 

its Tuesday night Session, 

which attracts musicians from 

all over the country. As it’s run 

by local champion fiddler Paul 

Anderson – who also operates 

a monthly folk club at the pub – 

the standard is incredibly high. 

Traditional music sessions 

in pubs may be common in 



Ireland, but in Scotland they’re 

still more rare than a vegan 

haggis. And, at The Aberdeen 

Arms, watching the fiddling and 

accordion-playing will cost you 

absolutely nothing. 

�31 The Square, Tarland, 

Aberdeenshire, AB34 4TX; 

01339 881225; www. 

aberdeenarmshotel.co.uk 

Backstage at The Green Hotel 

Kinross, Perthshire 

You’d have thought that the 

prospect of staying at a stylish 

hotel and golf course close to 

Loch Leven would be reason 

enough to visit eastern Scotland. 

But The Green Hotel, a 

wonderful leisure complex 

in Kinross, is also home to 

a fabulous live-music venue. 

The likes of Toyah and Glenn 

Tilbrook are lined up to play at 

Backstage at The Green this



year, and performances from 

a range of innovative acts are 

held on most nights of the 

week. Book a room so that you 

don’t have to drive afterwards. 

�2 The Muirs, Kinross, Perthshire, 

KY13 8AS; 01577 863467; 

www.green-hotel.com 

The Border Hotel 

Kirk Yetholm, Borders 

It’s very rare for a pub to give 

away beer, but at The Border 

Hotel, on the green in the 

picturesque hamlet of Kirk 

Yetholm, punters can claim a 

free half pint. The bad news is 

that you have to walk all 268 

miles of the Pennine Way in one 

go to qualify. Even if you haven’t 

earned the right to this freebie, 

inaugurated by legendary 

walker Alfred Wainwright, you 

can still enjoy the cosy 

surroundings of this lovely 


18th-century coaching inn. 

�The Green, Kirk Yetholm, Borders, 

TD5 8PQ; 01573 420237; 

www.theborderhotel.com 

Bothy Restaurant and Bar 

Fort Augustus, Inverness-shire 

Occupying a canalside spot, 

with plenty of outdoor tables 

overlooking the boat traffic on 

the water, this friendly bar and 

restaurant is usually packed to 

the rafters with a mix of tourists 

and locals. The manager and 

bar staff are famed for their 

warmth and hospitality, and the 

fine selection of cask ales and 

malt whiskies, not to mention 

the home-cooked food keep 

drawing in new devotees. Once 

you’ve settled down with a pint 

by the side of the adjacent lock, 

you will understand why. 

�Canalside, Fort Augustus, Invernessshire, 

PH32 4AU; 01320 366710; 

www.thebothyfortaugustus.co.uk 

The C’mon Inn 

East Kilbride, Lanarkshire 

A local that’s as welcoming as its 

name suggests, The C’mon Inn 

is notable mainly because of 

one of its former employees. 

Back in the early Seventies, 

when the inn was known as The 

Matelot, the trainee bar manager 

was none other than Manchester 

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson. 

Whether he was as good at 

pulling pints and serving pork 

scratchings as he is at garnering 

league championships is 

debatable – but if you ask one 

of the older regulars, they’ll 

happily fill you in on his time 

behind the beer pumps. 

�56 Alloway Road, East Kilbride, 

Lanarkshire, G74 3SD; 01355 223384 

The Drovers Inn Inverarnan 

North Loch Lomond 

The atmosphere in this historic 

1705 pub is as warm and 

welcoming as it was for the 

cattle drovers three centuries 

ago. By their own admission, 

the quirky decor in this place 

hasn’t changed much since 

then either. The Drovers Inn is 

a down-to-earth pub and 

hostelry where, at the 

weekends, the dust blows off 

the taxidermy and old pews for 

live music, dancing, and high 

spirits to take over. And there 

are more than one type of 

spirit. Eighteenth-century 

outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor was 

a regular, and the pub is now 

home to more than one ghost. 

�Invernarnan by Ardlui, North Loch 

Lomond; 01301 704234; 

www.thedroversinn.co.uk 

From far left: The 

Shakespeare in 

Manchester; Ye Cracke, 

Liverpool; Òran Mór’s 

Auditorium, Glasgow; 

collect a free half at 

The Border Hotel 

�� 

� �� 

Since its debut in 1995, 

our famous grouse has 

starred in 27 different 

but instantly 

recognisable — and 

some award-winning — 

TV commercials, and 

has become Scotland’s 

favourite bird. Each 

20-second 

ad is the 

result of 

four 

months’ 

work. Our 

new-look 

TV grouse 

has been 

animated 

by the 

acclaimed 

creators of 

the BBC’s 

Walking 

With 

Dinosaurs 

series. 

The Fiddichside Inn 

Craigelleachie, Banffshire 

Looking down from the top of 

a gently sloping grass bank 

onto the River Spey, the tiny 

Fiddichside Inn occupies one 

of the most scenic spots in 

Scotland. The landlady – the 

aptly named Mrs Brandy – 

was based in Palestine during 

the Second World War, and her 

tales of Middle Eastern derringdo 

are wonderfully at odds with 

the Caledonian scene of forests 

and salmon-filled water that 

can be spied from the pub’s 

windows. The miniature bar 

has a gorgeous original 

panelled counter running down 

the entire length of the room. 

�Craigelleachie, Banffshire, 

AB38 9RR; 01340 881239 

The Fox and Hounds 

Houston, Renfrewshire 

A favourite hangout of Rangers 

manager Ally McCoist, The 

Fox and Hounds just outside 

Glasgow has also played host to 

Paolo Nutini, Westlife and Neil 

Diamond (who enjoyed it so 

much, he came here two nights 

in a row). Why do they come? 

Well, this traditional coaching 

inn is as famous for its food – 

its restaurant was a finalist in 

the 2011 Scottish Restaurant 

Awards – as it is for its in-house 

microbrewery, the bar serving 

real ale, and more than 200 

Scottish whiskies. Run by the 

same family for nearly 35 years, 

it’s simply an excellent pub. 

�South Street, Houston, 

Renfrewshire, PA6 7EN; 

01505 612448; 

www.houston-brewing.co.uk 

The Globe Inn 

Dumfries, Dumfries & Galloway 

Not only was Scotland’s 

national poet Robert Burns 

a regular at The Globe Inn – 

indeed, his favourite seat 

still survives and you can 

see some lines of his poetry 

that he inscribed on the 

bedroom windows upstairs 

– but he also had a fling with 

the barmaid, with whom he 

had a daughter. In honour 

of his dedication to this 

17th-century inn, which 

he called his howff (“favourite 

haunt” in Scots dialect), the 

pub has been holding special 

annual Burns Night Suppers 

since 1819. It’s a wonderful 

spot for a whisky or two. 

�56 High Street, Dumfries, 

Dumfries & Galloway, DG1 2JA; 

01387 252335; 

www.globeinndumfries.co.uk

D14 


�� 

The Jigger Inn 

St Andrews, Fife 

Part of St Andrews golf course, 

The Jigger Inn, a former 

station master’s lodge that 

dates back to 1850, is one of 

the world’s most famous 19th 

holes. Some of the game’s 

most well-known players rub 

shoulders with mere mortals 

who are just happy to have 

completed their round, and all 

indulge in a fabulous selection 

of Scottish beers and whiskies 

while bantering with sharptongued 

landlady Antoinette. 

The inn’s beer garden runs 

alongside the fairway of the 

18th hole, and is a familiar 

backdrop to the action when 

The Open is held here. 

�St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9SP; 01334 

474371; www.oldcoursehotel.co.uk 

Kinloch Castle 

Isle of Rum 

The Isle of Rum, a National 

Nature Reserve off Scotland’s 

west coast, is not known for 

its nightlife, so its one bar is 

understandably legendary 

in these parts. Located in 

the stunning, 19th-century 

Kinloch Castle, the pub is 

the only place on the island 

in which you can buy a 

whisky, meet friends in front 

of an open fire and chat about 

the wildlife you’ve spotted 

that day. It opens when the 

person entrusted with the key 

can be found and closes when 

the last customer departs 

into the night. 

�Kinloch Castle, Isle of Rum, PH43 4RR; 

01687 462037; www.isleofrum.com 

The Old Forge 

Inverie, Highlands 

The most remote inn on 

mainland Britain, The Old 

Forge is accessible only via 

a 30-minute boat ride across 

Loch Nevis from Mallaig or 

a mammoth two-day hike. 

While some would think it 

a problem that the pub has 

no roads leading to it, others 

argue this is a blessing. Set 

against a blissfully peaceful 

backdrop of mirror-like seas 

and misty mountains, it offers 

potential sightings of whales, 

basking sharks and dolphins. 

Not to mention some fantastic 

fresh seafood and one of 

Scotland’s warmest welcomes. 

�Inverie, Highlands, PH41 4PL; 01687 

462267; www.theoldforge.co.uk 

Òran Mór 

Glasgow 

In the seven years since it first 

opened its doors, Òran Mór 

has become something of a 

Glasgow institution. Originally 

a church, it has been 

sensitively converted into a 

venue that incorporates bars, 

restaurants and nightclubs, 

as well as an auditorium that 

can host weddings. The 

Whisky Bar serves more than 

250 Scottish malts in a relaxed 

setting, and is one of the best 

places in town to watch the 

rugby when Scotland play. 

The twice-weekly theatrical 

performances, known as 

A Play, A Pie and A Pint, are 

famous on the city’s art scene. 

�Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8QX; 

0141 357 6200; 

www.oran-mor.co.uk 

The Oxford Bar Edinburgh 

To fans of Ian Rankin’s books, 

The Oxford Bar on Young 

Street in Edinburgh needs no 

introduction. Known locally 

as the ‘Ox’, it is the favourite 

watering hole of Inspector 

Rebus. The character may be 

fictional, but this cosy pub is 

very real indeed. Keen readers 

come in droves, particularly 

during the Edinburgh Book 

Festival, to sip Caledonian 

ales and keep an eye out for 

Rankin himself. Secure a seat 

in the main bar if you can. 

�8 Young Street, Edinburgh, 

EH2 4JB; 0131 539 7119; 

www.oxfordbar.com 

The Pageant 

Arbroath, Angus 

Though, these days, it’s wellknown 

for being the focal 

point of Arbroath’s live music 

scene, The Pageant is a history 

buff’s dream. There’s an 

ancient stone wall inside the 

pub and its cellar – originally 

part of Arbroath Abbey, where 

the Scottish declaration of 

independence was signed in 

1320 – is believed to be 

haunted by a restless monk, 

who paces up and down 

between the beer barrels. 

Near to most of the town’s 

The bar in 

Kinloch Castle 

on the Isle of 

Rum closes 

when the 

last drinker 

departs into 

the night 


photo: Kinloch Castle 

on the Isle of Rum; 

book a booth in The 

Crown, Belfast; The 

Jigger Inn is part of 

St Andrews golf 

course; take a boat 

to The Old Forge 






�� 

� �� 

One of the contributing 

factors to The Famous 

Grouse’s distinctive 

flavour is the use of 

sherry casks in the 

process of maturing the 

spirit, which lend it its 

unique, round richness 

and colour. In fact, 

The Famous 

Grouse 

distillery 

uses more 

sherry casks 

than 

anyone 

else in the 

industry. 

This 

technique 

is used 

at the 

insistence 

of our 

founder, 

Matthew 

Gloag. 

main tourist attractions, the 

pub is an ideal spot in which 

to soak up the atmosphere 

of one of Scotland’s most 

historic settlements. 

�8 Kirk Square, Arbroath, Angus, 

DD11 1DX; 01241 872777 

Poets Bar at the Kenmore 

Hotel Kenmore, Perthshire 

Like The Globe Inn in 

Dumfries, this Tayside pub 

was a favourite of Scotland’s 

national poet Robert Burns. 

He stayed there one bleak 

winter’s night back in 1787 

and was so moved by the 

welcome he received that he 

composed a poem on the 

spot, and wrote it in pencil on 

the chimney breast over the 

fire. His graffito is still visible 

today. The bar hasn’t changed 

much since Burns’ time. Its 

low chairs, crackling fire and 

cosy atmosphere are still the 

perfect antidote to the worst 

of the Highlands weather. 

�The Square, Kenmore, Perthshire, 

PH15 2NU; 01887 830205; 

www.kenmorehotel.com 

The Pretoria Bar 

Crieff, Perthshire 

This warm and welcoming 

pub in eastern Scotland gets 

its name from a long-standing 

association with the Black 

Watch Royal Highland 

Regiment – who were heavily 

involved in the climax of the 

Boer Wars in South Africa. The 

pub itself, which is more than 

110 years old, is as much of 

a hot spot for live-music 

aficionados, who flock here 

to hear acts performing in a 

range of styles, as it is for the 

locals of Crieff. The staff are 

famously friendly, too. 

�The Cross, Crieff, Perthshire, 

PH7 3BT; 01764 652386; 

www.thepretoriabar.co.uk 

The Sheep Heid Inn Edinburgh 

Edinburgh’s The Sheep Heid 

Inn, which dates back to 1360, 

claims to be Scotland’s oldest 

surviving pub. Thanks to its 

handy location at the foot of 

Arthur’s Seat, and between 

the palaces of Craigmillar and 

Holyrood, it was a favourite of 

Mary Queen of Scots and her 

son James VI, who would stop 

off for a game of skittles en 

route to carrying out royal 

business. The atmospheric 

inn retains its traditional feel, 

with plenty of roaring fires, 

low lighting and coach housestyle 

windows. It’s an absolute 

must-visit for anyone in the 

Scottish capital. 

�43–45 The Causeway, Duddington, 

Edinburgh, EH15 3QA; 0131 661 

7974; www.sheepheid.co.uk 

Shieldaig Bar & Coastal 

Kitchen Shieldaig, 

Ross-shire 

Looking out over an idyllic 

harbour on Scotland’s scenic 

west coast, the Shieldaig Bar 

& Coastal Kitchen is a bit of 

an ornithologist’s dream. 

Nowhere else in the UK can 

you take your whisky dram 

over to a pub window and 

watch sea eagles soaring 

overhead. Sheildaig Island, 

just across the water, is home 

to a breeding pair of these 

rare birds, so you’ve a good 

chance of a sighting. But on 

days when they stick to their 

eyrie, you can pop upstairs 

to the wonderful restaurant 

and indulge in some of 

Scotland’s finest seafood. 

�Shieldaig, Ross-shire, IV54 8XN; 

01520 755251; www. 

shieldaigbarandcoastalkitchen.co.uk 

Teuchters Bar Edinburgh 

A 20-minute walk from 

Murrayfield stadium, 

Teuchters Bar is a popular 

stop-off for Scotland 

supporters on their way to 

watch rugby matches. And as 

it serves a fine selection of 

whiskies – as well as delicious 

snacks such as haggis stovies, 

cullen skink and Mull of 

Kintyre Cheddar macaroni – 

it’s equally favoured by those 

who’d rather settle down 

with a drink and watch the 

match on television. And you 

might recognise this as the 

bar frequented by Jason 

Isaacs in the BBC drama 

Case Histories. 

�26 William Street, Edinburgh, 

EH3 7NH; 0131 226 1036; 

www.aroomin.co.uk/teuchters 

�� 

�� 

Blakes of the Hollow 

Enniskillen, Fermanagh 

A legendary pub that’s as 

famous for its atmosphere 

as it is for its drink, Blakes 

features in the work of the 

late Irish novelist John 

McGahern as well as in the 

travellers’ tales of anyone 

who’s ever spent time in 

Enniskillen. Originally a 

butcher’s, it has been owned 

and run by the same family 

for more than 100 years, and 

its interior of snugs and open 

fires remains unchanged 

since Victorian times. It has 

live folk-music on Fridays. 

�6 Church Street, Enniskillen, 

Fermanagh, BT74 7EJ; 

028 6632 2143 

The Crown Liquor Saloon 

Belfast 

This stunning National Trustowned 

construction of gilt, 

filigree and mosaics is where 

to head for a serious dose of 

fin-de-siècle Victoriana. 

Though undeniably a tourist 

attraction, it is wonderfully 

atmospheric with snugs and 

gas lighting, and it draws 

Belfast’s stylish set. Book 

a booth (built for Victorian 

moralists who wanted to 

drink unseen) and settle down 

with a pint and one of the 

pub’s excellent pies for some 

great people-watching. 

�46 Great Victoria Street, Belfast, 

BT2 7BA; 028 9024 3187; 

www.crownbar.com 

Muriel’s Belfast 

Muriel’s represents 

everything good about the 

New Belfast scene. The tiny 

bar may be cool and quirky, 

but it has its roots in Irish 

tradition; and, though it now 

has a louche, bordello-like 

feel, it doesn’t forget it 

occupies a former ladieswear 

shop – recent Christmas 

decorations have been made 

out of lingerie. The drinks are 

fabulous (try hot spiced cider 

in winter) and the food filling 

but unpretentious. 

�12–14 Church Lane, Belfast, 

BT1 4QN; 028 9027 9595

D16 

OCTOBER 16 2011 The Sunday Telegraph

The Famous Grouse - Telegraph

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