The Antelope, Lighthorne

In the 8½ years since my last review, the ales have changed to Marston's 61 Deep and Bath Ales Gem, prices have gone up and it's a little shabbier in places but, otherwise, it's much the same!

7 Apr 2024 19:14

The Fox and Hounds, Christmas Common

Mid C18 flint rubble pub which CAMRA describes as once having a public bar to the left and a private bar to the right with an off-sales in-between facing the door. The off-sales is still evident with its still-working glazed hatch. In the public bar is a large fireplace with a bread oven on its left-hand side. The right-hand bar acts nowadays as a thoroughfare to the modern barn restaurant. Didn't get a chance to stick my head into the "parlour" or the other little room as it was so busy on Easter Saturday meaning we had to sit outside. Only one handpull which was a good Brakspear's Gravity.

1 Apr 2024 16:25

The Leathern Bottle, Lewknor

Lovely looking 17th century pub that was busy on Good Friday. They don't take advance bookings so we were grateful to Eddie (a patron for 30 years) who kindly vacated his regular table so that we could sit at it for the evening in the left-hand room in front of the woodburner. There is another similar (dining?) room with a less impressive fireplace on the other side of the bar counter accessed solely via its own external door. As befits somewhere which has been in the Good Beer Guide forever (apart from one year), the Brakspear Gravity was in very good condition at £5.10 a pint. The Young's London Special wasn't quite as good and I didn't try the London Original. They may have slightly overcharged us (all sums done with pen and paper) and the wine could have been better but the food was good and we enjoyed visiting this friendly village pub.

1 Apr 2024 16:14