William Wolfe’s 100 best pubs in Britain
The best pubs in the South West and the Cotswolds
The 19 pubs in the South West and the Cotswolds that made Mr Wolfe’s hundred: fires in the grate, landlords who remember you, and food and wine worth the journey.
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Slad, near Stroud, Gloucestershire · within 90 minutes of London2. The Woolpack InnAfter the Golden Lion, probably the best pub in Britain. Laurie Lee’s local, clinging to the side of the valley he made famous in Cider…T
Batcombe, Somerset7. The Three HorseshoesMargot Henderson’s country cooking in a seventeenth-century coaching inn tucked into a fold of Somerset near Bruton. Pies, puddings and…C
Chicksgrove, Wiltshire8. The Compasses InnA fourteenth-century thatched inn down a sunken lane in the Nadder valley, all flagstones, high-backed settles and candlelight. Simplicity…B
Barrington, Somerset75. The Barrington BoarA village pub with rooms and a kitchen that sends the local larder out in its Sunday best.B
Longleat, Wiltshire76. The Bath ArmsA creeper-clad inn at the gates of Longleat. Ancient, handsome and entirely at ease with itself.B
Fonthill Gifford, Wiltshire77. The Beckford ArmsA Georgian inn on the edge of the Fonthill estate, with a parlour fire, a fine wine list and rooms of real charm. The model of the modern…C
Tavistock, Devon78. The Cornish ArmsA proper market-town pub with skilful, unfussy cooking. Dartmoor on the doorstep.D
Lydford, Devon79. The Dartmoor InnA sixteenth-century coaching inn on the western edge of the moor. Fires, flagstones and food to warm the bones.F
Woolfardisworthy, Devon80. The Farmers ArmsThe heart of a village reborn, cooking from its own farm, with rooms in cottages and above the village shop.G
Zennor, Cornwall81. The Gurnard’s HeadA lonely, yellow-washed inn between moor and Atlantic. Wellies by the door, books by the fire, superb fish on the plate.H
Limpley Stoke, Somerset · within 90 minutes of London82. The Hop PoleA stone village pub in the Limpley Stoke valley, just far enough from Bath to feel like an escape.H
Bourton-on-the-Hill, Gloucestershire · within 90 minutes of London83. The Horse and GroomA Georgian inn at the top of the hill. Glorious views and a menu that changes daily.L
Winchcombe, Gloucestershire84. The Lion InnA cosy Cotswold inn with a fire indoors, a quiet garden out back and beautifully decorated bedrooms.L
South Wraxall, Wiltshire85. The Longs ArmsA stone village pub where the chef-landlord cooks honest, generous food. The sort of place you wish you lived nearer.M
Ditcheat, Somerset86. The Manor House InnRelaxed and handsome, near Bruton, with a pizza oven in the old skittle alley. Racing folk from the nearby yards keep it honest.M
Knowstone, Devon87. The Masons ArmsA thirteenth-century thatched inn on the edge of Exmoor, with cooking of real distinction and the beams to prove it was here first. The…M
South Pool, Devon88. The Millbrook InnA tiny pub at the head of a creek, reachable at high tide by boat. French-accented cooking, Devon ingredients.Q
Corton Denham, Somerset89. The Queens ArmsGeorgian stone, open fires and a cracking cellar, high on the Somerset and Dorset border. Stay the night.S
St Kew, Cornwall90. The St Kew InnA fifteenth-century inn beside the church in a hidden North Cornwall valley. Slate, oak and a range in the bar.
Slad, near Stroud, Gloucestershire · within 90 minutes of London2. The Woolpack InnAfter the Golden Lion, probably the best pub in Britain. Laurie Lee’s local, clinging to the side of the valley he made famous in Cider…T
Batcombe, Somerset7. The Three HorseshoesMargot Henderson’s country cooking in a seventeenth-century coaching inn tucked into a fold of Somerset near Bruton. Pies, puddings and…C
Chicksgrove, Wiltshire8. The Compasses InnA fourteenth-century thatched inn down a sunken lane in the Nadder valley, all flagstones, high-backed settles and candlelight. Simplicity…B
Barrington, Somerset75. The Barrington BoarA village pub with rooms and a kitchen that sends the local larder out in its Sunday best.B
Longleat, Wiltshire76. The Bath ArmsA creeper-clad inn at the gates of Longleat. Ancient, handsome and entirely at ease with itself.B
Fonthill Gifford, Wiltshire77. The Beckford ArmsA Georgian inn on the edge of the Fonthill estate, with a parlour fire, a fine wine list and rooms of real charm. The model of the modern…C
Tavistock, Devon78. The Cornish ArmsA proper market-town pub with skilful, unfussy cooking. Dartmoor on the doorstep.D
Lydford, Devon79. The Dartmoor InnA sixteenth-century coaching inn on the western edge of the moor. Fires, flagstones and food to warm the bones.F
Woolfardisworthy, Devon80. The Farmers ArmsThe heart of a village reborn, cooking from its own farm, with rooms in cottages and above the village shop.G
Zennor, Cornwall81. The Gurnard’s HeadA lonely, yellow-washed inn between moor and Atlantic. Wellies by the door, books by the fire, superb fish on the plate.H
Limpley Stoke, Somerset · within 90 minutes of London82. The Hop PoleA stone village pub in the Limpley Stoke valley, just far enough from Bath to feel like an escape.H
Bourton-on-the-Hill, Gloucestershire · within 90 minutes of London83. The Horse and GroomA Georgian inn at the top of the hill. Glorious views and a menu that changes daily.L
Winchcombe, Gloucestershire84. The Lion InnA cosy Cotswold inn with a fire indoors, a quiet garden out back and beautifully decorated bedrooms.L
South Wraxall, Wiltshire85. The Longs ArmsA stone village pub where the chef-landlord cooks honest, generous food. The sort of place you wish you lived nearer.M
Ditcheat, Somerset86. The Manor House InnRelaxed and handsome, near Bruton, with a pizza oven in the old skittle alley. Racing folk from the nearby yards keep it honest.M
Knowstone, Devon87. The Masons ArmsA thirteenth-century thatched inn on the edge of Exmoor, with cooking of real distinction and the beams to prove it was here first. The…M
South Pool, Devon88. The Millbrook InnA tiny pub at the head of a creek, reachable at high tide by boat. French-accented cooking, Devon ingredients.Q
Corton Denham, Somerset89. The Queens ArmsGeorgian stone, open fires and a cracking cellar, high on the Somerset and Dorset border. Stay the night.S
St Kew, Cornwall90. The St Kew InnA fifteenth-century inn beside the church in a hidden North Cornwall valley. Slate, oak and a range in the bar.