Oh hell… now EVERYBODY’S going to go there:
Historic pubs are plentiful but few can lay claim to the tag in quite the same way as The George in Norton St Philip, near Bath. Dating from 1397, it’s the oldest tavern in Britain, locals say. It’s certainly a contender, and its timber frame, wonky floors and ancient galleried courtyard all ooze authenticity.
I once went there and had lunch en route to the Far West of Hardy Country:
Yes, they serve Messrs. Wadworth’s 6X, and the lamb chops were exquisite.
It’s not just The George, either. The village of Norton St. Philip is likewise beautiful beyond words:
The Englishman is of similar mind, now that the foul Daily Mail has featured it: “Haven’t been there for ages, I might wait a few weeks now.”
A few weeks. Gawd knows how long it’ll be before I get back there, but at least the crowds might have dispersed by then. And unlike last time, I’ll stay overnight (or longer) so that I don’t have to drive under the influence of the aforementioned 6X.
I love England.
How long before it’s all turned into Mosques and madrassas?
Nah, they confine that to the cities, where they have a large pool of the underclass to draw from.
Just like here in the states.
I visited this town and this pub in the 90s while on a stay-at-pubs-that-rent-rooms tour of England with my now-dead brother. It was amazing, as were several of the historic pubs we stayed/drank/ate in. Especially memorable (by which I mean my memories are recalled through a haze of alcohol and smoke) was the Falkland Arms in Great Tew, Oxfordshire. Did you know that if you are staying in a pub, regular closing times do not apply to you, and you can (conceivably) sit and drink in the pub all night?
OldToby,
Please tell us how we can book a trip like this.
JQ
We bought a book called Beer, Bed and Breakfast and used that to locate the pubs that served good beer and offered accommodations. It was published by CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, which was big into the resurgence of cask-conditioned ale in the 90s. We’d just pick a particularly interesting pub out of the book and drive there. It was glorious, and I have many really great memories of that time.
The UK is the best place on the planet to travel small scale and poke about. Here’s the formula-
1. Fly to any airport in the UK, and, if necessary, take a train or bus to the area you kind of like.
2. Call a cab or uber and ask him to take you to a nice Pub, Inn or Hotel. The cabbies and uber drivers know what’s what. If you are timorous (I am) book a few nights in advance via AirBnB, Booking etc. etc. All will flow after the first few nights.
3. Ask the publican, hotelier or innkeeper about further accommodations. Accept them, enjoy them, they won’t be perfect, but the beer will be fabulous and the food much, much better than you expect.
3. Explore the locality for walks, pubs, better accommodation, museums, pubs, monuments, pubs, ancient churches, pubs, woodland walks and pubs.
4. When you want to move on, ask your innkeeper to find you another nice place and use the same cab/uber as before to get you there, or just your luggage, so you can walk. The innkeeper will do it with a smile and his recommendations are gold.
5. Repeat until vacation time is up. Mind your feet and bowels, do NOT drink as much Wadsworth as Du Toit implies is good for you. Cask Ales are tastier and healthier and it’s time Americans and American brewers learned about them.
Old Toby has the right of it.
Beautiful country but the Lions lead by Donkeys is true today in England
JQ
We need to know what is the best car to tour rural England.
And with who.
See Monday’s post.
Try the Trip to Jerusalem in Nottingham, that’s the oldest pub in England, it’s built under the Castle. There used to be an even older tavern called “The Gate Hangs Well” not far from the Trip but it was demolished as it was considered to be unsafe to get to it, the pathway that is, not the pub.
Nottingham, BTW, is a completely screwed city.
The King’s Head in Bishops Cleeve, Glos., is a favorite. I spent several weeks in Cheltenham for work (Smiths Aerospace, now part of GE). One of my colleagues took me to his local. It’s been around since the 15th Century, which impressed the heck out of my American self. Lovely place, the beer and food were both excellent and the locals were friendly.