Hidden Gems

WEAVE YOUR WAY THROUGH THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE TO DISCOVER THE CHARM AND HOSPITALITY OF THESE LOCAL PUBS AND INNS.

By Marion Laffey Fox

To truly experience all that the English countryside has to offer, it’s almost imperative that travelers dine and overnight in authentic local establishments. While you will have no trouble finding these charming destinations in popular tourist areas where visitors throng to well-known historic properties, it’s sometimes worth driving a few extra miles to experience the off-the-beatenpath hotspots.

The Five Arrows

Visitors to the Rothschild estates of Eythrope and Waddesdon Manor love the convenience of this sublime boutique hotel. (See page 26 for more information on the gardens of Eythrope.) Located just outside the gates of Waddesdon, The Five Arrows appears almost as a folly at the entrance to the estate. Originally built in 1887 to accommodate craftsmen who worked on the estate, the Elizabethan-style structure boasts stacked chimneys and elaborate ironwork. Inside, 16 guest rooms offer respite for weary travelers, while the on-site restaurant nourishes guests with a farm-to-table bounty grown on the inn’s land. Accompanying wines range from the unpretentious to great vintages. The Five Arrows: 011-44-1296-651727, fivearrowshotel.co.uk

LA TABLE D’ALIX AT THE PLOUGH

Owners Antoine Chretien and Camille Verron, who moved from their former Cotswolds location after a fire, have created a sparkling new French-flavored establishment. The restaurant is in an ideal location for diners to rest and refuel after a tour of the gardens of Oxford University. Customers will find the young owners taking orders themselves, often accompanied by their small children, Alix and Clemence. Antoine and his head

ABOVE, chef, Nat Berney, both worked under venerable chef Raymond Blanc for many years and have incorporated versions of some of his most popular recipes. As a result, patrons of La Table d’Alix rave about dishes such as Fowey Cornish Moules Marinieres, Wild Mushroom Risotto with Truffle Cream, Perigord Foie Gras Poêlé, and Five French Artisan Cheese Soufflé. Add the Ultimate Vanilla Bourbon Crème Brûlée (or any of the delectable desserts), and anyone will understand why this reimagined pub has such a devoted following.

Arrows is a welcoming beacon to travelers in this rural area of England. Designed by local architect/builder James Taylor from nearby Bierton, the elaborately detailed structure reinforces the sense of wonder visitors feel after touring nearby historic estates. • The atmospheric Bar and Garden at The Five Arrows is redolent of a cozy village pub where families (and dogs!) are resoundingly welcomed for a full range of tasty bites including sausages, skinny fries, and toasties, all washed down with Shepherd’s Gold Ale from the Waddesdon Estate or a Rothschild wine.

La Table d’Alix at The Plough: 011-441844-279283, latabledalix.co.uk

BARNSLEY HOUSE

This 17th-century former rectory is where famed gardener Rosemary Verey’s husband grew up and where the couple later settled after they were married. For many garden lovers, having the chance to stay here and the opportunity to explore the grounds at leisure is a dream come true. The blissful spa, tucked into a corner of the property, offers a sybaritic incentive to pause. Inside the main house and surrounding outbuildings are cozy public areas with fireplaces and casual dining rooms manned by cheerful, aproned staff members who specialize in learning your penchant for coffee or tea. Barnsley House: 011-44-1285-740000, barnsleyhouse.com

CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: At Greyhounds, secluded gardens alive with fanciful topiaries, shapely boxwoods, and velvety lawns overlook the spires and higgeldy-piggeldy slate rooftops of historic Burford. • Greyhounds’ imposing golden Cotswolds structure is softened with an impressive battalion of rounded, clipped boxwoods. • Inside Greyhounds, charming rooms and suites, imaginatively carved out of useless spaces, appear as cozy, fireplace-warmed nests.

GREYHOUNDS

Situated on Sheep Street in Burford, Greyhounds has been called “the prettiest inn in the Cotswolds” since it was redone by Christopher Moore and Michael Taubenheim in 1999. Centuries ago, it was a wool merchant’s house with a wool barn behind it. It then became a temperance hotel and later housed the offices of Countryman magazine. A thorough restoration that gutted the building filled 98 “skips of trash,” according to Michael. Today the cozy establishment has two apartments and a garden cottage, along with bed-andbreakfast accommodations dressed in crisp Swedish linens. The rambling gardens unfold beyond steps leading up from a gracious courtyard. Burford is one of the Cotswold’s loveliest golden stone villages, and a couple of nights at Greyhounds will add a special dimension to your itinerary.

Greyhounds: 011-44-1993-822780, greyhoundsburford@gmail.com

THE FRENCH HORN

Preening over a sylvan stretch of the River Thames and brushed by wispy willow trees, the inn’s main building is repeatedly reflected in the still, mirrorlike water. Owned by the Emmanuel family since 1972, the 200-year-old former coaching inn enjoys a stellar reputation as a food shrine with

ABOVE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Dining tables are snapped up quickly by devotees of The French Horn’s exquisite classical French fare. • The centuries-old coaching inn, sited on an especially picturesque bend of the Thames, has been lovingly renovated and expanded over time.

12 well-appointed bedrooms and suites. The property also includes Furleigh Cottage B&B with 19 additional rooms. The culinary team, under the aegis of head chef Josiane Diaga, offers refined fare and top-tier French wines in a setting that evokes children’s fairytales. Additionally, the inn is conveniently located near many interesting attractions such as Windsor Castle, Blenheim Castle, and Henley-on-Thames, where famous rowing regattas take place. The French Horn: 011-44-1189-692204, thefrenchhorn.co.uk

With a lifelong love of gardening, designer Charlotte Moss has long been intrigued with what draws people— especially women—into the world of horticulture. Some have made it their professions, while others have become enthusiasts, patrons, philanthropists, or simply weekend hobbyists. And then there are those who write about all things gardening. In her new column for FLOWER, Charlotte explores some of these women and the journeys that led to their passions for plants and flowers. She also has a forthcoming book with Rizzoli on the subject of gardening women set to release fall 2024.