+44 (0)20 8161 0100
or enquiries@epicurean.club

The Castle Inn

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Speak to us on +44 (0)20 8161 0100

Overview

At the heart of one of England's prettiest villages, with the 14th-century stone cross and the fine parish church vying for attention, the Castle Inn certainly holds its own, tracing its own origins back to the 12th century.

The Exclusive Collection, who also own the Manor House in the village, acquired this famous hostelry in 2018. Now restored to its former glory, the inn offers 12 cosy rooms and imaginative pub food in an informal setting, contrasting perfectly with the more formal country-house atmosphere and Michelin-starred food at the hotel. Guests at the Castle can explore the hotel's glorious Gothic gardens.

You will find an appealing mix of exposed stone, beams, heritage-style colours, mullioned windows, open fires, and relaxing sofas in the rambling bar and dining areas.

Architecturally, little has changed in Castle Combe since the 15th century; there are no street lights or TV aerials and, as you savour the peaceful atmosphere, you will understand why it's a favoured location for films - War Horse, Stardust, Dr Doolittle, Poirot......

Rooms from:

12 doubles: £160

Good to know

Major credit cards accepted

Alfresco & private dining

Weddings (also Manor House)

Parking (Manor House car park)

No dogs overnight

Castle Combe

One of England's prettiest villages occupies a snug spot amid trees and hidden valleys. It was once an important weaving community dotted with fulling mills and now features handsome stone houses, chocolate-box cottages and peaceful surrounding walks. Film set for War Horse and Stardust, among others.

The Manor House

Sister hotel just a short stroll away - explore the spacious grounds and Gothic gardens; enjoy afternoon tea on the terrace; or bring your golf clubs for a round on the scenic parkland course.

Rooms

Cosy, individually decorated rooms ooze character and charm and successfully blend the old and new with considerable style.

Creaking, sloping floors and wonky walls add to the atmosphere as do the quality pieces of period furniture. Front rooms are the biggest but attic rooms compete with 15th-century beams. The style is classic country-house, so expect French beds, the best linen and down, scatter cushions, rich fabrics and colours, antiques, and smart modern bathrooms with robes and posh Bamford Spa soaps and lotions, while views from most windows take in the ancient village and beyond.

Book Room 4 for the magnificent carved four-poster bed, the chaise longue perfectly placed beneath a window for serene views of the church and market cross, and the cossetting extras - Nespresso machine, complimentary gin and chocolates, and a resident teddy bear.

Restaurant & bar

Chef Jamie Barrett works closely with Rob Potter, who heads up the Michelin-starred kitchen at the Manor House, sharing ideas and the fabulous produce sourced from local farmers and growers to deliver interesting seasonal menus.

Being at the heart of a picture-postcard village, the inn draws a broad clientele, from walkers and tourists to Manor House guests looking for a more informal place to eat during their stay. As such, Jamie's menus successfully combine traditional pub classics with more inventive dishes, yet results on the plate more than live up to expectations - first class ingredients and plenty of technical skill are all apparent.

Try a delicious light bite like the homemade Merguez sausage roll with roasted garlic mayonnaise - best enjoyed alfresco with pint of Butcombe and a stunning village view. You will also find lunchtime sandwiches and the Castle burger, perhaps alongside mussels in ale, bacon and thyme, trio of Huntsham Farm lamb, and Longhorn beef sirloin on the bone with hand-cut chips and house butter. Leave room for lemon possett, elderflower jelly and almond tuile, or a plate of Old Cheese Room cheeses.

Private dining

Book the beamed Oak Room (seats 12) for a family celebration, or the Conservatory (seats 32) with access to the terrace for relaxed, intimate weddings or larger family gatherings.

Things to do

A magnificent privately owned country house, Corsham Court has an exceptional art collection, including Van Dyck and family portraits by Joshua Reynolds, furniture by Chippendale and Adams. There are beautiful formal gardens, where you'll find a Bath House designed by Capability Brown and re-modelled by Nash.

The picturesque Saxon village of Lacock has changed little since the Middle Ages. Preserved by the National Trust, Lacock's stone cottages and narrow streets are regularly visited by film and television crews and looking round, you can understand why. Harry Potter and Cranford have been filmed here, among many familiar productions and adaptations. While in the village, take a look at Lacock Abbey and the Fox Talbot Museum of photography.

Pilgrims have been coming to Bath Abbey for centuries and happily the tradition continues today with over 400,000 annual visitors making their way to this ancient place of worship. Inside, our frantic world seems to pause for a moment as the Abbey's magnificent architecture vies for your attention. Look at the exquisite East End window and you'll see that it contains 56 scenes in the life of Jesus Christ.

Getting here

Directions

Nearest train station: Chippenham

Taxi from station: 13min

Drive: Bath 29min; Swindon 36min; London 2hr 11min

Address

West Street, Castle Combe, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN14 7HN

Gallery
Enquire to book

To make a booking enquiry, please use the form below or you can call our reservations team on 020 8161 0100. Our phone lines are open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 11am - 3pm.

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