The Castle Inn
Pub with rooms in Castle Combe, Wiltshire
From £160 per night
Curator's notes:
- Timeless village setting
- Oozes historic charm
- Innovative pub food; local produce
- Cosy rooms - serene village views
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.
Gallery
