The Old House Inn, West Sussex

Overview

Timbered former farm worker's cottage transformed into an eye-catching roadside pub with rooms with easy access to Gatwick Airport.

Recently spruced up and extended, the 400-year-old cottage features black latticed windows, wonky ceilings, head-cracking low oak-beams and cosy nooks and crannies throughout the series of rambling, inter-connecting dining rooms. Parquet or quarry-tiled floors and a wood-burning stove in the inglenook fireplace also give away the age of the building.

Working with the freshest seasonal ingredients, sourced locally wherever possible, the kitchen delivers well cooked pub classics alongside grilled meat dishes cooked over coals on the rotisserie grill. The welcoming bar serves a good selection of real ales as well as a decent cocktails and wine (17 by the glass).

Six comfortable bedrooms in the converted barn overlook the large terrace and garden - it's a good base from which to explore the Ashdown Forest and the South Downs.

Rooms from

6 doubles: £85

Good to know

Accepts all major credit cards
Disabled access (not toilets)
Alfresco & private dining
Parking available
Dog stay: £15

Family favourite
Children are warmly welcomed - expect a good children's menu and a play area in the big garden complete with a slide, climbing wall and monkey bars.

A touch of culture
There are numerous cultural and heritage sites nearby to explore, such as the world renowned garden at Wakehurst Place (part of Kew Gardens), and the historic spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells.

Rooms

With quick and easy access to Gatwick Airport and featuring six comfortable bedrooms in a smartly-converted barn overlooking the large garden, the inn is a favourite pre-flight stopover, as well as a good base for exploring East and West Sussex.

Rooms are named after British chicken breeds and are stylishly decorated in rich, earthy tones, contemporary furnishings and quirky original features. Expect spacious en suite wet rooms, with the Sussex and Orpington feature rooms having deep roll-top tubs, and super king-size beds dressed in crisp linen and Feather & Black duvets to ensure a good night's sleep.

Leghorn and Olde English rooms have interconnecting doors making them perfect for a family overnight stay, and z-beds and cots are also available. Dogs are warmly welcome too with a comfortable bed and water bowl provided.

Restaurant & bar

You can dine alfresco on the heated terrace, by the fire in the refurbished bar, or why not cosy up in the low-ceilinged snug, or eat more formally in the welcoming dining rooms.

Choose from a seasonal menu of creative grill dishes from the rotisserie or a well cooked pub classics, all made in the kitchen using fresh local ingredients, including salads from Secretts Farm in Surrey. From the grill choose BBQ belly pork with celeriac and apple slaw, or chargrilled tuna with Greek salad, crumbled feta, lemon and olive oil, or opt for a classic pub dish like chicken and ham hock pie, or brisket burger with cheese, bacon, fries and melted onion relish. Traditional puddings include sticky banana toffee pudding. Decent Sunday roast lunches too.

The bar serves real local ales and craft beers, as well as interesting cocktails and an varied lists of wines (17 by the glass).

Private dining

If you're looking for a summer party venue, the big garden that can accommodate Arabian tents, plus there's an outdoor pizza oven and alfresco dining on the heated and covered terrace. The intimate private dining room seats up to 30 people, perfect for a special dinner, private party or business meeting.

Experiences

Step back in time for a very British afternoon tea served the traditional way using vintage bone china tea cups and three-tier cake stands.

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Things to do

Just 30 miles from London but in the heart of southeast England, The Old House Inn is surrounded by some of the most beautiful and richly historic landscapes in the country. Midway between the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the High Weald Area of Natural Beauty and the South Downs National Park, there's no shortage of natural attractions to explore, including Ashdown Forest, Holmwood Common, Denbies Hillside, and Silent Pool and Sherborne Pond, to name but a few. Gin lovers should note there is also a distillery to be found at Silent Pool!

If you would prefer to admire the scenery from the comfort of a steam train carriage, there are two heritage railways nearby: you can catch the Bluebell Railway from East Grinstead, just five miles away, or the Spa Valley Railway from the first stop, Tunbridge Wells West Railway Station, or the last stop, Eridge Railway Station.

If you are partial to a round of golf, there are 15 courses within a 15-mile radius. But if you'd prefer to take in some local history, make your way to Hever Castle and Gardens, a magnificent crenellated castle surrounded by a moat and set in 125 acres of pristine parkland, which was Anne Boylen's childhood home.

Getting here

Directions

Nearest train station: Gatwick Airport or Three Bridges
Taxi from station: 10min from both (considerably cheaper from Three Bridges)
Drive: Crawley 10min; East Grinstead 15min; Redhill 20min; Brighton 40mi; London 1hr

Address

Effingham Road, Copthorne, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 3JB

The Old House Inn

From £85 per night