April 03

ESCAPE LONDON – Step back in time and enjoy a country weekend at the White Horse Inn in Duns Tew, Oxfordshire

Posted by Editor on April 3, 2016 in Escape London | 1 Comment

The White Horse Inn is situated in the pretty village of Duns Tew in Oxfordshire. It is only just an hour from London and after you leave the M40, you are met with pretty country lanes, surrounded by beautiful green fields and picturesque villages. As the pub accepts dogs, my trusty four-legged friend joined me on the ride. The inn is a quintessential 17th century English coaching inn, set on the eastern side of the Cotswolds in the charming village of Duns Tew. Plenty of attractions can be reached from The White Horse, including the city of Dreaming Spires – Oxford, the wondrous countryside of Oxfordshire, Britain’s greatest palace – Blenheim Palace, Christ Church College, Ashmolean Museum and retail heaven Bicester Village.

The inn is a quintessential 17th century English coaching inn, set on the eastern side of the Cotswolds in the charming village of Duns Tew.

The inn is rich with history and built in 1690, the rooms are adjacent to the pub and built in an old stable. Separating the pubs from the rooms is a great idea, being the only pub in the area, it can get quite lively in the evening, so you can enjoy a fun night out and a restful sleep in the countryside. Each room has its own front door and they are set in a row, in the pretty old stable. The woodwork inside is painted blue and has a Georgian feel. The rooms have been newly refurbished and there are eleven available. Wardrobes are set into the wall and old draws make innovative shelves on the wall, in place of night stands. The bathroom shares a beautiful deep bath, which for bath lovers like myself is a must, fluffy towels and a stunning wooden floor. It feels like a little holiday cottage and has plenty of privacy, perfect for a weekend alone, a romantic weekend or a getaway with friends. I booked dinner on arrival, it is important you do so in advance, as the restaurant is a popular haunt for the locals and visitors alike. Talking of haunts, I wondered if the pub has any visitors of old floating around, with such a rich history there must be hundreds of old tales to tell. However, I was informed there are no ghostly friends at the inn. The pub has a pretty beer garden, which was full of happy chatter and smiling clientele when I arrived on a beautiful sunny day. The exterior of the pub is equally as stunning as the front, with pretty cream brickwork and an array of wooden chairs and tables.

The pub has a pretty beer garden, which was full of happy chatter and smiling clientele when I arrived on a beautiful sunny day.

Entering the pub is like stepping back in time and this stunning building used to be an old coaching in, I was luckily enough to dine in front of the real fire and in the oldest part of the building. The pub ceiling, like many historical buildings was made from old wooden beams, some look slightly curved, so they probably were taken from an out of service ship. The village itself is very pretty and a far cry from the busy streets of London. The staff are very friendly at the Inn, they even offered some water for my pooch.

For those who fancy a tipple, they have a great selection of cocktails from the traditional Tom Collins, to the Aviation (fifty pounds gin, maraschino liquor, violet liquor and lemon juice). I wasn’t in a drinking mood, but they sound delicious. The menu changes every day and although it was hard to decide, I plumped for the half pint of Atlantic prawns and the smoked haddock fish cake. The prawns were succulent and perfect as a starter, I opted for another starter which was the haddock fish cake with salad and garlic mayonnaise, it was superbly crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The salad was tasty too, it had too generous a pour of dressing for my taste, but never the less, this is an excellent dish and is highly recommended.

The haddock fish cake an excellent dish and is highly recommended.

They provide a great selection of breakfast from cereals, to full English, to smoked salmon. Freshly squeezed orange juice awaits you as soon as you arrive at your table and surprisingly the chef was just as perky in the morning as he was in the night before. The scrambled eggs were particularly tasty and a perfect match with the smoked salmon.

For a fun weekend in the English beautiful countryside, friendly staff and locals, great food, followed by a good nights sleep, we recommend the White Horse in Duns Tew. Plenty of beautiful fields surround the village for avid walkers and of course plenty of history, for those, like myself, who appreciate stunning old buildings.