The Crown & Anchor

The Crown & Anchor, Llanidloes, Montgomeryshire SY18 8EF

A proudly traditional pub on one of the four radial main streets of this attractive and characterful Borders market town. The totally unspoilt interior comprises five distinct rooms, separated by a central corridor. On the right there is a public bar, containing the main bar counter, a small separate bar with some seating that would have provided service for the other rooms, and a rear snug with a television. The left has a lounge with bench seating and a pool room. The only concession to modernity is the addition of a new toilet block.

As the sign says, the pub is open all day, but no food is served. On my visit the real ales available were Hancock’s HB and Brain’s Reverend James. The landlady has been in charge since 1965. One of Britain’s true classic pubs and a must-visit. There are a number of other interesting old pubs in Llanidloes.

The Horseshoe

The Horseshoe, Llanyblodwel, Shropshire SY10 8NQ

An ancient half-timbered pub in an idyllic rural setting by an old stone bridge over the Tanat. The benches overlooking the river are an ideal spot to enjoy a relaxing beer on a summer day. The unspoilt interior comprises a plainer vault-type area on the left, and the dark, cosy main bar with a wealth of old beams and settles. Stonehouse Station Bitter, brewed nearby in Oswestry, is the regular beer, with an additional guest sometimes available. Many years ago I remember visiting it when it was a keg-only pub tied to Border Breweries. No food is served, and the opening hours are somewhat limited – evenings only during the week and lunchtime only on Sundays.

Despite the Welsh-sounding name, Llanyblodwel is actually just on the English side of the border. The village also has an interesting church rebuilt in the 19th century by the then vicar in an idiosyncratic architectural style and featuring a spire resembling a V2 rocket.

The Cross Foxes

The Cross Foxes, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY3 7DE

A traditional pub in the mixed residential area of Coleham just across the river from the town centre. The interior is “a symphony in brown”, basically consisting of one L-shaped room with beams, brasses and button-backed banquette seating. No food is served, and it seems to appeal mostly to the classic older male clientele. Draught Bass is the favoured real ale, with a couple of others including on my visit Salopian Shropshire Gold and Worthington Best Bitter.

(photo courtesy of Duncan Mackay aka Pubmeister)

The Lion of Vienna

The Lion of Vienna, Bolton, Lancashire BL1 4PE

Yet another Samuel Smith’s pub – unlike many other pub operators, Sam’s are keen to fly the flag for proper pubs rather than knocked-through, pastel-shaded dining emporiums. This one is a converted private house on the wide, straight Chorley New Road opposite the magnificent premises of Bolton School. It takes its name from Bolton Wanderers footballer Nat Lofthouse.

The interior comprises a spacious vault at the rear with two pool tables, and a front lounge divided into two partially opened-out rooms either side of the central door, each with comfortable bench seating, a real fire, and plenty of dark wood in the decor. The standard range of Sam’s beers is available, including Old Brewery Bitter, at their usual bargain prices, and a menu of standard pub food is served at lunchtimes. There’s no TV or piped music, just a buzz of conversation from the generally more mature clientele.

The Red Lion

The Red Lion, Stockton Heath, Cheshire WA4 6HN

A large pub right in the centre of this prosperous southern suburb of Warrington, which looks as though it dates back to the early part of the 19th century. Originally a Greenall’s tied house, like most others in the area, after a period of pub company ownership it has now been acquired by Thwaites and offers a full range of their beers – Original, Nutty Black, Wainwright, Lancaster Bomber and a seasonal craft ale.

It has recently been extensively refurbished by Thwaites, but retains a multi-roomed layout with a separate vault, a main bar on the lounge side with seating to front and rear, another room on the left and the delightful, cosy, TV-free “Bowling Room” to the rear. I spotted a menu of sandwiches and snacks; I’m not sure if full knife-and-fork meals are also served.

While making more concessions to the modern world than many of the other pubs on this blog, such as showing Sky Sports, it retains a vibrant, pubby atmosphere and many interesting architectural features. The pub still has its own bowling green to the rear. It doesn’t have a car park, but you can park for an hour for free on the public car park round the back.

The Boat

The Boat, Penallt, Monmouthshire NP25 4AJ

An old sandstone pub beside the River Wye, which is actually located in Wales, but is best reached by crossing the river via a disused railway bridge from the Gloucestershire side at Redbrook. The car park is not well marked and has a probably unenforceable £1 pay and display charge before 6 pm. The pub has a main L-shaped bar with a stone-flagged floor and a small snug off, plus outside seating by the river. On my visit there was a fair amount of banter and reminiscence from a group of locals. Beer is dispensed by gravity from barrels behind the bar, with Wye Valley Butty Bach and Banker’s Draft available when I called. There is also a wide range of traditional ciders. The menu includes a choice of baguettes plus a limited range of hot food.

The Dolphin

The Dolphin, Plymouth, Devon PL1 2LS

An old-fashioned harbourside pub in Plymouth’s historic Barbican area. The interior is one basic Z-shaped bar with fixed seating plus rustic benches and tables arranged rather haphazardly. At some point in the past the two front doors must have given access to separate areas, maybe a front bar and a passageway through to the rear. The clientele is an incongruous mix of down-to-earth locals, business people and tourists, some of whom must be a little baffled by what they find.

Around eight different real ales are served on gravity including Bass, St Austell Tribute and Proper Job, Doom Bar and Otter Ale, although perhaps the selection could be a little more adventurous. In my experience temperature control was fine. Bass is the defining beer in here. No food is served, but you are allowed to bring in meals from local takeaways. The frontage features in a couple of paintings by well-known local artist Beryl Cook, reproductions of which are displayed on the wall.

The Crown

The Crown, Churchill, Somerset BS25 5PP

An old stone-built pub hidden away down a narrow lane in the apex of the junction between the A38 and A368. There are no direction signs at either end, so you would not know it was there unless someone had told you, and the pub itself is identified just by a fading sign on the gable-end.

Inside it has separate lounge and public sides, but all characterised by bare stone walls and flagged floors, contributing to a down-to-earth, rustic atmosphere. There is also a large beer garden at the rear. Up to eight real ales are served by gravity, including Draught Bass, local favourite Butcombe Bitter and their own house beer Batch Bitter brewed by Cotleigh.

Cold food is available at lunchtimes only, including sandwiches, salads and ploughman’s. A highly characterful, distinctive pub that seems to attract a number of middle-class customers from the surrounding area in a way that just would not happen in the North-West.

The Harp

The Harp, Little Neston, Cheshire CH64 0TB

A small white-painted pub in an isolated spot overlooking the Dee salt marshes at the end of a cul-de-sac. The interior comprises a lively public bar on the left and a cosy lounge on the right, both with quarry-tiled floors and real fires in winter. Maybe surprisingly, this area was once a centre of coal-mining and there’s a collection of miners’ lanterns in the bar. A range of cask beers is available including Holt’s Bitter, Taylor’s Landlord and one from the local Peerless Brewery. I have eaten here in the past, but no food seemed to be on offer on my most recent visit. Creditably for a pub in such an off-the-beaten-track location, it opens all day, every day.

The Brushmakers’ Arms

The Brushmakers’ Arms, Oulton, Staffordshire ST15 8UW

Redbrick corner pub with a slightly urban feel, although in a quiet, off-the-beaten-track village near Stone. The heart of the pub is the bar, with quarry-tiled floor, dartboard and extensive bench seating. There’s also a small, cosy lounge right in the corner. Serves a couple of Thwaites beers plus one guest, but no food. A true classic of old-school pubs. Note the scarecrow with plastic barrel propped up against the wall. The Wheatsheaf a couple of doors down the road is now closed.