The King’s Head Inn

Archie and Nicola Orr-Ewing have created a seamless blend of friendly village local and gastropub-with-rooms at their former 16th-century cider house overlooking the green. You can pop in for a pint of Hook Norton by the fire in the beamed bar with ‘relaxed atmosphere’, while the children feed the ducks on the brook or enjoy ice creams from the pub’s shepherd’s hut. In the dining room and courtyard, impressive food is served by ‘excellent, warm and friendly staff’. Menus use free-range and organic local produce, running from pub classics to dishes such as haunch of venison with red wine jus or tiger prawn linguine. Smallish bedrooms, above the pub and in the courtyard annexe, are supplied with ‘generous amounts’ of bespoke Bantam toiletries. The rooms have been designed, shabby-chic style, by Mrs Orr-Ewing (aka Nicola de Selincourt, milliner), with decorative Cole & Son wallpaper prints and junk-shop bric-a-brac (which isn't to everyone's taste – some readers were not keen on the look, while very much enjoying the rest of the experience). ‘The food was very good, and it was run with a quiet efficiency. Would certainly recommend.’