The Crown Inn

The Crown is a proper village pub, from the spreading chestnut tree in the small courtyard at the front, to the enormous hearth in the bar and thatched roof.

Food is a point of pride here, so arrive hungry. Starters might be ham hock and smoked chicken croquettes or crispy fried squid with chilli-pickled cucumber, perhaps steak, ale and mushroom pie or a spicy black bean burger – all made with the best local ingredients owner Marcus can find. You’ll find lighter bites on the lunch menu, all served in the round dining room or on the terrace outside on warmer days.

If you’re breaking a long journey here, consider overnighting in one of the comfortable bedrooms to make the most of both the ale and the surrounds. Fotheringhay church up the road is enormous and is steeped in Plantagenet and Tudor history, the historic town of Stamford is a short drive away, or you can take a wander along the river that supposedly inspired ‘Wind in the Willows’.