By the time Tony Goulding got to Woodstock, the pubs were eight strong!
Woodstock is so easy to travel to these days as four buses per hour operate from Oxford, some via Kidlington and some via Yarnton and Begbroke. After alighting the bus, you are surrounded by pubs.
The first one to visit is the 12th century Punch Bowl, now owned by Arkell’s, a Swindon brewery. For many years, this pub was a popular free house with two/three unusual beers on the bar. Today, the beer choice is not that exciting from Arkell’s with 3B and Donkels, a collaboration with sister brewery Donnington. Good food is served all day long and there are rooms to retire to.
Just a few yards across the road is the Crown, a former sprawling Courage house now serving very popular food along with interesting cask ales. On the day, from Amwell Springs near Wallingford, were Why Not Now, Easy Geez and Rude Not To – excellent tasting beers with slightly daft names. Fifty years ago, the pub was described as smart and busy, and nothing has changed (would be Rude Not To visit!)
Around the corner, five minutes’ walk away in Park Lane, is the old 17th century pub called Back Lane, renamed from the Kings Head. This was one of the two famous Spud pubs (the other one was Sturdy’s Castle) where two dozen different baked potatoes were on the menu. Nowadays, really fine food is served along with a couple of cask ales. On the day Black Sheep bitter and Timothy Taylor Landlord were being served. This former Halls pub was then acquired by Punch Taverns and then seemed to lose its way a little. In the last 12 months a real sparkle has arrived and it can be very busy.
Another five-minute walk leads through the rear courtyard of one of the oldest buildings in town, the Bear Hotel, which was serving Morland Old Speckled Hen on hand pump. This brings us to the Star Inn on Market Square, which for many years has been the lively heart of Woodstock. Being a Charles Wells of Bedford house, you would expect some of its beers here — not so! On the bar were Sharp’s Doom Bar, St Austell Tribute, Landlord, plus Adnams’ Southwold Bitter and Ghost Ship.
A few yards down the road we find the Woodstock Arms, a former Bass house acquired by Morrells. Following Morrells’ demise, Greene King now owns this lively pub. Very good food, comfortable rooms and a popular rear patio make for a pleasant experience. On the bar are up to three cask ales with on-the-day Landlord and Brakspear Gravity along with a real cider, Sandford Orchards.
Just across the road is the large, imposing Kings Arms Hotel, once a Bass house and owned by Fuller’s pub company for the last 10 years, very well known for fine food and comfortable rooms. The building is older than the nearby famous Blenheim Palace, having been built in the 1500s. Beers being served were London Pride, Golden Days and I’m Freshening Up (daft name or what!). The service and ambience here was very enjoyable. Across the road is the Woodstock Social Club, a private members’ bar serving Doom Bar and occasional local beers, such as Little Ox.
The best real ale pub in town, the Black Prince, remains closed with its future uncertain. Former pubs converted to housing are the Queen’s Own (known as the Tuppenny Tube) and the Rose & Crown. Also in town, the Marlborough Arms is a private hotel not selling cask ale.
Woodstock is worth a visit for a pint or two, or perhaps a crawl!
