Dave Richardson joins a branch minibus tour in search of our best village pubs
Getting CAMRA members to do beer scores for out of-the-way pubs is always a challenge, but each year we aim to visit some of them with a view to their inclusion in the Good Beer Guide (in this case the 2027 edition), where beer scores are important for which pubs are chosen. Although some of these pubs can easily be reached by public transport, others are not.
Red Lion, Yarnton
Landlady Jess Dixon looked a bit surprised when we banged on her door a couple of minutes before 12 noon opening on a late November Saturday, but soon gave us a warm welcome. This pub is new in the 2026 Good Beer Guide, but many of those on the tour hadn’t been before although Yarnton is on the S3 bus route from Oxford. They soon found out what they were missing as it’s a strong supporter of local real ale and has a big choice of up to seven or eight boxed real ciders.
On this occasion three of the four hand pumps were in use for Hook Norton’s Hooky, Goffs’ Black Knight (a ruby red porter) and what is now the pub’ house bitter, Trunk IPA from Twisted Tree, a new brewery near Bicester. I’d had the Trunk IPA before and was pleased to try it again, as at a flavoursome 4% it’s more like a traditional bitter than the type of over-hopped beer that so many new wave IPAs generally are.
This large village pub – also with an extensive grassed garden overlooking the fields – was saved from possible closure by Oak Taverns, a Thame-based independent pub company with 16 pubs in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. Previously owned by Admiral Taverns, it was closed and put up for sale in 2022 when an unsuccessful community buy-out bid was launched. It’s now in safe hands as a drinkers’ community venue, as Oak Taverns doesn’t serve food at any of its pubs although food vans visit many of them. The Turnpike, a pub just outside Yarnton on the main A44 road, fulfils that role.
Harcourt Arms, Stanton Harcourt
Food is very much part of the offer at this lovely old pub and hotel in a village further west, where we pulled up after passing the Fox on the edge of the village, which closed in 2012 but still has the name on the side. Until a few years ago the Fox still had its name on the pub sign – I wonder if people knocked on the door hoping for a beer?
The Harcourt – not to be confused with a pub of the same name in Jericho, Oxford – proved to be quite a find, as it also serves up to four real ales including two that are hard to find around here, Wherry (a 3.8% amber ale) and Nelson’s Revenge (4.5%) from Woodforde’s brewery in Norfolk. The brewery has a close relationship with a small group of country pubs including this one, the Plough at nearby Kelmscott, and the Ebrington Arms near Chipping Campden.
It’s always good to see quality real ales at a food-led venue, and I enjoyed both my halves of Wherry (named after a Norfolk Broads boat) and Nelson’s Revenge, and with more time I might have sampled the third real ale on today, Purity Gold. The 17th century building (which has a modern but “in keeping” guest room extension) is full of character, low-lit and with armchairs, sofas and log burning stoves in ancient hearths. The menu wasn’t over-pricey with main courses from £18 to £27, and having enjoyed a venison cottage pie here a few years ago my eye was drawn to the game pie (£20) and roast partridge (£27). But with only about 45 minutes in each pub there was no time to eat.
Red Lion, Northmoor
This is a favourite pub of mine being Community-Owned for over a decade and a regular in recent years in the Good Beer Guide, only dropping out after a change of tenancy in 2024 due to CAMRA rules. It now has its sights set on returning to the guide for 2027, and has a strong case. Up to four real ales are on offer mainly from local breweries, although the Fuller’s London Pride on the bar today was a surprise. Most if not all of us opted for one of the two more local ales, an excellent Greedy Goose winter ale from Hook Norton (4.2%) and Top Notch session bitter from Cotswold Lion, a brewery near Cheltenham named after a breed of sheep.
I took my Greedy Goose and sat down among the locals, one of whom was the officially elected Village Idiot! (see more in this issue). It seems that there used to be an old pub around here known as the Nose and Frown, and indeed there was another called the Dun Cow which is still identified as such although it’s now a private house having closed in the 1980s.
As I listened to the Village Idiot’s tales I thought that Northmoor – which can only be reached down single track roads and has no public transport – is just the sort of place where you might find a pub called the Nose and Frown with its own much cherished “idiot”. Being rather isolated, Northmoor has done very well not only to buy its last remaining pub but also to make a go of it with real ales and good value pub food, even installing shepherd’s huts if you want to stay overnight.
Morris Clown, Bampton
Bampton is a small town rather than a village, with four pubs – but only one Morris Clown. An established entry in the Good Beer Guide, this early 19th century hostelry is owned and run as a free house by one of the great characters of the Oxfordshire pub trade, Steve Mace, famous for his wit, banter and for wearing shorts throughout the year. During lockdown he cycled around delivering real ale to his customers, in his shorts, in all weathers – see the Oxford Drinker Online and search for “Mace” if you want to read more.
Two real ales are generally available and Butts’ Barbus Barbus, produced by Cheddar Ales, is often one of them and was my choice today. An easy drinking golden ale named after a fish, it took its place on the bar alongside Loose Cannon’s Abingdon Bridge. I enjoyed it while taking in the atmosphere of this very “locals” pub, where a good crowd of Bampton folk were gathered to enjoy the “craic” and watch a Rugby match on TV. I always enjoy chatting to Steve and seeing whose name is on the “Barred” list behind the bar, usually for misdemeanours such as being unable to play cricket – the names of V. Putin and L. Truss have also featured.
You can enjoy the beers and banter while studying the French-inspired murals painted by Steve’s stepmother, and wondering about the pub’s name as Morris dancing teams have a fool rather than a clown. Check opening times before visiting.
Double Red Duke, Clanfield
Some pub names always intrigue me and that’s certainly true of this lovely old hotel, formerly called the Plough, in a village near Faringdon. Usually you can find out about a name after a few minutes online, but even in this age of rampant AI (now there’s a name for a modern pub!) I’m none the wiser. I have heard that it’s a book or a flower but answers, please on a postcard – preferably from the hotel, inviting me to stay!
What I do know is that this country hotel and gastro-pub is, like the Harcourt Arms, really into its real ales with a particular liking for Uley brewery of Gloucestershire whose beers have porcine associations (Old Spot, Cheeky Swine, Pigor Mortis….. the things you learn in the Oxford Drinker!) Two of the four real ales were from Uley (Pale and Pigs Ear), plus Hook Norton’s Hooky and, continuing the meaty theme, Ramsbury’s Deer Stalker. My half of the Pigs Ear (5.9%) was very tasty if a little too cold, and while sipping it I discovered that the company running the pub, Country Creatures, owns the Mason’s Arms next door and a restaurant in Bicester Village, also called the Double Red Duke.
The ales were all priced at between £5.90 and £6.40 a pint, not over-expensive for a venue that positions itself as a Cotswold retreat with events such as flower pressing and calligraphy. The 17th century stone building (with new conservatory extension) has many nooks and crannies where louche characters could be seen – and this was just our contingent. I had a shock when I looked at the specials menu, however – a dish costing £300! The Wagyu Cowboy beef cut might have been 1.2kg and feeding about six, but veg were probably extra.
Mason’s Arms, Clanfield
It’s described as the Double Red Duke’s “naughty brother just over the road”, so I went across to see just how naughty thinking it might be spit, sawdust and village idiots. No – but this very old stone building, dating from 1610, has more of the atmosphere of a village pub. Previously known as the Clanfield Tavern, it reverted to its original name in 2024 after purchase from Marston’s and renovation by Country Creatures.
The relationship with Uley continues here with Old Spot being one of the real ales available, but Hook Norton’s Hooky is the regular beer. It was very busy for 5pm on a winter Saturday afternoon, with a cosy atmosphere created by real fires, flagged or wooden floors and candles on tables. Meals are better value here with mains from £18 and pub classics such as ham, egg and chips for £17. My half of Old Spot went down well but I still don’t know why this brother (little brother?) is naughty.
Greyhound, Besselsleigh
There was time for one more pub on our way to the Abingdon and Oxford drop-off points, but we can’t consider this one for the Good Beer Guide as it’s not in our branch area but White Horse. It’s beside the A420 a few miles west of Oxford and one of about 70 venues run by Brunning and Price, which describes itself as “a group of pub restaurants”. That pretty well describes it but it’s also known for real ale, with its own badged bitter brewed by St Austell, Sharp’s Doom Bar, Loose Cannon Abingdon Bridge and two real ales from Little Ox – Ox Blood and Hufflepuff.
The view around our table was that the ales we tried weren’t in peak condition, and the badged bitter was changed while we were there. It’s one to try on another day.
So which pubs would I go back to? Most if not all of them, as we’d seen a great variety of beers and atmosphere. I might return to one of those with accommodation for a special occasion – as long as the Village Idiot doesn’t come knocking!
