I pushed the boat out and put my neck on the line and announced that I had found the Best Pub in the World. I was really confident about this statement though….and lo, nobody contested. The 15thC Duke is miniscule, well at least it was before they extended out the back. But we’ll let them have that. The garden still dwarfs the building – totally brilliantly disproportionate! The garden banks up at the back into woods and the other side looks over the South Downs. You can choose your trout from the spring and they have a kitchen garden. If you do go, ask for a table in the main pub – much more atmospheric. The booze is great and well priced. They have Nyetimber! And nobody had a duff dish. Samphire abound. How long til I can go again??
Duke of Cumberland, Henley (not the boating Henley btw, this is a hamlet), West Sussex 01428 652280
