Summary (by AI): I visited The Bell in Aldworth, my favorite historic pub in the world, and found absolute perfection in its simple, high-quality rolls and timeless atmosphere.
Blog: I have a vague, loose rule that I never visit a place I’ve already been to for a ABC entry. However, rules are made to be bent, and there are a few exceptions that absolutely demand it. This is one of them.
The Bell in Aldworth is, quite literally, my favorite pub in the world. It is the perfect, quintessentially English country pub. You don’t just have to take my word for it, either; it’s been named CAMRA’s National Pub of the Year twice, most recently in 2019. Because I’ve been there so many times, I initially thought it might be a bit cheeky to put it in the "Pub" category—plus, I already have another Berkshire spot in mind for that slot.
So, I looked down my list and realized that "Kitchen" was the perfect fit. I deliberately kept that category vague—I didn't call it "Restaurant," for instance—so I could remain open to anywhere that serves food I genuinely love. And the Bell serves the most fantastic food. By "fantastic," I mean they serve rolls. Rolls, rolls, and nothing else. They have cheese rolls, pickle rolls, ham rolls, and salad rolls. Today, I had a salt beef roll with fresh horseradish and lovely, thinly sliced onions. It was absolute perfection. I’ve "wedged" the Bell into the Kitchen category because it absolutely needed to appear on this ABC tour. If you’re going to Berkshire, this is one stop that simply has to be done.
The building itself is a step back in time, with the "bones" of the structure dating back to roughly 1340. It possibly started its life as a manor house. Inside the taproom, you’ll find "witch marks" on the massive inglenook fireplace—burn marks intended to protect the building from evil spirits. The service is just as historic; they have a "savoury hatch" that looks like a wood-paneled phone box, where they serve you through gliding glass partitions.
It has been in the same family—the Macaulay family—since 1812. Hugh, the current landlord, recently established the Aldworth Brewing Company, which produces a beer called "Five Giants." The name comes from the local church, which houses huge stone effigies of the De La Beche family, the medieval Lords of the Manor.
It is a fabulous place. Every time I go, I tell myself I need to bring my mum and dad—my dad in particular would absolutely love it. You sit outside in a lovely country garden with no "gastropub" trappings and nothing fancy. It’s just good quality food, good quality beer, and decent prices. What is there not to like? Actually, what is there not to love?
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