You can find a fine old pub in almost every high street in Britain. If you want an old coaching inn, with beams and an old grandfather clock, you can go for the centre of one of Britain's cities. But if you are wanting to get out to the countryside, opt for a village pub. Here's the special one I found this week. The Royal Oak, Yattendon. We took the M4 from London and approached this tiny village through a series of winding roads with trees meeting overhead and around every corner and bend yet another grand historic house and extensive farms with steeply pitched rooftops.
First, look it up on the map and if you are driving, set your Satnav. How do you spell it? I mis-spelled it several times, yatter, and den. Oops. I finally found the correct spelling and a memory aid. Yatten rhyming with batten, and don, as in a university don.
The Royal Oak is easy to find, dead centre of Yattendon's central square with parking outside or in the car park opposite. The sign on the pub shows an oak tree and a crown.
Inside are a series of rooms, each with an interesting feature such as a fireplace. At the back is a well kept garden with pristine benches and solid well-kept and cut small trees.
Our group of about ten were having a grammar school reunion, having found each other through LinkedIn and the internet. Several had kept in touch, and one of them booked a private room. The room it was laid in advance of our arrival with cutlery, napkins and glasses and menus for every person.
The advantage of a pub lunch is that I can always get a glass of Prosecco, usually reasonably priced. Restaurants not attached to pubs often ask silly prices or cannot supply drinks by the glass. One glass is enough if you are driving. Or the passenger navigating. Thank heavens for Satnav.
More details in next post.
Useful Websites
Wikipedia on Yattendon, its history and famous residents.
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