Pubs On The Cut
The pubs in this list have been sampled by various contributors and the comments represent their personal views. If you would like to provide updated or new information, please email us at webmaster@nb-bronington.co.uk showing the detail in the format we have used.
| Grand Union Canal | Kennet and Avon Canal | Oxford Canal | Stratford-on-Avon Canal |
Grand Union Canal
Lapworth
The Navigation Inn is just north of Kingswood
Junction where the B4439 crosses Kingswood Bridge (65).
The rather basic decor internally serves well as a 'local' but this
is compensated by plenty of inside tables and a large canalside
garden (with a single mooring). A very extensive menu board offers a
varied menu, service is prompt and friendly, and the portions very
large.
Plenty of mooring along the towpath against a stone cill as
well as the single mooring under a weeping willow.
Lunch twice in July 2007
Long Itchington
The Blue Lias is adjacent to Stockton Bridge
(23) and a 15 minute walk from Stockton Marina.
A busy and popular pub with interesting internal decor and a lovely
canalside garden including a few moorings (which are very popular).
Excellent good value for money pub grub with a daily menu board of
half a dozen items.
Limited moorings in this very popular area at the bottom of the
Stockton flight.
Lunch Jul 2007.
Stockton
The Boat Inn is located adjacent to
Stockton Marina where the A426 Bridge (21) crosses the GU Canal.
A rather austere
pub internally although a large garden and canal-side tables compensate for this.
An extensive menu with prompt service and ample portions (although there were only 2
tables eating).
Plenty of good moorings along the towpath opposite (as well as in the
marina of course).
Lunch Jul 2007, dinner Oct 2007.
Weedon
The
Globe about 200 metres east of Bridge 24 on the A24.
ph 013227 340336.
Friendly staff and an extensive menu with a wide variety of choices
including some basic curries and special deals. However, the
food is ordinary and so is the pub. If you would like Indian
or Chinese meals there are restaurants very close by on the way back
to the canal.
Moorings below Bridge 24.
Dinner Sep 2007.
Kennet and Avon Canal
Avoncliff
Cross
Guns, towpath side at the southern end of Avoncliff
Aqueduct. BA15 2HB, ph 01225 862335.
Map
A small 16th Century free house pub which is very popular and gets
very busy so you need to book on weekends and in holidays. A
good choice of ales and good food. A very picturesque setting.
Plenty of good moorings both sides of the aqueduct, especially the
southern side but note that the towpath crosses sides under then
over the aqueduct.
Dinner Sep 2006.
Bradford on Avon
The
Beehive, northern side (towpath side) of the canal 50
metres from Widbrook Bridge (170), Trowbridge Rd, Bradford on Avon, A15
1UA, ph 01225 863620.
Map
Plain on the outside and inside - but a great pub.
Frequented by friendly live-aboard narrow boat owners who also make
up some of the bar staff. Excellent, tasty home cooked style
meals. An unpretentious pub which is probably our favourite on
the Kennet and Avon.
Dinner Sep 2006.
Devizes
Black Swan Hotel, on the left coming from the canal, Market
Place, Devizes, SN10 1JQ, ph 01380 723259.
Map
The pub has good food with good service and is just the place to
wait while your laundry is being done.
Very good launderette a couple of doors back towards the canal
and an excellent Chinese takeaway between the launderette and the
pub. Devizes market day is Thursday.
Lunch Sep 2005, 2006.
Froxfield
Pelican Inn, north over Froxfield Bridge (90) on the A4 (Bath
Rd), ph 04188 682479.
Map
17th Century inn which took its name from the Pelican Coach
Company whose carriages stopped here on their way from London to
Devizes. Recently refurbished but done well. Restaurant
meals. Good food. Large garden/lawn area.
Dinner Sep 2005.
Great Bedwyn
Three Tuns, north-west of Bedwyn Wharf Bridge (95) along street
on right hand side, SN8 3NU, ph 01672 870280.
Map
Nothing traditional about the décor but friendly and good food.
Acceptable, reasonably priced wines.
Lunch and dinner Sep 2005, dinner Sep 2006.
Honeystreet
Barge Inn, right on the canal just west of Honeystreet Bridge
(124), SN9 5PS, ph 01672 851705.
Map
An original canal pub. Now also the meeting place of the
crop circle followers and there are some great photographs in
the pub. Simple food which can vary from average to good.
It’s a popular pub with sightseers and the service can be
off-hand at times. It’s best to visit during the week.
On the weekends it becomes busy with sightseers and day boat
trippers from Devizes with the latter mooring anywhere including
blocking the BW water point.
Lunch Sep 2005, 2006.
Hungerford
John O’Gaunt Inn, north of Hungerford Bridge (84) along Bridge
St, RG17 0EG, ph 01488 683535.
Map
Comfortable ambience. Pub style meals of variable quality.
Lunch in Sep 05 was acceptable but there was nothing flash about
lunch in Sep 06.
Kintbury
Prince of Wales, South from Kintbury Bridge (75), second street
on the left at 28 Newbury St, RG17 9UU, ph 01488 658269.
Map
Small locals pub. Friendly. No food. When we
were there on a Saturday, someone was selling good steak
sandwiches etc from a barbecue in the pub car park. Drink
here with friendly locals and then, to eat, go back down to the
‘touristy’ Dundas Arms on the canal.
Sep 2005.
Seend Cleeve
Barge Inn, adjacent to Seend Wharf Bridge (153),
SN12 6QB, ph 01380 828230.
Map
Right on the canal but a restaurant rather than a pub and quite
pretentious. Pleasant
moorings beside the pub and BW moorings, water, garbage disposal and
pump-out on the opposite bank (but it can be a bleak mooring if
there is a wind blowing). An extensive menu but, in the
evening, we found the food average and the service poor. (For
example, the bottle of white wine we ordered was placed on the table
unopened and without a wine cooler.) The lunch we had was
better. It gets very busy in the evening and on weekends. Not
our favourite pub on the canal and we are unlikely to stop there
again.
Lunch and dinner
Sep 2006.
Wilcot
Golden Swan, south from Wilcot Bridge (117), SN9 5NN, ph 01672
562289.
Map
Quaint locals pub with supposedly the steepest thatched roof in
Wiltshire. Friendly. No food (despite what some
canal guides say). Some odd opening times. Worth a
visit. Ladies should visit the ladies toilet just to see
how small the pub is.
Sep 2005, 2006.
Woolhampton
Rowbarge Inn, south bank near the lift bridge, ph 01189 712213.
Map
Free house, bar snacks and restaurant meals. Friendly,
good food, pleasant conservatory, large outdoor area fronting
the canal. Busy at weekends so it is advisable to book.
Lunch and dinner Sep 2005.
Wootton Rivers
Royal Oak, north from Wootton Rivers Bridge (108), SN8 4NQ, ph
01672 810322.
Map
16th Century thatched free house, meals in the bar or the
restaurant. Friendly, good food. If you like Pimm's
order by the jug and get the old-style full works including
fruit, umbrellas etc. Busy at weekends so you may need to book.
Lunch and dinner Sep 2005, 2006.
Oxford Canal
Claydon
There is no pub in Claydon despite what some maps say.
Cropredy
There are two pubs in Cropedy and The Red Lion is the better of the two. However, the Brasenose Arms has the better outdoor area.
The Red Lion,
in the village opposite the church above Cropredy Lock Bridge (152),
Red Lion Street, OX17 1PB, ph 01295 750224.
A delightful 'gastro-pub' in a terrace of thatched cottages serving
a wide range of international dishes. Lunchtime tends towards
'lite-bites' and substantial 'ploughmans' whilst the evening menu is
more extensive and interesting. They have special feature nights
(e.g. tapas). Reservations recommended for evening dining.
Toilets of a high standard and with interesting wall hangings.
Limited mooring below the lock although plenty of moorings above the
lock.
Lunch Jul 2007.
Brasenose
Arms, east of Cropedy Wharf Bridge (153), Station Rd, ph
01295 750244.
A 17th century pub with a restaurant. Large garden area to the rear.
Home style meals from an extensive menu. One of our group
pronounced the lambs liver and bacon the best he had ever tried.
The kitchen seems to get overwhelmed if there are any more than 15
dining.
Limited moorings between Bridges 152 & 153 but plenty above the lock
and Bridge 152.
Dinner August 2007.
Great Bourton
The Bell. I wouldn't bother. It's a good mile walk (along the road or through the fields) from Cropedy and wasn't open at midday on a Tuesday and there was no sign to say when it would be open.
Little Bourton
Plough. This pub is just under one mile from Bridge 158 and it's not worth a visit. An unattractive pub in an unattractive setting on the A432. It wasn't open when we visited at 6:30 pm on a Monday evening and there was no sign giving opening times. Locals were not sure but thought that it may open at 7 pm. We didn't bother waiting.
Lower Heyford
The
Bell, east over Heyford Wharf Bridge (206) along Station Rd then
left at the first street, 21 Market Square, ph 01869 350208. A
well preserved and friendly 17th century inn facing onto the old
market place. Has a selection of 'visitor' ales which change
regularly. Has a set menu and a daily blackboard menu and the
selection is varied ranging from pub food to restaurant style meals.
Limited moorings both sides of bridge 206. Moorings also
available near Mill Lift Bridge (205) and you can use the bridge to
access the pub from the east. Well worth a visit even if just
for the setting. Drinks only, August 2007.
Oxford
The
Anchor, 50 metres directly east of Aristotle Bridge (240)
on Hayfield Road, OX2 6TT, ph 01865 510282.
A deco style brick pub with a sociable character. Restaurant
style menu with variety. Good meals presented well. Efficient
and friendly staff whose life was not made easy by those patrons
insisting on table service for their drinks. Good coffee.
WiFi connection which is free but you need to ask for the password.
24 hour moorings immediately south of Bridge 240.
Dinner August 2007.
Napton
The Bridge at Napton is adjacent to Napton
Bridge (111). The pub has a large garden and pleasant panelled
canalside dining area. More interesting evening menu available all
day and cooked to order. Note that it is closed at Monday
lunchtimes except during school holidays.
Mooring against piles above the winding hole adjacent to Bridge 111.
Lunch Jul 2007.
Thrupp
The
Boat Inn, a canal-side pub 50 metres from the canal
moorings 400 metres south of Bridge 221, ph 01865 374279.
Attractive pub with good bar restaurant and outdoor areas in a
pleasant setting. Friendly staff and good service. Menu
is not extensive but provides well thought out restaurant style
choices of meals. The meals were prepared and presented well
and were enjoyed by all. Good coffee in a style of your
choice.
Dinner twice in August 2007.
Upper Heyford
The Barley Mow, 600 metres up the hill from Lock
36 (and Bridge 204) on Sommerton Road, OX25 5LB, ph 01869 232300.
Map
It's quite a climb up to this family run locals style Fullers pub but it's worth
it. Friendly staff and good service. Simple
meals from a menu with a range of choices are served at lunch and dinner.
You can connect your laptop computer to the internet at a good WiFi
connection speed - and it's free of charge.
There a good moorings in a very pleasant setting downstream from the
lock.
Dinner August 2007.
Stratford-on-Avon Canal
Lowsonford
Fleur de Lys is located in this small village
alongside the canal just north of Bridge 41 and Lock 31.
This old pub combines a number of cottages to form a very
comfortable beamy area for dining as well as a sunken lounge, a
patio and a large canalside garden. A comprehensive roast menu
is offered at Sunday lunchtimes whilst throughout the week a large
lunch and evening menu is available. It is famous for its wide
range of 'Lys' pies (recommended).
Reasonable number of casual moorings on the towpath opposite.
Lunch & dinner July 2007.