The White Hart.

By Bill H on August 25, 2024

Ford, Wiltshire.

We arranged to meet friends Tracy and John for Sunday lunch. They live in Frome so we needed somewhere that was easy for both of us to get to so it had to be south East of Bristol, avoiding Bath.

Tracy suggested somewhere by a River where we could go for a walk and have a decent meal at the same time. Not too much pressure then.

I found the White Hart on the Google maps and it looked as if it was roughly in the right place though there were several other pubs in the area that may well have ticked all the boxes but this one seemed to be ideal. Though there is never a guarantee it will be any good.

So we gave them the three options and let them choose.

The first one was the Bell Inn at Yatton Keynell.

"The Bell Inn had 17th century origins and is rendered with rubble stone and a stone tiled roof. It was originally an old farmhouse. Deeds of 1764 from a pub called 'The Old Inn' was otherwise known as 'The Bell' and consisted of outhouses, stables, a brew house, garden and orchard. In 1881 the proprietor was both a publican and a butcher."

The second was the Quarrymans Arms, Box Hill Corsham:

"A traditional country pub and inn with a history dating back over 250 years, enjoys breathtaking countryside views over the Bybrook Valley and is perfectly positioned for exploring the city of Bath, historic Corsham, Lacock, and the Cotswolds".

The third of course was the White Hart.

Google Maps told us it was about a 25 minute drive but knowing how bad the roads are locally we set out a bit early which meant when we actually got there we had time to have a wander and take some pictures.

There were two car parks at the back of the pub but both were full.

Luckily we found a small space under some trees at the back of the car park.

To get to the Pub you either go back out onto the road and over a stone bridge or take the smaller wooden bridge from the car park over the 'By Brook' into the Garden where there is ample outdoor seating for those warm days. Some of the seating was covered making it accessible, even if it turned wet.

From the garden there was a door into the Restaurant which looked from the outside like an old wooden Scout hut. Inside it was full of character with large wooden tables, a very pretty wood burner and a huge planked, wooden floor.

As we were first to arrive, we got ourselves a drink then went out to the front of the Pub to wait for Tracy and John. We sat in the porch where we could benefit from the weak sunshine whilst staying out of the wind.

Once our Chums arrived we decided to sit out in the back garden to enjoy our drinks.

I took the opportunity to find the Toilets and when I got there an older Guy was stood outside the door marked "Gents".

I asked if this was the queue and he said it was and there was someone in the toilet.

It seemed a bit strange to only have one toilet for such a big pub so I went to the bar and asked the guy serving if this was in fact the only toilet which he confirmed. So i got in line again.

Whilst I was there I started talking to the other guy who told me he was from Texas and was visiting his Daughter who lived in Wales. They were on their way to her house from Heathrow and had stopped at the White Hart for Lunch.
By this time I was rather desperate for the loo so i decided to try and harass who ever was hogging the Bog.

When i pushed the toilet door it opened to reveal three urinals, one cubicle and absolutely no customers.

I signalled to my new American Friend to come on in and asked him if they ever had 'Sticky doors in Texas"?

The Pub itself was old and a bit rambling with some pinch points that would be designed out of a modern pub but it had some great little nooks and crannies.

Once we were seated at our table it was clear Roast Beef with all the trimmings was on everyones minds and with two extra portions of Cauliflower Cheese and two glasses of Red wine for the Girls, we were good to go.

I haven't seen John for quite a while, he's not been well and living in Frome meant that we usually saw each other when we went to Frome for the day, usually for the Market on the first Sunday of each Month. So we had plenty to catch up on.

Johns rare Roast Beef

My Roast

When the food came it looked good, nicely cooked and well presented but the Beef did look a bit rare for my taste, though John said that was how he liked it. However, his slice was way too bloody for me and it was a much thicker cut than the others, which made it a bit tough to cut.

The Greens were fresh and nicely cooked, not soggy like some venues seem to serve Cabbage.

The Red Cabbage was very sweet which was interesting. I'm not usually a fan but I enjoyed this helping.

The Roast Carrot was a bit lonely and could have done with some friends.

Roast Potatoes (3) were surprisingly good as they appeared to be undercooked but were actually spot on.

The large Yorkshire Pudding was good too, it was light and not 'cooked to a crisp' so it was still just soft in the middle.

My single slice of Beef was tasty if a little rare but i could easily have eaten several slices.

My only real criticism was the Gravy. It was weak and thin and had little flavour. Despite that I would have welcomed a bigger slug, or an extra pot to top us up.

As I mentioned earlier, John's cut of Beef was almost raw, tough to cut and had a gristly streak running through it. I'm surprised the Kitchen let that portion out of the kitchen?

The Cauliflower Cheese was pleasant if a bit sterile, but it is always a popular choice and is never left unfinished.

Several small dishes of Horse radish complimented the meal.

After we had eaten the girls went for a walk whilst John and I ordered a Pot of English Tea and carried on catching up on events. (John went to Tolpuddle Festival this year which Jaki and I usually attend).

WE talked about friend's and Politics. John is a full time Official for UNISON and active in the Labour movement so he had lots to tell me about the recent general election. It was great to talk to some one more left wing than me.

When the girls got back we were all ready to leave. John and I split the bill which came in an old book, like a book marker, it was tucked between the pages.

A nice touch.

Service was very professional, polite and accurate.

Timing was good and we didn't have to wait long for anything.

This wasn't a cheap Sunday lunch but given the venue and the quality of the food, i think it just about justified its price tag.

There was an option to add 10% or 15% to the bill (the second time I've come across that in a week) using the swipe machine. The server told us they do get all the tips so we were happy to leave one.