Talented South-West chef, Jamie Barnett (Lucknam Park, Lygon Arms, Bowood) has joined 12th Century pub, The Castle Inn as Head Chef. Located in the centre of one of England’s most picturesque villages, Castle Combe, The Castle Inn is a destination pub filled with rustic charm, complete with 12 ensuite rooms and offering local beverages matched with good, honest pub food.
Head Chef Jamie Barnett comments, “I’m thrilled to have joined the team at The Castle Inn and am excited to create and deliver a menu that pays homage to traditional gastro-dining, using quality local produce from trusted suppliers and delivering each dish with warm hospitality. For me, pub fare isn’t about being fancy, it’s about imparting great cookery and letting the produce speak for itself.”
Guests can expect traditional gastro dishes – hearty-fare filled with excellent local produce, cooked simply – with the menu changing often to adapt to the seasons. For example, current snacks include Home cured Bresaola & padron peppers and Salt beef croquettes & aioli, before starters of Twice baked double barrelled cheese souffle; Castle Inn scotch egg, BBQ beans & burnt ends; and Beetroot cured salmon, fennel, pickled raddish & pickled beetroot. Classic mains of Castle burger, cheese, bacon jam, house pickles, burger sauce & fries; Wiltshire venison steamed pudding, wild mushroom, sticky red cabbage & mashed potato; Steak frites, bearnaise and watercress; and Cotswold battered catch of the day, hand cut chips, mushy peas & tartare reign supreme. The dessert offering meanwhile includes Sticky toffee stout pudding with vanilla ice cream; Banoffee arctic roll & caramalised banana; and White chocolate cheesecake, gingerbread puree & cinnamon ice cream. A selection of Old Cheese Room cheeses with pear chutney and crackers is also available on request alongside a hand-picked offering of Dalva Port.
In tandem with Jamie’s appointment, modest and considerate restoration projects have been carried out throughout the pub, with the aim of preserving yet enhancing the charm of this historic building. Drinkers can now take a pew at the bar or in one of the pub’s many armchairs, whilst diners can relax in for a long afternoon or evening either at a table in the bar, the central dining room or outdoor terrace. And those looking to host events are welcome to take-over one of the inn’s wooden-clad private dining spaces, seating between 6 to 24 guests, with the option to hire the entire property. Upstairs, 12 ensuite bedrooms provide a comfortable retreat for those looking to explore the pub’s surrounds as part of a mini escape to the country.
Opposite The Castle Inn is sibling Exclusive Collection property, The Manor House, a fairytale 14th Century luxury hotel and golf club, also home to Michelin starred restaurant, Bybrook overseen by Rob Potter.
The Castle Inn is open daily for lunch between 12pm and 2.30pm and dinner from 6.00pm-8.30pm, Sunday lunch is served between 12pm to 3pm. Between service the bar remains open for drinks only.
Rooms are available at the inn on a B&B basis from £205, alternatively guests are able to dine and stay at The Manor House from £320 in a Cosy Room and inclusive of breakfast.
