The Star Alfriston

Whether you're a walker on the South Downs Way, or just pootling around Sussex in the car, The Star makes a tempting pitstop. On the pretty high street of a chocolate box-pretty Sussex village, the venerable timbered inn has been trading since the 13th century, and was run by the monks of Battle Abbey as a 'Holy House' - the wooden sanctuary post offering instant church protection is still in the bar. It hasn't saved the old place from a spot of updating through the centuries though: the Victorians added their bits, and there's a 1960s extension. The kitchen deals in straightforward ideas built on splendid Sussex ingredients, be it a quail's Scotch egg with tartare sauce, or pork tenderloin with château potatoes, braised red cabbage and celeriac purée. Dessert could be chocolate millefeuille with vanilla crème fraîche.