The Trout Inn

An old riverside inn on the banks of the Isis, as the Thames is known here. It was built around 1133 as a hospice to serve Godstow Nunnery, the ruins of which are on the opposite bank. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, some of the abbey's stones were removed and used to rebuild the former hospice as a hostelry. With stone walls, slate roof, leaded windows, great oak beams, flagged floors and ancient fireplaces (always lit in winter), it is arguably Oxford's most atmospheric inn. Matthew Arnold and Lewis Carroll certainly knew it, as did Colin Dexter's fictional Inspector Morse. A single menu sets out to meet all tastes. Start with a prawn cocktail, Irish mussels, or maybe breaded flat mushrooms. Then deliberate between a chargrilled steak, or hake fillet in coriander and coconut crumb; breaded wholetail scampi with dressed mixed salad and seasoned chips, or minted lamb burger with onion; beef, mushroom and ale pie. Listed as pub classics are lemon and cracked pepper glazed chicken; and chargrilled calves' liver and bacon. Freshly cut sandwiches (Gloucestershire ham and Wexford Cheddar; and salt beef with gherkins and English mustard, for example) are served with seasoned chips. A short but perfectly adequate wine list offers examples from Australasia, South America, South Africa, Italy and Spain. Mulled wine is served in winter; Pimm's in summer. A ghost, well known locally as The White Lady, visits the Trout regularly. She is Rosamund, the much-loved mistress of Henry II, who 'embowered' her here. Her feet are never seen, as the floor level is now higher than that of the old hospice. She also knocks bottles off tables and stands behind people in the bar (but never buys her round!).

From A40 at Wolvercote rdbt (N of Oxford) follow signs for Wolvercote, through village to pub
Nearest station: Oxford
Nearest motorway: M40 junct 8/9

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