Touring the Banburyshire pubs on a bike: The Butchers Arms & White Horse at King's Sutton

In support of village pubs around the area after the pandemic Miles Doughty is touring them by bike. Here is his latest column.
By Philip Hibble
Published 5th Nov 2020, 14:22 GMT
Updated 5th Nov 2020, 14:26 GMT
Howard, Celia and Miles.Howard, Celia and Miles.
Howard, Celia and Miles.

Pub pedals – The Butchers Arms & White Horse

By Miles Doughty

Get the fires going

A map of the route.A map of the route.
A map of the route.

The weather certainly changed this week with cooler temperatures, and stronger winds, but it didn’t stop Celia and Howard joining me again to find out how two more local pubs are surviving the pandemic. We set off to Thenford we bypassed Marston St. Laurence and enjoyed the view of Marston House across it’s lovely lake. Then, through Farthinghoe, to Charlton, we shared the clear skies and sunshine with a plethora of parachutists from the nearby Hinton airfield. We bypassed Newbottle, (which is worth a visit if you have never been) and headed through the village before turning off to King's Sutton. We then enjoyed freewheeling downhill into the village where we were greeted by the spectacular church spire and the amusingly named road “The Knob”, from I guess, the small lump where the park is located.

From the green and Gothic church we headed first to the Butchers Arms. The landlady, Karen, welcomed us outside and reminded us to wear our masks before we settled in to excellent table service. I was soon enjoying a unusual but appropriately named beer called ‘Metzger Brauen’ (butcher’s brew) - apparently, the first brew from a new Hook Norton brewer. Karen had been impressed with the brewery during the pandemic who provided 4-pint Growlers to allow people to enjoy beer with the takeaway food. They had also donated a special ‘Repair the Roof’ beer to help raise money for the preschool.

For food we headed to the White Horse to try out their fayre and were welcomed by a roaring fire in the bar. The orangey finish of my pint of Brakespeare’s Oxford Gold went really well with the mackerel scotch egg and chips I chose from the Food Truck menu. This had been serving food outside and to take away during lockdown and only recently has the more extravagant fixed price menu been served. I couldn’t to resist the Chocolate Ganache, Hazelnut & Coffee. We wondered if you used to get such things from the Old Sweet Shoppe round the corner?

As we headed out of village, up the hill past Astrop House, Celia may have been grateful for the medicinal effects of the water from the spring discovered there in the 17th Century and made it a “paradise of pleasure”. Instead a soak in the bath will have to do to ease the aches and prepare for another pub pedal next week.

Route 13 – 14.8 miles https://www.maps.ie/map-my-route/viewMap.php?route=162105