Guide to Good Pubs in the South of England

Good Pubs for Real Ales, Good Beers and Good Pub Grub

The Horse and Jockey, Hipley, (not to be confused with the pub of the same name at Curbridge) has a pleasing ambiance. Although the exterior architecture has no significant features, inside reveals beams and other evidence of antiquity. The sign outside the pub commemorates the remarkable achievements of a local horse and rider, which gave the pub its name.

On the night of December 14, 1870, Lord Poulett dreamt he saw his elegant gray horse winning the next year’s national. A dream that came true when The Lamb rode into history, as one of the few mounts, to win the event on more than one occasion.

The pub has an extensive, pleasant beer garden/eating out area with a bridge over a stream and children’s swings.

At The Rising Sun, near a D-Day monument in Southampton, World War II memorabilia makes up a big part of the pub's decor but punters come for the skittles and the quiz nights.

This pub is "Cask Marque" accredited for Real Ales including Green King IPA, Old Speckled Hen, Abbott, Ringwood Best, Hardy’s and Hanson Old Trip - surely enough to attract real ale enthusiasts.

The Rising Sun has a history dating from the late seventeenth century. Situated on the banks of the River Hamble, the nearby car park hosts a commemorative plaque to the commando units who sailed on the night of 5th June 1944 for the D-Day landings.

The Royal Oak is a wee charmer in Fritham on the edge of the New Forest. This is a popular area for country walks and the Royal Oak welcomes walkers and their dogs. And if you eat in their large picnic area, you might encounter the occasional pig, New Forest pony or cow wandering free.

In 2005, this was voted Hampshire Life Pub of the year. It has also been CAMRA Regional Pub of the year on three occasions.

Situated on the edge of a New Forest village green, the Royal Oak Pub enjoys a bosky corner of the New Forest, beloved by walkers, riders and dog lovers (Don’t be surprised if dogs almost outnumber humans). In medieval times the area had a holy well which was reputed to cure leprosy.

The Fisherman's Rest is housed in a Grade II listed building, circa 1740, made from local red brick. Its four 18th century bays are of special architectural interest. The building began life as a tannery before becoming the Railway Inn in the late 1800's.

There's an impressive choice of real ales including Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen, Abbot Ale, Ringwood Best and a seasonal guest ale. The menu include a good selection of pub favorites with a new twist here and there.

A pleasant spot to eat in good weather, the beer garden is bordered by the River Meon, and a country road. It is not unusual for visitors to be joined by scrounging ducks.

The Welldigger's Arms, on the South Downs is close to the National Trust's Petworth House, one of our Ten Best Stately Homes in England. Handy for walkers, the pub occupies a prime spot in a lovely rural area.

The pub is a 300-year-old, West Sussex inn, boasting an inglenook fireplace, suitably blackened, as evidence of its log burning. Being a Free House the bar offers a wide range of real ales and lagers. And, we hear the French onion soup is locally famous.

Petworth House, not far away, has one of the best international art collections of any stately home managed by the National Trust. This pub is also a great spot to rest after a bit of a stroll along the South Downs Way.

In Lurgashall, a West Sussex town with a Saxon name but an older pedigree, The Noah's Ark is a tiny, 450 year old pub sharing the Village Green with a noted winery. It's just down the road from one of the National Trust's great stately homes, Petworth House and Park.

In 1557, a village inn was built at the side of the Green, probably with funds provided by the Manor. At first it had no name, since it was not necessary to distinguish it from any other, but ever since records began, in about 1700, it has been known as The Noah's Ark. Its unusual name might arise from a pond that was once outside the door. Apparently, patrons had to cross to refresh themselves, giving the impression of animals crossing into the Ark before the deluge.

This gourmet gastropub in the Georgian town of Wickham is not far from Portsmouth, Winchester and Southampton. Located in the picturesque Meon Valley and Bere Forest, Wickham is a hub for walkers, cyclists and history buffs. It has a 900 year old church and a unique connection to the War of 1812 and a famous American saying.

When the HMS Shannon captured the USS Chesapeake in 1813, outside Boston Harbor, the Shannon's captain also captured the long oak timbers of the heavy frigate, now part of the nearby Chesapeake Mill in Wickham. The timbers give evidence of the ferocity of the battle, which gave rise to American Captain James Lawrence's immortal dying words, "Don’t give up the ship."

Chichester originated as a Roman settlement. At its medieval center, a 500-year-old Market Cross straddles a crossroads with four roads leading off it. In an historic town what better than an historic Pub. The Old Cross, at 65 North Street, certainly looks the part with its half timbering and meandering roof tiles, not to mention the notice painted on one of the ceiling beams, announcing that the pub was built on Chapter land granted by King John himself. I was positive the place originated before Columbus was a lad. But alas, even an old pub hound like myself can be fooled now and then. In fact, the pub is far more youthful, having been built during the reign of George V (which Yanks may not realize ended in 1936).

The site of The Ship Anson in Portsmouth, England - home of the Royal Navy - has been associated with pubs and ale houses since the 1600s. If you're an anglophile, you've probably heard the expression "to take the King's shilling". The Ship Anson pub is right next to where the expression originated.

Louisa Walcott, who ran a pub, dropped coins into her unwary customers' tankards. Traditionally, once they drank, they had taken the King's shilling and were recruited into the Navy. She recruited 26,572 men into the Navy.

It's a great place to stop for a drink and a cheap to moderately priced meal if you are visiting some of Portsmouth's great sites - HMS Warrior, Nelson's HMS Victory and the new Spinnaker Tower, built for the Millennium.

If you find yourself in the vicinity of Porchester after an interesting (but perhaps tiring) visit to the Castle, and are in need of a rest and refreshment, then The Cormorant, a typical English Pub in Castle Street, could be the answer.

Located almost at the end of the village (so apart from visitors to the Castle and dog walkers there is no through traffic), this is a quiet, traditional pub, believed to be one of the six English pubs in the area when Napoleonic prisoners were held in the Castle. In those days, they were reputed to be both pubs and brothels.

In Saxon times, Titchfield was possibly a Royal Estate. It later featured in William the Conqueror's Doomsday Book and over the centuries the area has served various industries as well as farming and the sea.

The river Meon has, over the centuries, served at least six mills producing iron, corn and animal feed. Amongst these is the Titchfield village corn mill. The Mill occupies a site that may go back to the tenth century, but the present building dates from 1829, and was worked as a mill until the 1950’s. The interior boasts exposed beams, and offers cosy, intriguing little eating areas on various levels. Here and there, a cog wheel gives evidence of the mill's origin.

A charming Hampshire pub on the edge of a nature reserve, near Southampton, the Horse and Jockey sits on the Hamble estuary, at the convergence of the Hamble and Cur Rivers, Curbridge is an ideal spot for birdwatching, gentle rambles and messing about in small boats.

When the tide is right, visitors in boats and canoes can paddle up the Hamble from Southampton to the back door of the pub. The owners of this handsome, traditional pub considerately provide a tide table on their website. A National Trust wildlife sanctuary, maintained by the Hampshire Wildlife Trust, begins right beside the pub.