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Picture of The Black Horse
Image posted by Quinno _
Submitted on Thursday, 28th March 2024
With picture contributions to 4974 other pubs
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The Black Horse, Reading

Pub added by elizabeth mcgraw
Burncote Lane
Checkendon
Postal town: Reading
RG8 0TE
Correct details

Served areas

Reviews of The Black Horse (Average Rating: 9 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Black Horse

Approaching this pub up a narrow country lane, I thought I'd taken a wrong turning.

However, the pub appeared in front of me and I have to agree with Quinno that this is a classic country pub.

Ales and ciders are listed on A4 sheets of paper on a wall which splits the bar in two. Four ales were on offer. Rebellion IPA & West Berkshire Good Old Boy are regulars, whilst guests were Timothy Taylor Landlord & South Oxfordshire Mr Toad's. Real ciders were both from Winkleigh in Devon - Sam's Poundhouse Crisp & Sam's Cloudy Crush. The latter was a new one for me and was definitely on the sweet side.

All beers and ciders are fetched from the cellar and the pub has now succumbed to allowing card payments, presumably as a consequence of the pandemic.

The main bar area was busy with a couple of groups of locals. A second adjacent room was also fully occupied. So, I found myself in the furthest room from the bar, where a group of people with their dogs were just in the process of moving outside, as the dogs were becoming a bit too boisterous. A drink was knocked over during the exodus, with a clear-up ensuing.

Another table had 3 people playing some sort of fantasy game involving playing cards, which seemed far too complicated for my liking.

There are tables out at the front, to enjoy the country air, whilst a peak outside into the rear garden revealed a couple of muddy ship chomping their way through the grass.

Toilets are all outside. The gents is a simple wall to pee against. I'm not sure what provision there is for a number two! There is no sink. Although hand sanetiser is provided!

Easily the best of 10 pubs I visited in Oxfordshire today and the only one to stock real cider.

On 2nd April 2022 - rating: 9
[User has posted 2442 recommendations about 2441 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Quinno _ left this review about Black Horse

A wonderful time-warp pub with a lot of charm, situated in the rambling hamlet of Checkendon. Finding your way here can be tricky in a car, especially at night (don’t fall for the ‘Quiet Lane’ signs like I did once!). Run by the same family for many years, the long red-brick building is around 200 years old but the interior and parts of the exterior detail are very much as it would have been in the mid-1930’s. There are three separate rooms inside; a spartan main bar, its walls yellowed by years of tobacco smoke, offers simple wooden furnishings and is often the focal point for the regulars. To the left, through a doorway, lie two further rooms which are essentially lounges which one suspects were proper pipe-smoking rooms a few years back. All three rooms have a real fire but may not all be open in the winter. Beer available is usually West Berks (Butlers was also served until it went out of business a few years back) with White Horse Bitter also appearing. All ale comes direct from the barrel. Check out the old wooden ‘till’ which is basically a drawer – no card payment here, just cash. No hot food is served; the best you’ll get are sandwiches, pickled eggs and crisps (and I won’t complain about that). Carrying on the basic nature of things, the gents is a comedy outside affair and a right git in the winter. The pub works in all seasons – in the winter it is a cosy, welcoming retreat with its fires and warmth whilst in the summer the outside areas are great for drinking and playing traditional pub games. Also in the front garden you can cross over the road to say hello to the horses in the field opposite.

Unspoilt by modern frivolities, this is a super country pub and well worth a visit - combine a stop here with a trip to the Bell at Aldworth (15 minutes up the road) and you should have an evening to remember.

On 5th September 2013 - rating: 9
[User has posted 5050 recommendations about 5033 pubs]

External web links for The Black Horse

No known official website for this pub.

Pub location see interactive map of local area
Map location corrected by elizabeth mcgraw
Goring & Streatley, 5.75 miles, 1 hr 51 min walk (show)
Pangbourne, 6.1 miles, 1 hr 57 min walk (show)
Cholsey, 7.49 miles, 2 hr 24 min walk (show)
Latest updates View all updates for The Black Horse, Checkendon
28th Mar 2024, 14:51
Picture submitted by Quinno _ approved
 
28th Mar 2024, 14:51
Picture submitted by Quinno _ approved

Pub Details

Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.

  • Accommodation : No last updated 05 September 2013 by Quinno _
  • Bar Billiards : No last updated 29 July 2013 by Quinno _
  • Beer Festivals : No last updated 04 August 2014 by Quinno _
  • Beer Garden : Yes last updated 05 September 2013 by Quinno _
  • CAMRA Discount : No last updated 05 September 2013 by Quinno _
  • Car Park : Yes last updated 05 September 2013 by Quinno _
  • Child Friendly : Yes last updated 20 September 2015 by Quinno _
  • Darts : No last updated 20 September 2015 by Quinno _
  • Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 05 September 2013 by Quinno _
  • Hot Food : No last updated 29 July 2013 by Quinno _
  • Jukebox : No last updated 29 July 2013 by Quinno _
  • Karaoke : No last updated 29 July 2013 by Quinno _
  • Live Music : No last updated 04 August 2014 by Quinno _
  • Live TV Sports : No last updated 29 July 2013 by Quinno _
  • Micropub : No last updated 20 September 2015 by Quinno _
  • Pinball : No last updated 29 July 2013 by Quinno _
  • Pool Table : No last updated 29 July 2013 by Quinno _
  • Real Ale : Yes last updated 29 July 2013 by Quinno _
  • Real Cider : Yes last updated 02 April 2022 by Blue Scrumpy
  • WiFi : No last updated 29 July 2013 by Quinno _
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