Masons Arms, Headington, Oxford

A free house nestled in quiet Headington Quarry just off the Oxford ring road which was once a small village built on a limestone quarry (hence the name), The Masons is one of the city's gems, and should definitely be on any pub ticker's Oxford 'to do' list. An old school pub with an old school clientele: Aunt Sally, darts and bar billiards are all played here. A five-ale line-up on a Saturday afternoon visit found Timothy Taylor Boltmaker, Rebellion Smuggler, Kirkstall Pale Ale, Wye Valley HPA and Tiny Rebel Show Me The Money: pints of the latter two in excellent condition (new NBSS = Excellent). I made sure to compliment the landlord on the cellarmanship, but having been Oxford Camra's Pub of the Year six times since 2004, and a perennial in the Good Beer Guide, he was probably well aware.

I can't add much to that below. This is a family-run pub, friendly older locals with a slightly dated interior and yes, the window fan *is* noisy. I'm also not a big fan of net/mesh curtains as not only are they very dated, but aren't very welcoming. I'm also not at all enamoured of TV sport which is shown here on multiple screens which no-one was watching - 1 point deducted. In all this is a nice, lively pub and if I were a local I'd come here frequently. That said, Quinno's description of this as being a backstreet pub is an understatement; I only turfed up here out of chance because my friend lives around the corner. Otherwise, this pub is in the middle of nowhere which perhaps adds to its charm.