The Cock Inn, Lewes

A few miles before you get to Lewes on the A26 the Cock Inn is tucked away in a cul de sac just off the main road on what was the original A26 before a bit of road straitening left it isolated and you have to turn sharpish when you get to the pub sign on the main A26 or you’ll miss it and drive straight past. We were staying in a holiday rental at the end of the Uckfield Road dead end virtually next door to the pub and found it in rude health after reopening in July post covid lock down. This is a family owned and run pub and you enter into the small main bar room which is large enough for three tables only, then there is a snug room to the left with four more and then further left is a larger dining room. The bar and the snug room to the left is the original historic part of the pub with the bar sporting thick brick walls, a dark beamed ceiling, flagstone floor and an impressive stone inglenook fireplace. The dining room is a much more recent add-on and of no particular architectural merit, but it does triple the available inside seating for the pub. Then outside up some steps was a very pleasant outside pub garden which stretched away from the pub isolated from the A26 by thick tree growth. The beams of the main bar are covered in ale pump clips showing a good guest ale policy and although only two of the three ale pumps were in operation post covid lock down, Harveys Sussex Best remains a permanent ale and there were local Sussex guests from Downlands and Isfield during the week we were here and all beers tried were in good condition. But this pub survives in its isolated position on the reputation of its food and there is a decent pub menu of quality food using local fresh ingredients. As well as utilising the pub garden on fine days we ate here twice during our stay, once in the evening and then returning for Sunday lunch and on both occasions the food was excellent.

Official site of the Cock Inn, contains menu and events listing - www.cockpub.co.uk

Official site of the Cock Inn, contains menu and events listing - www.cockpub.co.uk