The Sussex Ox, Polegate

Country pub in a quiet hamlet at the foot of the Downs, with all tables in the various dining areas laid up for those eating. Having said that, there is some general seating in and around the bar area, a rear patio and attractive little beer garden front. Traditional look to all parts. With two of the three handpumps in use, it was no surprise to find the very local Long Man Best Bitter (£5.30) as one option, plus the Session IPA from the not-too-distant 360⁰ Brewing being served. Several crafty beers from this pair of producers also available from the keg taps.

Situated in a very smart little village, this is a rather upmarket pub just a short decent from the impressive Long Man of Wilmington. A very pretty front garden with a path snaking through the fabulous flower beds, leads you to the front door, where you can proceed to the left to reach the main bar. This is an L-shaped space with a similarly shaped servery in the rear left corner. The room has brick flooring, which is a little unusual, but visually quite pleasing, although floorboards have been retained in the area directly around the bar. The room has a very traditional feel, especially in the drinker’s area to the left, where pint pots hang from the bar gantry, traditional farming themed paintings line the walls and a yoke hangs from above. There is a nice old fireplace to the right as you move further into the room and ancient old beams throughout add to the room’s character. High tables and chairs fill the space to the front left where most of the drinkers seem to congregate and where a dartboard can be found, whilst further back there are formally set tables all the way through into a modern rear extension with more traditional paintings on the walls. From the front door, you can also turn right into a designated restaurant area, although this was empty on this visit, with most customers opting for the huge beer garden with a raised decked seating area and large lawn beyond. Plenty of picnic benches have been set up out here, dotted around between little island of foliage. Plenty of dog walkers had stopped off out here and there were two rather languorous Labradors wandering around who seemed to belong to the pub. The views out here are outstanding and I would definitely recommend sitting out here if the weather gives you the chance. Most people seem to come here for the food and the lunch options we tried were excellent quality, if perhaps more expensive than you would expect in your average village pub. Ale is a secondary concern, but the pub has found its way into recent editions of the Good Beer Guide and they had Long Man Best and Dark Star Hophead on the go, with the former being in fine shape. The staff were very friendly and encouraged table service. This place is very much a food-led enterprise, but that shouldn’t entirely put you off from coming here just for a drink. The bar area retains a traditional country pub feel, the ales are kept in good condition and the views from the garden are as good as any you’re likely to find in the area. Having said all that, I’m glad we ate here, as that is how this place works best and anyone hiking around the South Downs would do well to build in a break for lunch here.

Not a review as such but just a comment to highlight that this pub has the honour of having its photograph on the front cover of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2013.

The Sussex Ox is situated off the beaten track in the affluent hamlet of Milton Street. The exterior is well looked after and consists of some seating out the front and a decked area at the rear that leads to a large grass covered beer garden that is dotted with picnic tables. There is also a car park and the pub is surrounded by fields and farms and affords lovely views over Cuckmere Valley. Next to the front entrance are the opening times which I found to be strange as this pub shuts from 15:00 until 18:00 every day and in the winter is only open from midday until 17:00 on Sundays. It’s amazing that they would kick everyone out at 15:00 on a hot weekend afternoon and only serve food up until 14:00 and then from 18:00 until 21:00. To the right of the entrance is a separate room that looks like an extension and the bar is located to the left. To the right of the bar is more seating and another seating area can be found at the rear that leads to the previously mentioned decked area out the back. The bar supports four hand pumps, one of which was unused leaving Harvey’s Best, Dark Star’s American Pale Ale and Dark Star’s Ox Head which I believe is brewed for this pub and is basically Hophead. The draught consists of Chapel Down’s Curious Brew, Freedom Four, Hepworth’s Conqueror and Kingstone Press cider. Obviously the location of this pub dictates that it is very food orientated and all of the other customers during my Monday lunchtime visit were eating. The mains are priced between £9 and £15 and range from sausage and mash to seared breast of Sussex woodpigeon. Unsurprisingly there was no background music and there are no distractions like a television. The opening times are that of a typical restaurant and this place makes its crust from dry sales, but the small bar area is nice and the staff were all very smiley and friendly. I would have no problem returning to sample their menu, but I wouldn’t pay for a cab to take me here for a session. QI: After being built around 1900 as a slaughter house it then became a grocer’s shop until the 1940s when beer was sold. It was named the Royal Oak until Bass Charington sold it in the seventies and the current moniker of Sussex Ox was used. This name chosen as this part of East Sussex was where the last ever team of oxen were used to farm the land.