The Carpenters Arms, Windsor

A lovely late summer’s day, our first free weekend in months, and we spent the afternoon in the pub. A multi levelled building, the bar centrally positioned with an array of handpumps. Not very spacious in front,more room further back, in the varying levels. Most tables seem to seat two, difficult if you are a party of three. A pleasant mix of customers; a few tourists, at one time parts of a couple of rugby teams mingled with a bunch of functionaries from The Castle, resplendent in pinstripes and chains of office. A Nicholson’s house-I didn’t realise their empire stretched beyond inner London. The pumps featured a good range from their current beer list:I particularily enjoyed Orkney’s Dark Island, a lovely dark, autumnal beer, complex with hints of exoticism. Mordue Newcastle Coffee Porter,played as a wild card , was a pleasant and intriguing surprise. We weren’t particularily struck with the food: my sausages were travelling under fake Cumberland papers.The staff seemed a mixture of the distant and the friendly, but on the whole we liked the pub, and would go again.

Large pub backing onto two of the old cobbled streets in Windsor, very close to the castle entrance. Therefore its in the heart of the tourist area, but not particularly playing to that trade. Its a Georgian style Nicholsons house with a central bar and stools opposite by the window, with more comfortable leather seating to the sides where there is more room. Overall its a nice friendly place and well worth a visit. 8 real ales, and the quality was superb.

Situated in a cobbled, pedestrianised side street close to Windsor Castle ( which is, in this case, a Royal Residence and not a pub ) is The Carpenters Arms, a Nicholson's pub that is split over three floors. We learn that the pub was built in 1518 and that the pub cellars, which are now bricked up, apparently lead to Windsor Castle. The downstairs drinking area contains evidence of this, in the form of a gated brick cellar. Note also the etched windows which feature tools, reflecting the fact that tradesmen used to frequent the pub and the Ashby Ales ( of Staines ) floor mosaic in the right hand entrance. It's a comfortable well appointed pub with a number of different interconnecting areas. There's some rather rickety wobbly chairs on the cobblestones outside. On my recent early morning visit, the 6 pumps were serving 5 beers - Fraoch Heather Ale, Brew Dog Alpha, Davenports Heatwave, Black Sheep plus gcb ( good cheer beer ) from Roosters. A mini beer festival was being held and 3 barrels on stillage were due to come on stream shortly. The Heather Ale - £ 2.95p - was disappointing, but the Alpha Dog - £ 3.15p - was much better. The pub has been a CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular in recent years and proudly displays the yearly stickers in the front windows. Perhaps not surprisingly, the pub makes a big play for the passing tourist food trade, but this is a fine pub. You should try and get to this one when you're next in Windsor.