The Barley Mow Inn, Ashbourne

Facebook page of The Barley Mow Inn - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of The Barley Mow Inn - www.facebook.com

We were advised by a family member who lives in the dales to search this one out and I am very glad we did because they do not make them like this anymore. This Grade II listed building was originally built in 1683 as a farmhouse and had its first licensee listed from 1753 and, quite incredibly , only 12 in total to the present day. It is currently run by the daughter of the previous very long standing landlady. Currently it’s not that easy to find as the only branding, a wooden pub sign attached to an external tree, has fallen off leaving only the metal brackets and if it wasn’t for a couple sitting with a pint on one of the few benches to the front in the evening sun shine there would have been no clue to the fact that the imposing stone building was a pub. You enter into the main room with its dominant fireplace and small serving hatch from which you order a beer to be brought up from the barrels in the cellar by jug to then be poured into beer glasses. Then there are two other rooms off this one and all three look like they have been frozen in time. Four ales were advertised on a small chalkboard at the back of the serving hatch and four ciders were available from poly pins on the back shelf. There were two ales from Thornbridge ( Green Mountain and Jaipur IPA) and two from Whim Ales ( Hartington Bitter and the house ale Hartington IPA). I went for the Whim house ale and it was absolutely superb. Yep, a very rare 10 from me also. There is certainly not many left like this.

Worth every ounce of energy expended to get me here on my bike before the 2pm afternoon close. Just one other customer, who's been coming here man and boy for more than 40 years, although he now lives a few miles away rather than in the village; he can remember the previous landlady, Lillian Ford, refusing to take decimal coinage long after it had been introduced in 1971. The present landlady, who keeps fit by popping down to the cellar to fill a jug with Whim Hartington IPA, is only the 12th licensee since 1753, according to a list on the wall. Three walkers turned up, and they also went for the IPA - despite the presence of four more beers and a cider on the stillage behind the bar. (Blue Monkey 99 Red Baboons, Storm Silk of Amnesia, Derby Business As Usual and Ashford Maple Rye.) The beer was brought up in a plastic jug and poured into glass tankards - mine was a Ravenhead exactly like one I've owned myself for 30 years or more. And the beer was in outstandingly good condition: absolute nectar. The pub has several rooms (see photos) and although the furniture is not original - that was all sold in 1976 after the death of Mrs Ford - it looks as though it could have been and after 40 years, it quite clearly belongs anyway. The building is Grade II* listed and although it hasn't made it into Camra's national inventory, it is listed as one of their regionally important historic interiors. I normally only drink a half per pub when I'm cycling, but was happy to drink a pint of excellent beer in superb surroundings and in friendly company. There's a real fire, too. I don't award many tens - this one deserves an eleven. You can bet I'll be back.