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The Fleece Inn, Evesham
Bretforton
Postal town: Evesham
WR11 7JE
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 9 of 10) see review guidelines
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Fleece Inn
Fantastic ancient country inn not too far from Evesham. Its a victim of its own character slightly, had been closed the last few days for the filming of Father Brown and renamed the Red Lion & the orchard was fenced off for a charity pop concert. However, my early doors pre-food visit in the summer sunshine meaning it was quiet and the quality of the Hobsons beer available and the total character were spot on.
On 3rd August 2024
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1542 recommendations about 1519 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Fleece Inn
I came here with my grandparents in the late 1970s - they had a weekend house nearby in Mickleton. My first visit since then, and my first since a fire devastated parts of the building. The person who served me described how villagers came in and removed a lot of the furniture before the fire got a real hold, which both preserved some of the pieces which are now back on display and in use, and gave the fire less fuel. Looking around me, I could get a vague memory of being in the same room 45 years before, though I can't remember what beer I drank. On this occasion it was North Cotswold Jumping Jack Flash, a 3.8% pale ale in the modern style, which was among seven hand pumps on the bar (see photos). It was good to be back in this iconic pub.
Date of visit: 15th September 2023
On 13th January 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 4274 recommendations about 3935 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Fleece Inn
I've been hoping to get to this pub for many years. On a warm sunny August Sunday afternoon, I finally made it.
Owned by the National Trust, this pub has plenty of character with a number of small connecting rooms, all very dark and with very little headroom. Staff were aplenty with a few behind the bar, several waitresses and more in the kitchen which was still churning out Sunday lunches late in the afternoon. Some kind of function was going on in the medieval barn, whilst the orchard garden was also popular, including a horsebox converted to drinkers/diners. Whilst I'd like to have stayed inside to sample a bit of the atmosphere, nearly all tables were reserved with nobody actually sat at them. Although, just before we were about to leave, a troupe of morris dancers arrived, along with a few more customers who were presumably aware of their planned performance.
Real ale and cider is not neglected. Purity Mad Goose & Wye Valley Bitter are the regular beers. Two guests were Salopian Flash Point & Church End Folk'in Badger. Ciders were Hogan's Hazy Rays & Panking Pole, Fleece Inn Ark & Thatcher's Stan's Cheddar Valley. A CAMRA discount is offered. I did ask and was told that it was 20p a pint, but wasn't given it. Whether that was because I'd ordered two halves, whether it was because I had ordered cider and whether it was because the barmaid had already rung it through the till when I asked, I'll never know!
This is certainly a lovely building with plenty to admire. However, it's popularity amongst more than just the drinking community means that it can be difficult to enjoy in solitude. It must certainly be a good money spinner for its owners. Parking is also a challenge. The village's main square is a makeshift car park that was full when we arrived. We did manage to find a space on one of the village's narrow streets. It was telling that most of the morris dancers arrived on bicycles!
On 8th August 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3040 recommendations about 3038 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Fleece Inn
Must read Roger Buttons review. Not sure if they sell crisps, but there was definitely mini chedders on the bar!
Nothing more to add to the other desriptions except watch your head on the ceilings and the Uley Pigs Ear was in top condition.
Great village pub and a destination. You could tell my all the teary eyed middle aged men looking around the rooms.
On 18th May 2019
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1563 recommendations about 1543 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nick Davies left this review about The Fleece Inn
I'm not going to repeat the descriptions below, espicially Roger Button's contribution, which is a perfect account of treasures within and without. It is indeed almost the perfect Olde Englishe Pubbe, and somewhere all pub lovers should seek out if they possibly can.
I say almost perfect. And unlike most others reviewers, I'm not going to give it ten points. Why? We called late on a midweek afternoon and it was brilliant. If we were an hour later we would have found every single table reserved and have to stand outside in the rain with our beer; any enjoyment of the wonders within denied to us.
Do make every effort to visit, just be careful to time your visit appropriately.
On 9th August 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 578 recommendations about 570 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Fleece Inn
A very traditional and “olde worlde” looking pub in this attractive village, it is apparently owned by the National Trust which should give some indication as to it’s provenance, and it certainly looks the part with it’s rather wonky walls and attractive, timbered construction. There is also a good sized beer garden at the rear of the pub.
Internally, it has fortunately retained all of it’s character, rather than suffering any “refurbishment” as is the case with so many old pubs. There are a number of different rooms, and these are all broadly similar in style with a flagstone floor, black beams on the ceiling and leaded windows. Curved wooden seats with a high back were an unusual feature, and almost formed their own partitions within each room. The bar counter had a narrow strip in front of it, barely enough room to squeeze past anyone who was already there, and this seemed a popular spot for the friendly locals and their dogs. Elsewhere, a cosy old room off to one side included an old dresser with an extensive collection of pewter plates and an open fire with a collection of brass candlesticks on the mantelpiece. Plenty of jugs were hanging from the beams. A smaller snug also included a stone fireplace.
The menu looked to consist of a good selection of “pub grub” dishes such as ham egg & chips, fish & chips, burger, pie of the day, etc., and these were mostly priced around a tenner. A few more adventurous options were available for a couple of pounds more, and on our Sunday lunchtime visit several punters were enjoying a roast.
Beers on tap were Wye Valley Bitter, Thundering Molly, Uley Pig’s Ear and a trio from Purity – Saddle Black, Bunny Hop and Gold. Ciders were well represented with Thatcher’s Heritage, Cheddar Valley, Stowford Press, Thatcher’s Gold and Lily the Pink. All in all, definitely a “must visit” pub, and well worth making a detour for.
On 5th March 2017
- rating: 10
[User has posted 2060 recommendations about 1962 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Fleece Inn
The pub opens at 10am, to serve tea and coffee to their English Heritage visitors. We arrived around 11, which was a 15 min bus ride from town, tell the driver where you're going and he will stop at the end of the road. We met a very friendly and chatty barmaid and a choice of five ales, so we started with the Hobson's Town Crier and steadily progressed to the Uley Pig's Ear. The original cottage was built in the 1400's and became a pub in the 1800's. The pub was left to the National Trust in 1977 from Lola the former owner and landlady, with instructions that nothing was to be altered.
The pub consists of lots of exposed timber frame and flagstone floors, open fires and high back settles and the largest collection of pewter ware in the country. There is also a large stone cheese press and cheese moulds in one of the side rooms. A great destination pub and well worth a visit.
On 11th October 2015
- rating: 10
[User has posted 3645 recommendations about 3645 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Fleece Inn
Very attractive village inn, with the façade along the grassed lane along one side being of particular note. With it being owned by the National Trust, the bar area and three main rooms are all full of items of historic interest as you would expect. Outside, there is a barn without another small bar used for special events plus an attractive beer garden which must be amongst the largest in the country. Well known for its annual asparagus festival, morris dancing, folk music. Beer-wise, six of seven handpumps were in use when we visited, offering an excellent range of styles: Wood's Emerald Chestnut mild, Wye Valley Bitter, Uley Pig's Ear strong pale ale, Three Tuns Stout and two ciders. Well worth a significant detour to call in at one of England's 'must visit' pubs.
On 12th April 2015
- rating: 9
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Fleece Inn
I too have visited this pub before and after the fire and have always enjoyed my visits. Yesterday was brilliant as the weather was glorious and there was a beer festival in a marquee in the garden as well as 5 real ales on the bar. A group were demonstrating the pressing of apples for cider that they produce themselves with a massive press. The pub itself was packed so we stayed in the marquee and garden, and there was a full programme of events outside the barn with Morris Dancers and Mummers as well as musicians. As the sun went down we moved into the Pewter room where the mummers were giving impromptu recitals of old sung stories or violin and squeezebox music that fitted in well with the ambiance of the place. Deserves its 2012 Good Beer Guide.
The above was October 2011, and we had another great visit to this pub last night. Ever so popular, and the beers were great. Wye Valley Dorothy Goodbody's Autumn Delight and Uley Pigs Ear.
On 27th October 2013
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Helen Iwanczuk left this review about The Fleece Inn
I have been lucky enough to visit the Bretforton Fleece before and after the fire. My last visit was a couple of weeks ago. Everything Roger Button has said about The Fleece is true, I'm happy to say. I visited the Fleece on a Friday evening, it was unsurprisingly quite busy. My two companions and I sat on a bench near the pewter collection, I really liked the flagstone floor. It felt so good to be in a real pub. I'll give The Fleece a 9 - because I don't want to be a sheep - if you'll pardon the pun!
On 16th March 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 269 recommendations about 208 pubs]