The Spread Eagle, Northcourt, Abingdon

The Spread Eagle is an L-shaped pub with the long left hand side being designated as a ‘wait to be seated’ dining area. In the right side is a small L-shaped bar area with a counter that supports four handpumps. These were drawing Loose Cannon’s 42 Cannon and A Brew To A Kill alongside St Austell’s Tribute and Morland Original. On the keg front there’s a premium selection alongside Fosters and Guinness. Out the back is a thin well-tended beer garden with covered booths. The service was polite, and this was one of the busier pubs I visited in the area so there was a good atmosphere. I would return for another pint if passing.

Not far from The Boundary House, this is a super backstreet local which treads the line between food-led hostelry and locals' boozer. Rectangular inside, with a hint of an L at its furthest right-hand point, this has cosy decor with third-height wood panelling and cream-painted walls, pub carpet at its right-hand extreme, and dark-wooded bar front, trophy cabinet heaving with silverware (with more in high shelving above the bar) and plenty of locals in situ enjoying a Sunday arvo pint or two. Like most pubs in this town, the smell of GK isn't too far away, and Morland Original and GK IPA Reserve were on offer albeit accompanied by Cornish Coast and a locAle in Shotover Trinity. A smattering of breweriana and a large painting of two golden eagles added to the decor and this is a decent 'wild card' if you're looking to do an Abingdon crawl.