Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Random news of the day with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Eclipse Inn, Winchester
Winchester
SO23 9EX
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Eclipse Inn
A 16th Century building that was restored by a pub company in the 1920's. The small bar area and fireplace was part of this restoration. This pub is on the small side and seating is limited. There is an upstairs lounge area, which is used as a function room. Three handpumps with one turned back, leaving Doombar and Sharps Sea Fury.
On 13th December 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Eclipse Inn
Attractive old inn in The Square near the cathedral, with a distinctive black-and-white timbered facade. Small from bar and even smaller back room, and probably more tables out on the pavement than within the building. On my brief lunch visit, I found Landlord, Sharp's Atlantic (in reasonable shape) and Doom Bar available on handpump.
On 27th July 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Eclipse Inn
A Better experience than last time out,it was populated and there was bar staff present,the same beer line up as with Aqualungs visit,the Purity UBU was decent.
21/3/15
A topical pub to visit on the day of the eclipse,the actual eclipse was quite a non event due to low grey cloud and unfortunately the service in the pub mirrored the astronomical event in that it was non existent at 11:30 AM. I waited a moment or two called out but nothing appeared so I left ,I had a beer festival to attend.Shame as it looked half decent.
On 22nd February 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Eclipse Inn
This small old pub has been more than well described below. The pub web site boasts the fact that there is no piped music and no fruit machines, it's a shame they don't feel the same way about the large TV screen in the front room which for such a small place is very obtrusive even though it was turned off on my visit.
The beer choice from the four hand pumps was mainstream and uninteresting consisting of Hobgoblin, Doom Bore, Landlord and Purity UBU. I went for the Landlord which was in reasonably good nick but at £4.30 scandalously priced. It's in the 2017 GBG but I wouldn't return.
On 17th October 2016
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Eclipse Inn
The Eclipse Inn is a small but attractive pub tucked between buildings on the Main Square in Winchester centre. It’s been well described by previous reviewers so no need to repeat any of the history or decor. The key point of this pub is that it is small. The front room is small, the back room is even smaller and the toilets should not be utilised by anyone who suffers from claustrophobia.
I believe it’s had a bit of a tidy up of late and is now a bit smarter inside and we certainly found in comfortable for a pint, especially as we managed to get one of the four tables in the back room.
Beer wise Double Drop and Black Jack were available from the local Hampshire Flack Mannor Brewery, alongside Doombar and Caledonian Breweries seasonal Brewers Passion, and both the Flack Mannor brews were in good condition, especially the dark ruby porter.
We popped in for an early Sunday lunchtime pint, at which time there was a limited Sunday food menu on. We didn’t eat , but the table next to us did and what they had made us slightly regret we had over indulged at the Hotel breakfast bar a couple of hours earlier.
Certainly would have this pub on the list for a return visit when in Winchester again.
On 10th May 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
dave stray left this review about The Eclipse Inn
Yes John, spot on.
On 5th May 2012
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 265 recommendations about 183 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The Eclipse Inn
Close to the City Museum and the corner of the cathedral green is The Eclipse Inn, a small, traditional attractive looking pub with a typical Tudor black and white frontage.
Inside we find a small timber framed low ceilinged room with an old double sided fireplace and some bare brickwork. Seating is banquettes and settles around the sides of the room with seat covers that show, in places, evidence of having given good service over the years. The walls are decorated with several old theatrical posters and a fine large stuffed pike in a glass tank that was caught, so we are told, in 1896. The small bar counter is in the other corner of the room where is also a TV high up on the wall.
The brick surround fireplace contains a wood burning stove. On the wall here is a framed potted history of the pub, from which we learn that the present building dates back to 1540. The splendid Tudor façade is more recent and only dates back to 1920. The building has had a long and varied history – it’s been a private house, a rectory ( to the Church of St Lawrence ) and, more recently, ( from 1750 onwards ), an ale house and pub. By this fireplace, we can pass through to a rear room which is more comfortable and seems to be used mainly for food. It’s plainly decorated, with an old Courage Best mirror really being the only item of note.
Perhaps surprisingly, given the pub’s very central location, there’s very much an unpretentious, local pub feel to the place, although a basic pub grub menu is offered in an attempt to attract some of the tourist lunchtime trade
Beers on were Ringwood Best, Doom Bar, Deuchars IPA and, from the local Flack Manor Brewery, Black Jack. The Ringwood Best - £ 3.40p – was pretty good and other customers were complimentary about the Black Jack. Interestingly, as I was to realise later, this was the only pub out of the four visited in the city, that wasn’t serving Flowerpot Brewery beers.
This is a welcoming and friendly establishment, but I found it rather ordinary to be honest. Perhaps I’ve been in too many of these low ceilinged, timber framed and beamed pubs recently?
On 21st March 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
dave stray left this review about The Eclipse Inn
The only bad news about this pub is the lack of music means that conversations are going to be overheard. It can be difficult to keep a low-key conversation going here.
On 21st January 2012
- rating: 5
[User has posted 265 recommendations about 183 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
dave stray left this review about The Eclipse Inn
A pub which has quite an unusual feel, perhaps due to the lack of space but it has a reasonably warm atmosphere and Ringwood appears to be the Real Ale they sell.
On 2nd November 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 265 recommendations about 183 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Eclipse Inn
This is a small, two room pub with a prime location close to the Cathedral and main shopping area. The front room is carpeted with white walls and dark beams, similar to those on the attractive exterior, and predominantly pew and banquette seating. The short bar counter is on the back wall to the left with a brick fireplace to the right. There are a few odds and ends adorning the walls, including a rather large fish which was mounted above our heads. A TV screen was on when we arrived, showing Andy Murray's ultimately doomed Wimbledon semi-final efforts. The second room at the back of the pub is even smaller, with a few cramped tables to choose from and all sorts of bits and bobs on the walls. A few customers were eating in here, but it seemed a bit dark and confined compared to the front room. There are a couple of benches out the front of the pub as well, which would make a nice spot for a drink overlooking the Cathedral and watching the world go by.
Four hand pumps were dispensing Ringwood Forty Niner and Old Thumper, Jennings Cumberland and Sharp's Doom Bar. The Old Thumper seemed to be in very good shape and the barman was quite chatty and gave us a few pointers for the remainder of our crawl.
There must be a temptation to change this pub in order to pander to the tourist trade, but it retains a local's feel in spite of its location and I would recommend it as a solid town centre option.
On 15th July 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]