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Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
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Detail Pages
The Nelson Arms, Farnham
Farnham
GU9 7JQ
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Nelson Arms
This is a cosy, historic pub with a decent location close to the castle. Entering through the corner door, you find yourself in a fairly small front bar, which has been opened up a fair bit into the larger left-hand side of the building, but still retains the sense of being a separate area best suited to drinkers. There’s still some degree of partitioning thanks to a whitewashed wall with a lit fireplace to the left – a spot proving popular on a cold Winter evening. The room is bare boarded and sees the servery run along the back wall with a series of padded banquettes serving a few tables along the front wall. The bar has a tongue and groove panelled counter front, broken by a couple of brick pillars, whilst the bar back includes a few open-ended barrels nailed to the wall and used as shelving units. Moving through into the larger left-hand side of the pub, you find yourself in what amounts to a good-sized dining room which is also bare boarded and has all manner of dark wood beams, posts and pillars throughout, contrasting the cream painted walls and rough bare brick left-hand end wall with its disused fireplace. Three rows of tables and chairs through the centre are supplemented by a row of pews around most of the perimeter. The reverse side of the main bar’s fireplace is a large inglenook affair sharing the same lit fire beneath a curved mantel beam. A few old seafaring paintings dot the walls and there is a large model ship in one of the front windows, all presumably tying into the pub’s name, which is further enhanced by some very nice stained-glass panes bearing Nelson’s coat of arms. A corridor to the rear left leads to the toilets and also out to what looked like a pleasant rear courtyard, although it was too dark to fully appreciate.
Three cask ales were available on this visit – Taylor Landlord, Andwell Gold Muddler and Hogs Back Tea. In order to enjoy a pint of the Gold Muddler, I first had to order some food, opting for a full Sunday roast which came with all the trimmings and was delicious. The Gold Muddler by comparison, was a bit disappointing, although the beer was in good nick and the lone barman/waiter was doing a sterling job seating and serving everyone until back-up arrived later on.
This is a very pleasant traditional pub that felt like it had too much of a food-led approach, although I suspect that this was mainly due to the Tier 2 rules that forced everyone to order a meal with their drinks. Assuming the pub has more of a drinker’s vibe in ‘normal’ times, this is well worth checking out for the well-kept beer, diligent service and attractive historic interior.
On 29th December 2020
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Nelson Arms
Very old and highly-timbered pub with furnishings to suit. Has the feel (and smell!) of a good pub and plenty of corners to lurk with a good pint. Patio garden to rear. A good selection of beers included TT Landlord, TEA, Otter Bitter and Andwell Gold Muddle with condition good (Cask Marque accreditation). Sadly the landlord/lady were preparing to leave at the time of visit so changes are likely to be made.
On 23rd August 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Nelson Arms
Well described by Malden man below, food is a big thing here but the pub maintains a very nice pubby feel . Four beers on ,on my Monday morning visit, three of them being from local breweries in the form of Englands Glory and TEA from Hogs Back , Gold Muddler from Andwell and from farther afield Timothy Taylors Landlord which was in tip top condition. Nice pub and one to add to several other good pubs in Farnham.
On 11th March 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Nelson Arms
Apparently dating from the 16th Century, this is a splendid old timber framed pub with low ceilings, blackened gnarled beams and posts, a real inglenook log fire and lots of exposed small gauge brickwork. Leaded windows, some stained glass, very old looking wooden flooring (although the original would have been flagged), some lower wood panelled walls. It looks and feels like the real deal although I would doubt that the entire place dates back that far. The Nelson theme is reflected in the décor, framed prints of fighting sail, sailors knots in an arrangement around a miniature ship's wheel, a model of a galleon on a window cill. A few shelves contain some very heavy looking ancient tomes. No poncey modern seating in here, solid regular tables in fours with plenty of room for food, drink and newspapers, some settles and an occasional sturdy wooden bench plus a couple of barrels on end for the vertical drinkers. There is a rear courtyard area plus a few front benches that catch the sun in the late afternoon.
Food is served, the specials chalkboard looked interesting, staples like cod with chips and mushies at £11 but also more adventurous offerings such as the fish stew, containing prawns, clams, mussels and squid in a tomato and fennel sauce for £13.
The beer is good here, four were on, two are regulars, Andwell Gold Muddler, Timothy Taylor Landlord, guests were Surrey Hills Shere Drop and Hogs Back TEA, both local brews as is the Andwell.
Possibly the pub of the day on my Farnham wander, good beer, lots of character and friendly service.
On 14th June 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
dave stray left this review about The Nelson Arms
Had lunch here on Monday. Excellent pub and great beer range. Old style pub but worth the visit.
On 1st September 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 265 recommendations about 183 pubs]