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Detail Pages
The Compasses Inn, Guildford
Gomshall
Postal town: Guildford
GU5 9LA
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Compasses Inn
Fairly ordinary inside & needs a make over. Noce garden over an adjoining stream, but a bit close to the main road.
3 ales of good quality.
On 13th December 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Compasses Inn
A pleasant two room pub on a busy main road,the pub remains unchanged from Malden man's description below with the main drinking bar as you enter with the restaurant area in the second room. Three pumps all in operation with two from the localish Surrey Hills Brewery, Ranmore Ale and Shere Drop, the third beer being the curse that is Doombar, the Ranmore was excellent.A nice garden area is to the rear of the pub on the banks of the Tillingbourne.Live music is advertised. Its a nice place for a stop off.
On 9th July 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 Compasses Inn
The pub is right on the main A25 but has a pleasant grassy garden with a few trees over a bridge across the Tillingbourne stream. This pub caters for all, the weekend walkers and cyclists as well as the locals, a real community pub, there is actually a working Post Office inside. Two rooms, the main bar is fairly traditional if a bit tired, green benches and carpet, various agricultural tools on the ceiling, food menu on a chalkboard. Moving through you pass the PO counter to reach a more modern feeling restaurant which lacks character, a shelf contains a row of porcelain figurines. Roasts were flying out though and looked good for £9.95. Home made soup £4.95.
Beers are from Surrey Hills, three on, Greensand IPA, Shere Drop and Ranmore Ale. The garden is a pleasant spot being next to The Tillingbourne and has its own barbecue area. This remains a proper pub in an area where it is easy to opt out and go down the restaurant route, all the better for it and worth supporting.
On 29th September 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Blue left this review about The Compasses Inn
A very nice little pub next to the Tilling Bourne (or the river Tillingbourne, it seems to be called either) whose beer garden I recall from years ago as an exceptionally pleasant place to spend a summer afternoon, before I stopped coming here due to the service having become at best indifferent and generally taking advantage of the customer. Thus today’s visit was my first for years, and I was pleased to find a very welcoming pub once again.
The three ale pumps were all serving Surrey Hills beers – Ranmore, Shere Drop and Albury Ruby - and I had a decent enough pint of the Ruby. The multitude of pump clips stuck around the bar told of many beers from different breweries served in the past. The pub is food led, though it would still be a comfortable place to come just for a drink. Food is available throughout the afternoon, as Paul has said, with fairly traditional, generously portioned pub main courses starting at around £9. We had lunch here today: my £9.75 steak and ale pie was the best I’d had for ages.
The pub consists of two rooms. We chose to sit in the bar area, which felt quite dated, the lower third being wood panelled with pale walls above, and various agricultural implements around the walls and attached to beams. The restaurant area is larger and brighter, but less to our liking.
I’d certainly come back here to eat or just for a drink.
On 28th December 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 271 recommendations about 270 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paulof horsham left this review about The Compasses Inn
Once called 'God Encompasses', the name was, it seems, regularly corrupted to 'Goat & Compasses' Subsequently the goat was dropped (as it were) to leave the name we have today (the full story is inside the pub - that's just a (garbled) summary).
Anyway, enough of the history - the 21st Century visitor finds a main bar, a separate restaurant and a beer garden the other side of the Tilling Bourne. Two points are worth making:
First, food is served throughout the afternoon (see picture), which gives The Compasses a huge advantage over most other pubs in the Surrey Hills, since it allows you to eat when you've completed your walk or bike ride; quality was fine and reasonably priced for the area;
Second, the beer - on our visit, all 3 pumps were offering Surrey Hills beers - a quality outfit and the Ranmore slipped down very nicely (though a little pricily).
I'd happily go back, if I were in the area and in need of food and drink (particularly at apparently unconventional times).
On 5th September 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 453 recommendations about 425 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Richard Green left this review about The Compasses Inn
Called in for late lunch food was very mediocre and service was off hand verging on rude
We wil not be back and would advise any one else to find another pub
On 4th April 2011
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Compasses Inn
Fairly traditional pub, with emphasis on food. A less-than-imposing entrance takes you into the main room, which is pleasant enough - lots of wood and windows. The room behind is a waited restaurant area. Beers supplied by the local Surrey Hills Brewery, which is probably a good enough reason for dropping in, although the atmosphere felt as though it could be a bit cliquey. Large tabled garden outside, across a stream.
On 6th February 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]