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The Fleece Inn, Evesham
Bretforton
Postal town: Evesham
WR11 7JE
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 9 of 10) see review guidelines
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 3746 recommendations about 3483 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 2452 recommendations about 2451 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 1338 recommendations about 1324 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 567 recommendations about 559 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 1948 recommendations about 1861 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 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 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 8117 recommendations about 8117 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 256 recommendations about 196 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Fleece Inn
Not just a pub but a national treasure. Set just off a pretty village green, the Fleece is then sort of pub that graced any number of chocolate boxes and Christmas Cards. Originally built around 1400, the interior has been virtually untouched since it was first used as a pub in 1848. The building was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1977 by the last private owner, Lola Taplin (who was a direct descendant of the person that built it) on the proviso that it is kept as a pub and, rather bizarrely, that no crisps are sold.
The pub is divided into 3 rooms with a central bar, each room being crammed with antique furnishings and dripping with history. Each has its own characteristics and are worthy of taking some time in to enjoy. The Pewter Room in particular is worth spending time in with its wonderful fireplace, flag-stoned floor, grandfather clock, plates, bed warmers, candlesticks and a magnificent display of 300 year old pewter that would not disgrace any museum. The huge curved settle is the ideal place to enjoy the glow of the fire or you can just nod off in the rocking chair in the corner. Prints of the Death of Nelson and an 1859 Parliament meeting add to the Englishness however one modern import that has infiltrated the pub is the budgie who chirps away in his cage near the doorway to the bar. As you would expect, the ceilings are held up by black gnarled beams and the walls are as wonky as they get without falling down.
To the rear of the building is a larger room with a cheese press, more beams and flag-stones and another large settle in front of the fire by an antique grandfather clock. Some steps lead down to what would pass as the public bar. A dart board near the window shows that the pub is not just a museum piece but a living community establishment although throwing a dart under such a low ceiling does present a few aerodynamic difficulties. Old plate racks adorn the wall, tables are stacked with books and don’t be surprised to find yourself seated at an old sewing machine table. The collection of medals belonged to the last owner’s brother, one of many family links throughout the pub. There is also a small serving hatch to the adjacent bar. The collection of medals belonged to the last owner’s brother, one of many family links throughout the pub.
As for the beers, on my last visit they had 5 Real ales including Old Hooky, a couple of Uley ales (one of which was Pigs Ear., not sure of the other now) and 2 ciders (Old Rosie and Thatchers). A selection of certificates for the various CAMRA Awards is on display in the Pewter Room if you need any evidence of the quality. There is a very reasonably priced menu (main meals £6-10) but service can apparently be slow as the kitchens were never built for catering on a large scale and they are wary of enlarging the kitchen without compromising the original structure of the building.
There are several interesting stories including one that Lola Taplin herself has been reincarnated as an owl and watches over the pub from the thatched barn (available for hire free) in the beer garden. Note also the 3 circles painted in front of the fireplaces. This is an old custom to stop witches entering the building via the chimney although what stops them going through the front door during opening hours is beyond me. My wife managed it.
The pub is a magnet for traditional English customs and events – Morris dancing, classic car rallies, brass band competitions and even an annual asparagus auction. There are weekly folk evenings in the Pewter Room and there has even been a song composed to commemorate the major fire that nearly destroyed the pub in 2004. Thankfully, a major refurbishment programme has restored the building to its former glory and everything is now as it was. This is one of my favourite pubs in the country and is well worth making the effort to visit.
On 21st January 2010
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]