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The Royal Oak, Dorking
Holmbury St Mary
Postal town: Dorking
RH5 6PE
Pub Type
Punch TavernsReviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Royal Oak
Holmbury village is spread out over quite a stretch of meandering road - the Royal Oak is just below the church which lends its name to the village, with a bit of village green in front of it, some of which was apparently fenced off in the distant past and now features rows of bench tables. The front of the pub has a sort of enclosed verandah, but once through this it feels like a regular village pub, with stone flags, a fireplace and a bar counter a few steps from the front door. Beers on the bar included two from the Felday brewery, which can be seen to one side of the pub - a sort of large, smart garden shed made from weather board. Felday Legacy was a fairly standard southern bitter, not dissimilar to Harveys Sussex Best, for example, though it wasn't in brilliant condition, which was a little disappointing. The Surrey Hills are an interesting part of the country that I had not visited before - if I find myself here again I wouldn't mind calling in here too.
On 11th May 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3746 recommendations about 3483 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
. Wittenden left this review about The Royal Oak
Much as described below,this pub was refurbished a couple of years back to give a somewhat clinical atmosphere,given the age of the building.Arriving on foot during a long December walk, we were rather impressed with the elegant verandah in front, redolent of summer evenings.
Inside, comfortable furnishings, some flags on the floor,dogs and their hearty owners.On the bar,along side various keg fonts are four handpumps, serving, on our visit,two beers from the pub's own Felday Brewery (housed in a neat shed out back, and a couple of guests, including an excellent pint of Black Troll, from the local Tillingbourne Brewery.
We sat upstairs in the overspill garden room, and enjoyed our beer and burgers. Service was jolly and efficient:well worth a visit.
On 17th December 2018
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 283 recommendations about 282 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Royal Oak
Still very much the same as described by Malden man some six years ago,there was only a choice of two ales from the four handles,Young's Bitter and the local Surrey Hills Shere Drop. A pleasant enough country pub should you be passing.
On 18th June 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Royal Oak
This was a brief refuelling stop while on a walk in the area. A pleasantly located country pub in the shadow of the imposing village church and set back from the road off the green. The main bar at the front has two fireplaces, one each end with the right sided one having an old oil lamp set in a recess. The bar is straight ahead and returns to the side on the left. Probably suggestive of a previous layout, the flooring is in three types, centre carpeted, wooden to the right and quarry tiled to the left. Seating is generally rustic with pew style benches and chairs. To the left and up some stairs which are signed to the toilets is a later extended area forming a rectangular room with doors onto the rear garden. This room was rather plain in comparison with the bar and the ambience not helped by the presence of a couple of ugly catering type tables.
There are two sunny garden areas, front and back, with the usual picnic benches although the rear area has a few carved wooden mushroom shaped seats/tables.
Three beers on handpump, Black Sheep Bitter, St Austell Tribute and Young's Bitter. I don't know the price of a pint but I felt £7.60 for a pint of Tribute, a pint of lime and soda, a coke and two packets of crisps was pretty good these days, especially in a location like this.
People outside were finishing meals late afternoon but I didn't see any menus around.
On 25th April 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
dave stray left this review about The Royal Oak
Reasonable pub in a rather strange village, I don't really have anything against this pub although the food was a tad disappointing on visit. However its a decent place to stop off in the countryside.
On 22nd January 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 265 recommendations about 183 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Royal Oak
This 17th Century country pub lies on a village green opposite a picturesque church in this small hamlet near Dorking. The road was once a popular route from London to Portsmouth and this led to the village and pub being popular with smugglers as well as receiving more notable visitors that included George II and William Pitt the Elder.
Parts of the pub have been modernised but it has all been done fairly tastefully. The main front bar has low ceilings, a couple of old fireplaces (one of which now doubles up as a display cabinet) and is generally a pretty comfortable place to while away a couple of hours. To the rear, up a few steps, is a light and airy dining room extension and beyond is a spacious and tidy beer garden. There is also plenty of bench seating out the front making it a decent summer’s day retreat and the pub is very popular among the rambling fraternity with several good walks radiating to and from the pub.
The 3 Ales available when I visited consisted of Adnams Broadside, Ringwood Best and Youngs Ordinary, not the greatest of choices especially given that a further 4 pumps were unused. Prices were also a bit steep, service was a bit on the slow side and measures were economical to put it politely. It is geared more toward diners, especially during the daytime although I didn’t really take much notice of the food available at the time of my visit.
It is certainly an idyllic spot and worth popping in if passing by, perhaps combining it with a walk but you get the impression it should be so much better. At the moment doesn’t really do enough for me to warrant making a specific journey.
On 14th May 2008
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Royal Oak
Lovely location overlooking the green, but no real atmosphere...
On 5th August 2006
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]