The Olde Bell

Venue Review of The Olde Bell

Located in the Berkshire village of Hurley, just an hour from central London, The Olde Bell is the first in a family of modern-day coaching inns redesigned by Ilse Crawford (of Babington House fame) to stylish effect. With parts of the inn dating back to 1135, history oozes out of every ancient beam and inglenook. The main inn houses the eating, drinking and lodging elements of the operation while a 16th-century Tudor barn and self-contained innkeeper’s lodge are available for private gatherings, from family lunches and house parties to weddings and meetings. The kitchen’s seasonally inspired, locally sourced menu changes daily and extends to a lovely selection of snacks in the cosy bar, which also offers open fires and a fine selection of ale. The huge wild meadow garden, where 30% of the kitchen’s produce is grown, is a lovely spot for summer parties – should the temperamental English weather allow it.