The Armoury  

This grand 18th-c warehouse didn't start life on this site, but was moved from the Armoury Gardens in 1922.

Long runs of big arched windows in the uniform red brick frontages have views across the broad river at the back, and are interspersed with brick columns, hanging baskets and smart coach lights at the front. The open-plan interior is spacious and light, with a mix of wood tables and chairs on expanses of stripped wood floors, a dominating display of floor-to-ceiling books on two huge walls, a grand stone fireplace at one end, and masses of old prints mounted edge to edge on the stripped brick walls.

Colonial fans whirr away on the ceilings, which are supported by occasional green-painted standing timbers, and glass cabinets display collections of explosives and shells. The long bar counter has an eye-catching range of drinks, including well kept Boddingtons, Wadworths 6X, Woods Shropshire Lad and up to five changing guest beers from brewers such as Potton, Roosters and Thwaites on handpump, a good choice of wines (with 15 by the glass), around 50 malt whiskies, a dozen different gins, lots of rums and vodkas, a variety of brandies, and some unusual liqueurs.

As well as sandwiches with interesting fillings, the bar menu (12-2.30, 6-9.30; 12-9.30 (9 Sun) Sat) might include soup, smoked haddock and salmon fishcake with tomato and onion salad or ham hock, herb and mustard terrine, local sausages and mash, grilled bass fillet with rocket, spinach, potato and orange salad, black olive, goats cheese and sun-dried tomato pasta with sautéd leeks and herb butter, baked chicken breast with banana and bacon, sweet potato mash and sweetcorn, braised lamb shank with redcurrant gravy, and puddings such as lemon tart with raspberry sauce, bread and butter pudding, tiramisu, and crushed meringue and fresh strawberries.

Tables at one end are laid out for eating. It gets busy here in the evening, particularly at weekends, when there may even be queues outside.

The pub doesn't have its own parking but there are metered spaces up nearer the Quarry.

Children welcome.

No accommodation here.

Comments
 

None as yet.



View Larger Map 

 

Services

 

, , , , , , , ,  

 

©Beerguide 2023