It would be pure folly to miss this historic gourmet delight!
The Castle at Edgehill is surely one of the most dramatically situated pubs in the South Midlands. Steeped in English history, it overlooks the site of the Battle of Edgehill. It’s only 7 miles from Banbury and an hour’s drive from central Oxford.
The castle is actually a folly, situated above the famous battlefields of Kineton, where King Charles I Royalists and Parliamentarians fought in the first pitched battle of the English Civil War back in 1620. The only way was Essex back then too as the Parliamentarian army was commanded by the Earl of Essex, Robert Devereux. He failed to dominate several battles and was eventually overshadowed & usurped by Oliver Cromwell, who took his Command. Battlefield tours are possible so you can easily make it a day out and combine some brain food with some fine dining.
The castle tower was built 100 years after the battle by Sanderson Miller, an English landscape designer. He was famed for adding follies, garden buildings and features to the grounds of huge estates. The tower was intended to replicate Guy’s Tower at nearby Warwick Castle and is said to mark the spot where King Charles I raised the royal standard before the two sides clashed in battle.
The Castle first became a pub in 1822 and Mark Higgs took over the Castle lease in 2013.
Mark now operates five gastropubs, all part of his Freespirit pub group, in beautiful villages in Oxfordshire and South Warwickshire.
Mark has since teamed up with award-winning local distiller, Daniel Beckett, who runs Pinnock Distillery, to create the Castle Gin School, situated at the top of the Radway Tower. To reach the school, you’ll have to climb 57 stairs, 20 of which are a narrow, spiral staircase. Take care on your stagger back downstairs!
Today, the pub has 70 covers inside. Post-pandemic, there are over 125 places in the most gorgeous of treelined beer gardens, looking down on the battlefield to nearby Kineton and the sumptuous stately home below. Pawel, the chef of four years, has mastered the essence of simple yet excellent gastropub food. An extensive wine list and a passion for friendly service add to the vibe. Manager Toni welcomes you with the hugest beaming smile!
The ancient bar reveals itself in all its glory as soon as you walk through the heavy castle door. Two open fireplaces warm the honey-coloured ironstone building in the colder months and hearty Sunday roasts are a huge draw throughout the winter.
The Glassroom on the rear of the pub is worth booking ahead if you want to look out onto ‘our green & pleasant land’, dream of all that ancient gory English history ….. and gaze as far as Birmingham on clear days.
So let’s get on with the food …..
Overall the food was a colourful creation to behold. Pawel adorns the plates with varied local flowers, petals and herbs, creating a unique, well-presented style.
Starters
We were lucky to sample four starters, none of which disappointed, all bursting & zinging with flavour and texture.
Seared scallops, houmous and black pudding Bon Bon
Goats Cheese, Mango Curd, Toasted brioche and an English micro herb salad
King Prawns, Chilli, Garlic, Sambuca and Toasted Sourdough
Asparagus, crispy hen’s egg and Hollandaise sauce
Mains
6oz “very local” beef fillet, Parmesan gnocchi, spring greens.
The beef comes from local butchers Carpenters from a farm just two miles away.
I’m not a big red meat eater but my colleague Paul chose this and I haven’t tasted beef as good as this for probably ten years. Real melt in the mouth indulgence, perfectly cooked by Pawel.
I went for the Crayfish, lobster bisque, chilli, garlic & rocket linguine. Oodles of fish taste and a delicate spicy flavour. I don’t eat pasta often but this was the most pleasurable of changes.
If these two dishes don’t tickle your fancy, there are many alternatives such as asparagus, pea & mint risotto topped with Parmesan crisp or something from the “Home Comforts” selection (e.g. Sweet Potato Curry or the super-loaded Castle Burger!). There are two fulsome hot Castle Sharing Boards on offer, including a BBQ wings, whitebait & chilli king prawns number.
Desserts
We gorged ourselves on the dessert selection, again sampling four beauties. The vanilla Pannacotta with a warm raspberry compote triumphed. I’ve rarely tasted such a fresh and moreish pudding – a creamy Pannacotta with a rich, perfectly balanced, warm tangy compote. Every morsel just had to be finished! Pure foodgasm.
The sticky toffee pudding and the vegan chocolate brownie were both excellent. The mixed berry & mascarpone tart did run the Pannacotta a very close second – light, fluffy, naughty, different.
Most of these puddings come with a generous dollop of Madagascan Vanilla ice cream from Noel’s Ice Cream, a small family-run artisan creamery based in the nearby village of Caldecot, Warwickshire. Simply yummy!
If you’re really feeling romantic and want to properly indulge Monday to Friday, why not partake of the “Date Night” offer? £199 for a three-course dinner, bed & breakfast for two, a bottle of Prosecco and a chance to enjoy the location and maybe a unique tower room, if you book early. There are five bedrooms, two of which are in the turrets.
You can always walk it off the next day with a bracing walk near the honey-coloured stone village of Edgehill. There is the Battlefields Trail and a rather good 5 mile walk (walk 2125 on the Walking Britain website) taking in Radway, Ratley & Edgehill.
It’s definitely worth the trip out to this gem of a foody pub, hidden in the midst of some glorious English countryside.
The Castle at Edge Hill
Edge Hill, Ratley, Banbury OX15 6DJ
castleatedgehill.co.uk
We visited as guests of The Castle, all views remain our own.
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