please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
May 2017: Looking forward to one of their good value pub lunches in the grassy rear garden with our dog --- only to find this area is now barred to dogs. Maybe some irresponsible dog owners are to blame. So here's an oddity, whereas many pubs tolerate dogs outside and not inside, the Black Horse only allows them to occupy the the cramped interior. So this place is off the visiting list for us and friends during the summer.
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This is a fantastic, unspoilt country pub, slightly off the beaten track but well worth making the effort to find it. It has a traditional whitewashed appearance and still has the old Courage sign hanging outside. It’s a popular spot, especially with walkers in the summer and I have even seen a horse in the good sized car park before now. There is a beer garden at the rear as well as several picnic benches next to the pub.
Inside it consists of two rooms either side of a corridor with the smaller one invariably being empty with everyone being squeezed in to the main bar. The traditional style continues here with whitewashed walls and painted black timberwork and a predominantly flagstone floor with some quarry tiles in front of the large fireplace. This had a few logs blazing away and was kept regularly topped up. The walls were covered in pictures, mostly old black and white photos of the pub and the village and there were numerous guns dotted about as well as the obligatory horse brasses. In a small snug at the rear, dozens of tankards hung from the low beamed ceiling.
Beers on this occasion were Butcombe, Butcombe Gold, Courage Best, Otter and Gem with many of these being dispensed from barrels racked up behind the bar. Ciders were also well represented with Aspall’s Suffolk, Thatcher’s Dry (both still and sparkling), Thatcher’s Heritage and Ashton Press. Along with The Plough at Congresbury this is one of my favourite pubs and well worthy a visit.
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Fantastic place, off the beaten track but well worth a visit. Looking forward to some more visits in the summer.
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Popped in a couple of times over the past few weeks. Still as good as ever if not better took two strangers to the area with me whom, both thought it was a fanastic place. Needless to say the place was full.............Got to try the pub grub next, which won't be long I tell eeeeee...........
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Wholeheartedly agree on all good points previously said about this pub -( to use a tired old phrase), it really IS a gem. Stumbled across it by accident and what a surprise. We in the Real Ale Cycling Club (both of us- ) have only one criticism - def should be a real fire in that small bar instead of the old bottled-gas jobbie...can't wait to return.
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Excellent, atmospheric country pub. There were 5 different real ales on, which surely is more than enough for a mainstream pub - it doesn't set out to be a specialist beer pub. The two I tried were at the right temperature and not lacking in condition.
Good choice of straightforward food - hot and cold baguettes, rolls and ploughmans with a few specials.
All in all thoroughly recommended.
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"Still the same, Some things never change" sang Bob Seger back in the 1970's and sadly in 2010 that can be said about very little (especially in the pub trade!) but thankfully that can still be said about The Black Horse. Nothing's changed, it's still the fantastic relaxed unpretentious country pub it's always been.
The picture of the Wurzels sat outside the pub and the one of the Steam Roller are still hung on the walls, Thatchers cider is still on sale and the beer, though the range is a bit dull, is always tip-top.
So if you like change, don't bother coming here - it's awful in that respect! :-)
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I am lucky enough to live down the lane from this pub and you will have to travel many a mile to better it. On a summers eve you will find mud splattered mountain bikers conversing with Horse riders with horses tethered in the yard conversing with Harley Davidson riders conversing with Steve 'the post'; the resident walking stick wittler! On Saturday afternoons in winter you will find the local rugby club along with the shooters in after a pheasant shoot on the hill will numerous dogs warming themselves by the glowing fire.
Pub is flagstone floored and is 650 years old and is a true 'wet trade' pub being busiest on the afternoon rather than the evening at weekends. Ale is kept well with revolving guest ale and good selection of ciders. Good basic food at lunchtimes only. A proper pub and on a par with the square and compass at Worth Mantravers.
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Since my last visit have taken my partner and uncle on seperate occasions to this fantastic pub. I did not say anything but let them make their own minds. Both said it was a top notch watering hole, and doing food aswell albeit basisc bar fayre which looked the business.Never let down down here in any respects, a must visit for the hardened Aler.
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Beautiful pub full of atmosphere. Friendly bar staff too.
Very unimpressive range of real ales most of which could be found elsewhere - the guest beer was not on. Apparently it was not ready. Fair enough so I tried the Butcombe. It was completly flat. Not being over enthusiastic on the other ale brands I tried the Black Rat cider which was OK.
Great pub but I won't be rushing back
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Wow .... at last!
Looks like they have now bowed to customer requests and are now doing a regular "guest ale", on my Friday evening visit it was Skinners Cornish Knocker and it was in supreme condition straight from the cask. Very refreshing to see this change and how nice to see a Cornish beer other than the insipid Sharps "Gloom" Bar in our county.
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Get you feet under a table in this pub and it will soon be your local. To truly appreciate this place you have to a)get to know some of the regulars and their convoluted stories and b) watch the changing of the rural seasons as the toursists and casual goers leave you to a warm fire and cold weather. No screenwriter could create this place and be taken seriously - a unique pub in a unique place with many, many stores to tell. The bar at the back - or was it the serving area - an argument there to start with - was the jail in the 12th century. The fire burned from the civil war (yes, the English Civil war in the seventeenth century, lit from the embers of the pyres that were lit to warn of the impending seige of Bristol) until 1986 when some twit let it go out..
..so sit back and slide comfortably into the arms of your history and watch..you may never leave..
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great little country aleshed,olde worlde style,and not thank you touched by the shopfitting brigade.this is what ale drinking/pubbing is all about,agree about the ale selction,i would like to see a greater offering,and in my case a low grav quaffing job,but enough said,a true little gem..
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This is a great old pub. The stone walls, stone floor, and low beams in a perfectly proportioned space make you immediately feel like you've entered upon one of the great country pubs. The lively number of people in there at a weekday lunchtime lets you know everyone thinks so as well. But it wasn't overly crowded, everyone that wanted a place to sit seemed to get one. The crowd seemed a mix of regulars and pub explorers.
The menu is appropriatley simple and the service is cheerful and quick.
Why isn't this place my local?
The only drawback is that, as others have pointed out, that despite have 5 or 6 ales available there didn't seem to be anything intriguing.
I went with a Butcombe, always enjoyable but available everywhere in that part of Somerset. Spitfire, Courage etc while not being dreadful are even more dull. However, I didn't want to leave so we stayed for another round.
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An excellent old pub (of the basic country stonework and hearty fire variety) serving a good range of well-kept ales, mostly from the south west.
Went here on a winter's evening for the first time in years during January and was sad to leave, a real treat for lovers of good ale and good old pubs. Far enough out of Portishead for the local gene puddle element to be absent. Not easy to find unless you know where you're going - but well worth the effort.
A gem - go visit.
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Best pub in England.....period!!
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Good selection of 6+ ales and friendly service from this hidden gem , would never have known about the place if it wasnt for finding "PH" on a ordnance survey map!! 8/10
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yes agree with MisterX - range of real ales is very dull. In fine condition but limited taste appeal.
good country locals pub, big fire in main room, tiny little portable gas fire in small 'snug' is inadequate on a cold Feb day tho.
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Back in the Good Beer Guide for 2008 and deservedly so! Still as good as ever.
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This is a country pub, as in folk with shotguns and red noses shouting 'Bess!' at excitable black labradors.
Big real fire, flagstone floor, outside beer hatch.
Alan Archer and Shula often drop in.
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lovely cool place to drink good beer on a hot day
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Cracking country inn that does everything right!
A fair range (a bit dull though) of real ales all served from the cask inc Courage Best, Butcombe & Spitfire. Thatchers real cider also sold.
Food served at dinnertimes only and very good it is too. Can get quite packed of an evening so get there early and join in the fun!
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