Historic Pubs and large glasses....

I must admit to loving a pub lunch in England. There is no shortage of wonderful, historic pubs that serve warming, hearty food and I was keen to discover one here in Oxford. Ambling through the town centre had not discovered anything of real interest, but a quick search via google and I found The Chequers.

The sign for The Chequers is visible on High St but it is down a small laneway which leads to the pub’s entrance. Colourful bunting waves overhead as one wanders down the laneway to the entrance that has a large chequered bronze shield at the doorway proclaiming the building’s history. The building itself dates from 1260 where for its first few hundred years it was a private residence. During the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII, soldiers were said to have driven a group of monks into an underground cellar then sealed it up. Allegedly the screams of the dying can still be heard when the pub is quiet however no remains of the cellar or the monks have ever been found. But I love the story!

The interior of the pub that one can see today dates from the 1500s when it was rebuilt as a tavern. For some years prior, it had been a tenement belonging to a moneylender. The chequerboard, according to the pub history, was a symbol of the money-changing, which had its origins in the checked cloth used by the Romans in their calculations. Sitting inside next to the mullioned window, having ordered fish and chips off the menu, I admired the low ceilings and the bar bedecked still with Christmas decorations though we were into the new year. On the far wall, a large stone fireplace and mantle. Walking through the pub one reached a staircase leading up and here, one could see the exposed beams forming the ceiling of the second level.

Over lunch we sat and shared our impressions of Oxford. For one of us, it was of memories of being an early 20+ year old rooming with mates and sneaking into the College library. For me it was contrasting a visit nearly 20 years ago to today – I could not recall that much had changed. Perhaps “ new shops” I said to my daughter, upgraded shopfronts and a mall but really, what had changed? Scholars from ages ago could still walk these streets and not be amazed or lost.

Returning to Esher, the local Prince of Wales Hotel for dinner beckoned. The main dining room still has its low ceiling and beams while the extension is light and bright. French style windows wrap around the dining area adjacent to the bar which in summer would overlook the front of the pub and onto the Common ground. I’m sure you could see the locals play cricket on the weekend.

“What would you like to drink?” I’m asked. The wine list was pretty decent, a good selection of European wines and a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc but I opted for an Italian Pinot Grigio. One of the great features of ordering here is that wine glasses come in different sizes. In Australia there is a standard pour but here glasses come in small or large. What a joy! “A large too!” I respond for the sheer fun of it.