Nestled within the idyllic 5,000 acre Faccombe Estate, between Newbury and Andover on the Hampshire-Berkshire border, lies the handsome red-brick Jack Russell Inn, an up-to-date dog friendly country hostelry offering walkers, cyclists, foragers, couples, families and lone travellers alike the chance to exchange the hustle and bustle for rolling hills and birdsong.
Located on a quiet road opposite a duck pond, it became almost a novelty to spot a passing car during our two-night stay, while the constant whir of traffic noise is blissfully extinct in this serene spot. Nor do many pubs boast their own deer pen. Entirely in step with their local environment, the inn’s water comes from a bore hole on the estate, the electricity from a wind turbine on the hill, while a wood pellet burning biomass boiler provides the pub, lodge and community with heat.
Contemporary design meets old-world public house charm and which continues throughout, from the wood-panelled bar and restaurant, where Toby jugs and vintage cartoon prints ensure that the Jack Russell has character aplenty and in no way resembles one of those soul-destroying chain gastropubs which have so successfully tarnished everything the traditional pub-goer loved most about the experience. Whether you arrive on a glorious June day as we did, or a suitably misty October evening when a log fire in the small clubby entrance hall with armchairs will bid you welcome, it’s clear from the moment you’re greeted by the landlord and his equally friendly team that you’ve stumbled on a home-from-home.
Just like their owners, dogs are welcomed like long lost friends with treats aplenty, pooch ale and water on tap via the reappointed beer cask by the front door with an amusing 0.0% sign, while the rooms are identified by dog breed silhouette plaques rather than a number. Three of the dog-friendly rooms are located in the main building with a further eight in the stand-alone ‘Dog House’ where guests can enjoy the dedicated covered and fully heated seating area, complete with cushions, blankets and a central fire pit for year-round relaxation.
Husband took advantage of the cigar list and decided to put off unpacking while I settled into our comfortable ‘Greyhound’ family room with flat screen and sofa, besides a host of thoughtful touches such as complimentary water, tea and coffee making, drinks, snacks and fresh milk and ice on demand, while the slick ensuite shower room was stocked with Noble Isle toiletries and white fluffy robes. The Jack Russell Inn even provides an evening turn-down service, something often neglected by many a five-star hotel these days. Overlooking neighbouring fields we were offered the welcome chance to be awoken by the dawn chorus rather than rush hour traffic, yet it’s no criticism to say that the comfortable bed ensured we didn’t even hear that.
It’s no surprise that the Jack Russell is passionate about farm-to-fork dining, whether you’re tucking into a rare roast beef sandwich at one of the garden tables outside or partaking of a three-course affair in the restaurant. Recently appointed head chef Andy Watts (previously of The Retreat at Elcot Park) elevates the British classics by creating dishes from Hampshire produce including lamb, venison and game from the Faccombe estate and fruit and vegetables from the manor, no less.
The Jack Russell also host foraging experiences including a trek around the estate in the company of expert guide Freya Rimington before a highly rewarding three-course lunch prepared by Chef using the bounties gathered on the walk. Regardless of the time of year, you’re sure to find the woods and hedgerows rich with bounties, from wild garlic to elderflower and blackberries.
Dinner lived up to its promise with an addictively good snack of crispy cauliflower popcorn with sweet and spicy Asian dressing, an elegant yet comforting starter of seasonal English asparagus with a perfectly poached egg, bacon jam and soldiers for dipping, a main of tamarind-glazed pork tomahawk with crispy sesame cabbage and polenta chips, followed by a banana parfait with chocolate mousse, honeycomb, banana chips and ganache-like brownie. Oh boy, did we sleep well.
A group of foragers were gathered outside the pub on our way to breakfast, putting us to shame as we tucked into a superb Full English before heading out to explore the local environs in the motor. There are many historic landmarks to take in, including Ludgershall Castle and Cross, Wilton Windmill, Salisbury Cathedral and the imposing Highclere Castle of Downton Abbey fame (open to the public during the summer), while the beauty of the North Wessex Downs is paradise for nature lovers and those keen to appreciate the unspoilt countryside vistas and lanes of Thomas Hardy’s day.
Don’t miss the estate-reared Highclere beef when you return to the Jack Russell for a suitably lordly steak and chips following an exhausting day of rambling, cycling or sightseeing. It’s the kind of place you’re always glad to return to and reminds you why English villages just wouldn’t be the same without pubs. If only they were all this good! The only benefit about not being a local is getting to stay here. We’re already planning an excuse to return with our spaniel come the autumn.
The Jack Russell Inn, Netherton Hill, Faccombe, Andover, Hampshire SP11 0DS. Prices from £130 per night. For more information and reservations please visit the website.
