The Sun Inn, Leintwardine

Tucked away on a quiet lane in a Herefordshire village is an unforgettable pub once renowned for its legendary landlady, now the heart of a thriving community.

Photos: Gavin Weston

Striding the first 12 yards of a street near where I live, over 180 years ago may I add, I could have stopped for a drop of drink in 19 of the 30 residential dwellings that remain along both sides of the street. 

The homes continue pretty much as they were, with their original doorways, where back then thirsty people like you or I could have popped in for a beer or cider, at what was then considered a parlour pub – a room put aside, such as the living room or kitchen – opened up to the public for the rate-paying home-owner to ply their trade as an inn-keeper. 

The re-introduction of licensing in 1869 eventually put a stop to this free-for-all-business, with the mass of front-room parlour pubs disappearing seemingly overnight. Thankfully though, a few examples still remain in England and Wales. 

Annoyingly I never got to enjoy a drink at the one closest to me while its landlady, Florence ‘Flossie’ Lane, held court – the oldest and longest serving licensee in this country at the time, and a remarkable woman by all accounts. My younger brother Ryan did though, of whom I’m always reminded when I stop by The Sun for a Hobsons Best and a packet of Ludlow Sausage Tyrrells…. 

He arrived early one evening to find landlady Flossie sat on her sofa watching Eastenders. Running the gauntlet for approval he was later instructed to help himself… walked through her living room and into the kitchen, where he found a pint glass, and turned the barrel tap. As he couldn’t quite fathom how to turn it off he quickly switched his full pint with an empty glass, and poured a second. By the time he’d figured what he’d been doing wrong he’d served himself no less than six pints. Putting his money onto the draining board, as you did, he proceeded to carry his round on a rickety old tin tray sheepishly past the landlady and into the right-hand room. 

Without a true bar counter or cellar, this magnificent Grade II listed alehouse in Leintwardine has been frequented by many other people… many as curious as my brother; here to sample a near extinct aspect of British history and culture, including none other than Jeremy Paxman. He later described the pub in a Radio 4 interview as “...the most fantastic place. It was like stepping into a corner of England you thought hadn’t existed since the Second World War.”

Though a bright and airy single story pavilion extension has been built on to the back to form a more modern aspect, since Paxman’s and the younger Saxon’s visit, the front rooms of this unique and historical building have been well honoured – even down to the self-service hatch where you can still to this day draw your very own pint direct from the barrel – whether you chose to have just one or make a blunder like my brother and end up juggling six. 

The Sun Inn, Leintwardine, SY7 0LP; 01547 540705
Mon 5.30pm–11pm; Tues–Sun 11am–10.30/11pm

Jon Saxon is the founder and editor of Doghouse. Ernest readers can purchase five issues at 10% off by entering 'ERNEST' in the discount code field on the Doghouse website.

doghousemagazine.co.uk

Eggs and mackerel

Satisfy those mid-morning hunger pangs with this smoked mackerel, pickled marrow and quail egg salad (with beetroot bread) 

This salad is a brilliant marriage between rich protein from the eggs, salty smoked mackerel and the sweet and pickle flavour of the marrow. It’s a light dish that’s perfect for brunch or even a light dinner. If you feel adventurous, make some lovely beetroot bread to go with the salad. It’s worth investing in a really good quality smoked mackerel as it makes all the difference. I recommend Black Mountain Smokery in Abergavenny. 

For the salad

• 2 fillets of smoked mackerel, skinned and flaked
• 200g mixed baby leaf, peppery ones are better
• 300g new potatoes, pink fur apple are great
• 6 quail eggs
• A few radishes thinly sliced

For the dressing

• 1 banana shallot finally diced
• 200ml cider vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 300ml rapeseed oil
• Seasoning

For pickled marrow

• 250g marrow, 1.5 inch diced
• 500ml white wine vinegar
• 300g caster sugar
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 star anise
• 3 cloves
• ½ cinnamon stick

Method 

1. To start, boil the potatoes in salted water until soft and allow to cool. 
2. Bring another pan of water to a rapid boil, have a bowl of iced water at the ready. Place the quail eggs into the boiling water for exactly 2 minutes 20 seconds; quickly plunge into the iced water. Once cooled peel carefully and slice in half.
3. For the dressing, place the diced shallots into a pan with the cider vinegar; reduce on a medium heat until reduced, cool. Place vinegary shallots into a bowl, whisk with mustard sugar and seasoning. Whilst still whisking slowly add the oil, a just seasoning and sweetness. 
4. For the marrow, place all ingredients except the marrow into a pan and bring to the boil, simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the flavours. Place in the marrow for 2 minutes take off the heat and allow to cool in the pickle mixture. Remove from liquid.
5. To assemble, quarter the potatoes, place into a large mixing bowl along with the marrow, flaked mackerel, radish & leaves, dress with vinaigrette. Place into serving bowls and pop the quail egg halves on top, finish with a grind of black pepper. Serve with warm beetroot bread.

Wholewheat Beetroot Bread

(Makes one big round loaf)

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water
• 1.5 cups beetroot puree (puree 3-4 cooked beets with 1/2 cup milk)
• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 cups strong white bread flour
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp instant yeast

Method

1. In a small bowl, combine yeast, sugar and water. Let rest for 5 minutes
2. Combine flour and salt into a dough mixer. Add in yeast mixture, beetroot puree and  oil. Mix until just combined. OR mix in a bowl by hand!
3. Knead, by hand or in a stand mixer fixed with the dough hook, about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
4. Remove risen dough from bowl and shape into a round ball. Place dough on a baking stone or parchment paper-lined baking sheet and cover loosely with a lightly greased piece of plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven to gas mark 4 before baking the bread, sprinkle the top with a little flour and make an X shape on the top with a serrated knife.
6. Place the bread in the oven and pour 1 cup hot water into a pan and place under the loaf, closing the oven door immediately. Bake 30 to 35 minutes.
7. Allow bread to cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing or serving.

Dorian Kirk is head chef of A Rule of Tum, a supper club based in Herefordshire. A Rule of Tum is about creating honest, seasonal dishes crafted from the ingredients they find right on their doorstep. 

Cold, be gone

Rosehips. You've probably walked or cycled past them without any idea what they are. They're red, they have thorns and they could you help you steer clear of a cold this winter.

Rosehips are one of the few winter foods I consider worth foraging, and this is a classic recipe for rosehip syrup, based on the Ministry of Food pamphlet.

During the Second World War, when our ships, carrying fresh fruit from far flung corners of the empire, were being sunk by Uboats on a regular basis, the government realised that something had to be done to ensure that British school children received sufficient Vitamin C to maintain good health. 

Fortunately, this time of year, our hedgerows are full of rosehips, which pound for pound contain more vitamin C than oranges, so the Ministry of Food produced a pamphlet to teach people how to make this health boosting elixir.

A little known fact is that rosehip syrup is also rather splendid stirred into a glass of whisky, for purely medicinal reasons, of course.

Ingredients

500g rosehips

1.5 litres of water

250g dark brown soft sugar

Method

Bring to the boil 1 litre of water.Finely chop rosehips, or blend in a food processor until well broken up, then add to the boiling water.Bring water back to the boil, then remove from heat and allow the mixture to infuse for 20 minutes.Pour rosehips and liquid into a sterilised jelly bag or muslin and allow the juice to drip through. Gently squeeze the jelly bag to extract as much liquid as possible. Be careful not to rip the bag.Add rosehip pulp back to a saucepan containing 1 litre of water and bring back to the boil. Then remove from heat and allow the contents to infuse for another 20 minutes before straining through the jelly bag as in step 3.Add sugar to the strained rosehip liquid and dissolve, allow to simmer for five minutes, then pour into hot, sterilised bottles.

Makes approximately 1 litre of rosehip syrup.

Andrew Price founded Dryad Bushcraft in the hope of inspiring others to learn to be comfortable with the outdoors through knowledge, rather than expensive equipment.

dryadbushcraft.co.uk