You might find the cast of Downton Abbey staying at this 15th-century coaching inn – and for method actors, it must be a dream. Occupying centre-stage in one the prettiest of all Cotswold villages, the Sign of the Angel is a genuine period piece: all chalky whitewash and wonky beams, artful oak furniture and flagstoned passageways. The inn was taken over by energetic young brothers Tom and Jack last year, and has been impeccably renovated to trumpet its age. The owners are from farming stock, and it shows in Chef Patron Jon’s menu: everything from the bread to the sorbets are locally sourced and homemade: warm mackerel rarebit, brioche and heritage tomato salad; baked tenderloin in local bacon stuffed with pear and Bath cheese; Bramley crumble with toffee apple ice cream. Upstairs, the bedrooms let the antique architecture do the talking: pretty box windows and wainscotting; beams that extend into the bathrooms as well as the bedrooms. The duck-feather bed linen is a narcoleptic’s nightmare, and the chef’s home-made cookies are waiting on your tea tray.
A wonderful experience. Everybody went out of their way to make our stay relaxing and calming. From the comfort of the bedrooms to the delicious food, not to mention the warming log fires, it was truly a memorable visit.