please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The Waggon & Horses is a thatched pub in a picturesque location near to Avebury. It's on the main A4. So it probably doesn't have to try too hard to secure business. The interior is dark and has a couple of separate areas. There seems to be a focus on food. At the rear on the bank behind the pub is a lovely garden area, which was popular with a group of cyclists on a summer Saturday afternoon. Glasses were building up on most of the tables in the garden, with staff too busy talking at the bar. This is a Wadworth house. So 6X was on, alongside Swordfish & (Misplaced) Optimism, a seasonal beer for the European Championship football competition. The word 'Misplaced' appears to have been added after England's exit! A bonus I wasn't expecting was Old Rosie cider. There is a car park at the rear and another parking area on the opposite side of the A4.
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Now run by Hannah and Ryan and what a difference! They've been here a month and the difference in attitude couldn't be more marked. Didn't eat but listened to comments from the ones who did, it was all very complimentary. Ok so it's only Waddies beer but the world's not perfect. By the way their own brand Stout, Corvus, beats Guinness hands down !
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Nice pub and garden, beer kept well.
Food menu was fine, the roast was a good plateful but the vegetarian dishes would satisfy a hungry rabbit, (leaves a plentiful, but substance little) and represented poor value.
maybe - 23 Jul 2012 09:45 |
Eaten here a couple of times. First time, my meal was very good but my friend's meal wasn't cooked properly. To their credit, they refunded it and offered to re-do it, though.
Second time, really lovely food for both of us. Nice people, too.
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What a pleasure it is to venture back to the Waggon & Horses, now that the notoriously ill mannered landlady has left for pastures new - hard luck �The Three Magpies�.
Tis a warm welcome and a smile that now awaits you from the newly appointed landlady - Becks Rossiter.
The Wadworth ale from the wood is very good so too is the food, though I have not eaten there yet but one tends to overhear the satisfied comments from customers as they settle their bill at the bar.
I recommend a visit to this quintessentially English, mid 17th century inn, who�s claim to fame includes a mention in Dickens �Pickwick Papers�; ghosts aplenty and its idyllic proximity to the Neolithic Avebury stone circle, West Kennet Long Barrow and the enigmatic Silbury Hill.
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We ate here today having been at Avebury and been widely advised to give the Red Lion a wide berth.
Good selection of ~4 Wadworth beers (if you like Wadworth) and Stoford Press (definite thumbs-up!). Didn't have high expecations of the food, given the tourist trap location, but the fish platter (for two) was an utter bargain at �7-8 ish, and the banoffee pie (in a glass...banoffee sundae?) was nice too.
Staff also very pleasant and service was very swift.
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Thought I'd give this place a go as the last two times I have tried to eat here it was packed, having said that one day was Mothers Day so I guess I was being a bit naive. Anyway, met with friends and although I thought I had booked it looks like I rang the wrong number so someone somewhere is waiting to cook for me if it's you then I apologise.
Back to the Pub, the landlord was very accomodating and found us a table in his already busy hostelry (spelling) he has a dry sense of humour so some may perceive this as unwelcoming, I personally had a bit of a banter with him so happy with that.
The food was good size portions and my only complaint would be that the fish pie I had was very dry as it was basically mash potato with a few prawns and a couple of bits of fish stirred in. Otherwise my two friends really enjoyed their meals and the prices were just right.
I shall definately be back again.
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In mid Dec I booked for 12 people for lunch on Boxing day.
A bit apprehensive considering some of the reviews. but the pub was really popular and busy.
Pleasantly surprised to find private room laid up for us.
Service excellent, good food hot, promptly and well served. Everything was perfect for a family get together. Will probably go back next year.
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Me and a couple of friends travelled through the snow to get here late yesterday afternoon for a beer. Good Wadworth ales on tap and a pleasant, warm welcome from the staff and customers in the pub. Had three fires going in the pub which was great.
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Had lunch at this pub today. It looks lovely from the outside, the beer is fine but do not eat here. We ordered battered fish and mushy peas and chips. We got old over cooked fish - undercooked chips - no mushy peas but a salad instead. No knapkins either. After complaining they did nothing to reassure us that this was a one off and that if we came again things would be different. From the sounds of the reviews, it appears others have found the same thing with the food here.
So - The looks of the pub from the outside can be deceiving. I would also say that my mother in law ran a pub for 10 years and a restaurant for 9 years so I know what can be achieved if a little care was taken.
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Hugely dissapointing and absolutely DREADFUL service! My husband and I booked for lunch here on Sunday. On arrival our table was reserved and waiting which was fine, our order for food was taken very quickly, and then we sat and waited, and waited, and waited some more, after 45 mins our food still hadn't appeared, to say we were not happy was an understatement, we were just about to get up and leave when the waitress rushed over and apologised saying "quite a few people had arrived before us" - not really the point when we had a confirmed booking for a time THEY had suggested, and no matter how busy they were (and to be honest it wasn't all that busy anyway) 45 mins is unacceptable.
She offered to bring us something to nibble on whilst we waited, "on the house" and came back with a plate of dry white bread and a bowl of oil !! Not exactly what we had been wanting for Sunday dinner which was almost an hour overdue!
When the meals finally arrived I was dissapointed to see that my "roast lamb" was in fact a lamb shank - which was not what I expected when ordering. The food was nice, but not stunning and the potato serving was on the stingy side - 2 small boiled potatos and a half a roast y. I'd pretty much had enough of the place by the time we'd finished but hubby persuaded me to have a dessert as they couldn't possibly take as long to bring those ... he was right it was only another 25 min wait for the dessert!
We had plenty of opportunity to study our fellow diners whist we waited and found that a couple alongside us waited as long as we did for their meals and the table behind us had the wrong dessert order brought out on 4 separate occassions - each time they pointed out the mistake the offering was whisked away before they could say it's ok we'll settle for that and another one (also wrong) brought out 5 mins later - they were muttering louder and louder as the farce continued.
The meals were quite pricey for Sunday dinner and the service appalling - we shall not be tempted to return there again.
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sounds like i was lucky to get the landlord serving when i visited! very welcoming. wadworth + guest (great western that day). very LARGE PORTION ploughman's lunch. v handy for all yer stone circle/long barrow distractions too.
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If, and it is a BIG IF, you ever manage to get served in this establishment, then give yourself a gold star. I am local but have stopped frequenting this pub simply because of the appalling attitude of the landlady, landlord and staff, let me enlighten you a little:
I have been ignored whilst the landlady was on the phone talking to her friend about her recent holiday, it is worth noting we were the only people in the pub at the time. Eventually we gave up and walked out.
One of the barman on one occasion completely ignored us for several minutes, then just nodded his head, no good evening, no nothing, how professional.
It is a beautiful pub if a little drab inside but that�s not the issue here, this pub is spoilt by atrocious management. The pub with its Dickensian history and links must surely rate as one of Wadworth�s flagship pubs. I wonder how many people never return after one visits (read other reviews) and how much revenue Wadworth is losing as a result.
anonymous - 12 Apr 2009 11:09 |
Stopped off when passing one evening. Staff were all very pleasant but then found out that the infamous landlady was on holiday.
Nice pint of 6X served in traditional pub surroundings with welcoming log fire. Food was good but they had trouble serving what we had asked for - chips instead of new potatoes, forgot my daughters onion rings - don't think it was the waiters fault it seems like the chef doesn't pay attention to what he is doing.
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Visited this place as it was on a calendar at home. Nice pint of 6X. Nice traditional feel inside to match the look of the outside, wooden settles, wooden floor, and what looked like old chemist shop drawers at the back of the bar.
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i visited this pub for a meal on a night out with some friends and my daughter . i thought the staff were rude and unhelpfull the menu was a apalling . my husband asked for stake and no salad or veg instead he was given 3 new potatoes it was pathetic . asked for side order of mushrooms and told no we dont do that asked for beef lasagne and was told they had ran out. asked for drinks to be brought to our table and told u have to get them ! 2 minutes later thy took drinks to the table next to us . its the only resturant i have been to and left hungry . would not return .
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Great food & service from the cook & the waitress who was rushed off her feet. Landlord pleasant & helpful but landlady very abrupt & rude. She spoiled the occassion but was not just rude/abrupt to us, also rude to other customers & to her own waitress. With the landladys attitude I doubt they get many repeat bookings. I will not be returning to the pub until the landlady leaves. Pub gets very busy as it is on a main road & therefore gets alot of passing by traffic.
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6X in wooden casks?
I don't think so.
anonymous - 21 May 2007 14:05 |
I forgot to add to my last review, the landlady is incredibly rude! She's actually built herself a bad reputation in the surrounding area so some locals choose to stay away. However, the food is excellent and the rest of the bar staff are fine!
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A really good local pub, I count myself lucky to have moved close to this pub recently. Very good 6X kept in wooden casks behind the bar. Excellent, good old fashioned pub food too - they do all the good old classics that pubs should - not too pricey or overdone, just good steaks, pies, curries etc. Very pleasant ambience, a bit quirky and very attractive. An old haunt of Charles Dickens, very close to Avebury and Silbury Hill - a great spot, give it a try.
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Excellent grub with an ever changing specials board - portions are large and a prime example of what wiltshire pubs should be serving!
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Great pub. Good food, friendly staff, and a fantastic building.
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Yes - superlatives can readily be applied to the Waggon & Horses. A proper pint of 6X is one of the greatest favours you can ever do your taste buds, the food is great and the service is friendly. Lovely beer garden out the back too. Recommended.
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Top pub. nice staff. excellent food - can recomend the bree baguette. An example of a pub Wiltshire should be proud of.
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One of those pubs that when you walk in on a sunny summers day, its virtually pitch black inside! After your eyes adapt, its really rather a nice place.
Exceptionally friendly landlord and waiting staff, beer is excellent - you can see the barrels behind the bar, and the food is fantastic if you've spent the morning clambering around stone circles crop circles (opt for this place over the pub nearer the circles!).
All in all, great pub.
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