TEST ARTICLE 5 - The best pubs in rural Britain and the villages they call home

Villages in rural Britain tend to be judged on the presence of the P's: the post office, the primary school and the pub (a central duck pond is a nice to have but does not usually make the list of buyer priorities). A great local pub, however, is an essential – and the older and ricketier the better. Complete with low beams, inglenook fireplaces, a thick wooden bar, flagstone floors and a garden, an old pub can give a sense of history and a window into village life centuries ago. A good village pub is multi-functional, providing a day-to-day community hub for locals and maybe a destination restaurant for foodies from far and wide. Here, Strutt & Parker reveals the nine best rural pubs and the charming villages where you can find them.

The Horse Pub

Woodgreen, Hampshire

Wild ponies graze on the green in this small but big-hearted village. Woodgreen sits on the north westerly tip of the New Forest where it almost touches the vast Cranbourne Chase National Landscape, a special spot between two special landscapes. This hospitable village has a hall, a church, a community-run store, a (rescued and repurposed) red phone box which is now a local information point and a virtual 'welcome pack' online for new residents. But at the centre of it all is the pub. The Horse Pub is a welcoming venue in all seasons with cosy log fires; it’s little surprise it features in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. In the summer the garden comes into its own, there's a pizza oven and a horsebox serving Gin cocktails. In the autumn is the conker championship, and the Six Nations is on show on the big screens this spring. There are cottages around the green and the bigger houses and estates are tucked away in the woodland. Strutt & Parker recently sold a four-bedroom, detached, family house for £1,050,000. 

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Download -  Land Business Update | Week Commencing 25 May 2026