One thing the Cotswolds does well is a cosy country pub. And if you’re looking for a warm welcome, top-notch food and stylish rooms, then you’ll find them all at The Five Alls in Filkins. This recently revamped 18th-century pub sits in a peaceful West Oxfordshire village. It has Lechlade to the south and Burford to the north, with miles of unspoilt countryside in between them.
With a new team at the helm, the Five Alls is building up a well-deserved reputation for its food, from breakfasts to Sunday roasts, which makes the most of produce available locally. Find out more about the rooms, the food and what there is to do nearby with our review of The Five Alls, Filkins.
AD: Our stay was hosted by The Five Alls but all opinions are our own.
First impressions
With its ivy-clad Cotswold stone exterior, The Five Alls ticks all the country pub boxes. New owner Tom Downing took over earlier this year, bringing over 20 years of experience with him, most recently as the manager of The Crazy Bear in Stadhampton. He also brought in a new team, including manager Robert Wilks, and refreshed and refurbished the rooms and public spaces.
Inside it’s cosy and colourful, and the updates haven’t dulled any of its character. There are plenty of historic features, including flagstone and wooden floors, oak-beamed ceilings, sash windows and stone walls. Antiques, curios, leather and wooden furniture add to the atmosphere.
There’s a buzz around the place, and it seems to have successfully managed to combine being a proper local pub with being welcoming to visitors. A stream of customers came through while we were there, many attracted by the reputation of its food, which is more restaurant than pub.
But where does the unusual name come from? The sign hanging outside the front of the pub gives you a clue, depicting five figures – a king (who rules for all), a lawyer (who pleads for all), a bishop (who prays for all), a soldier (who fights for all) and a farmer (who works for all).
Rooms at the Five Alls Filkins
The Five Alls has nine guest bedrooms, which are split between the main pub building and an annex in the gardens. There are four bedrooms above the pub (two double rooms and two with king-sized beds) which vary slightly in shape and size, and have some character features.
The five Cottage Garden rooms are all on the ground floor, located next to the Five Alls’ garden, with rows of lavender outside the windows. Our room was tucked away around the side so also had a little private seating area outside. The rooms are light and spacious, with super-king-sized beds (which my friend and I had set up as a twin) – and it was very quiet at night so we slept well.
There’s a cottage style but it’s understated not chintzy, with the décor using elegant shades of greys and greens, thick wool carpets and vintage furniture. There are some nice touches, like the lamps and Roberts radio being on when we arrived to make it feel homely. All rooms also have Nespresso coffee machines (and kettles for the tea drinkers), plus a mini fridge for milk and water.
The en-suite bathrooms have plenty of space too, with big rainfall showers. In contrast to the pale bedrooms there’s a bit more colour in here, with sunny yellow walls and patterned floor tiles. Noble Isle toiletries are supplied, which are made with produce sourced from around the UK.
Food and drink at the Five Alls Filkins
The Five Alls has a reputation among foodies, but it’s a local pub too, with a mix of regulars having drinks, overnight guests and people coming for dinner. The pub is part of the Brakspear brewery group, so you’ll find their ales and lagers on tap alongside spirits and 40 different wines.
There are a couple of different areas for drinks. The main Cotswold stone bar – which is topped by eye-catching lights made from antique gramophone speakers – with its wooden floors, beams and red walls. As well as a snug with leather sofas and an inglenook fireplace for colder nights.
Look out for pub cat Dougal, who likes to have a snooze on the bar’s windowsill, and for the quirky bathroom doors, which are painted to look like bookshelves. And outside there’s a beer garden underneath the fruit trees, which is perfect for a summer’s evening.
The Five Alls has two separate dining areas too. One is used for private dining and the other for the restaurant, with oak-beamed ceilings and vintage-style paintings giving it a warm feel.
Romanian chef Lucian Juganaru is another new addition to the relaunched Five Alls. He’s developed a series of new menus taking full advantage of local produce – with trout from Bibury Trout Farm, pork from Kelmscott and beef from Jesse Smith Butchers. There’s an à la carte menu for dinner, plus a two-or three-course set menu for lunch (Wednesday–Saturday) and Sunday lunches.
The menu changes regularly to make the most of what’s in season, with pub classics like fish and chips and burgers alongside more unusual dishes – with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
We started with a Bibury trout mousse and an Atlantic prawn crispy pancake. Followed by aubergine with whipped feta and a tomato and basil sauce, and pan-fried trout with sorrel. And just managed to squeeze in an espresso panacotta. Everything was fresh, tasty and full of flavour.
Breakfast is included if you’re staying overnight. There’s a continental buffet and choice of cooked breakfast dishes. Go for lighter options like porridge or a sausage or bacon bap. Or do what we did and set yourself up for the day with a Full English or bubble and squeak with bacon and eggs.
What to do nearby
Filkins is a peaceful, scenic village well worth a wander around. There’s the Victorian Gothic St Peter’s Church and a village shop that’s run by the local community. You can also visit Cotswold Woollen Weavers and the Filkins Stone Company, who share a site on the edge of the village. They have a museum of weaving history and a shop selling blankets, clothes and accessories.
Filkins is also home to Oxfordshire’s smallest museum, set inside a 17th-century cottage. The Swinford Museum of rural life only has limited opening hours though – 2pm–5pm on the first and third Sundays and the first Thursday of the month, from May to September.
To the south of Filkins is the town of Lechlade (3 miles), with its Halfpenny Bridge, boat trips on the river and walks along the Thames Path. A few miles downriver is Kelmscott Manor (4 miles), once the summer home of designer and poet William Morris, who described the house and gardens as ‘heaven on earth’. And to the west are the lakes of the Cotswold Water Park (5 miles).
Or head north to see the animals at the Cotswold Wildlife Park (3 miles) and visit the antique shops, tea rooms and garden centre in Burford (5.5 miles). East of Burford is the Windrush Valley, with the villages of Swinbrook and Asthall (7 miles), where the Mitford sisters once lived.
The details
Parking and transport: To get to Filkins by public transport, you can take a train to Swindon and then catch the Pulhams 64 bus to Filkins, which stops by the church. There are four buses a day, but none on Sundays. Or if you’re driving, there’s plenty of parking to the side of the pub.
Dogs: Dogs are welcome in the bar and dining area and there are two dog-friendly bedrooms. There’s a charge of £20 per dog per night, including a hamper with treats, enrichment cards, poo bags and dog tea. Dog treats are also available alongside the human treats at the bar.
Kids: Extra beds for children are available and cost £20 per child. There’s also a family suite which sleeps two adults and up to three children. And the restaurant has a children’s menu.
Prices: Rooms at the Five Alls Filkins start at £100 a night for the rooms above the pub and £140 for the Cottage Garden and family rooms, all on a bed and breakfast basis.
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