Michilander

We will be doing a Tudor tour south of London in early May. This will include US Mother's Day. My wife has never had a chance to do a traditional English Sunday Roast and I know she would really enjoy it. We talked about doing Sunday in Portsmouth, where there are lots of choices. But, then I found out about the special raptor program at Leeds Castle (which is also on her list) on 10 May. Being a bit of a raptor buff, I would really like to attend that, but would need to be able to still get her a Sunday Roast. Anyone know if the Great British Kitchen does them? Any other suggestions close by?

Thanks.

Microwave

All I remember of Leeds Castle is that the food was rather disappointing, cafeteria style if I recall correctly. Will you have a car or will you be taking some other transport to the castle? If you're driving I'd suggest looking at some of the villages away from the motorway and find a quaint pub in there somewhere. Small village pubs are quintessentially English, and if you can find one that's not a chain (especially avoid any pub which name or website mentions "Wetherspoons" or "J D Wetherspoon") I'd settle on that. Call now to make a booking as Sunday Roast can be quite popular, and I'd suggest getting in on the early side (closer to lunch time than dinner time) as good places can and do run out of some roast options nearer the end of service. If you weren't planning on a car, perhaps you would consider one to enjoy some of the surrounding area–the castle is adjacent to Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty after all.

Sorry I can't speak for the castle itself but I hope this helps!

gnarly

The Dirty Habbit in Hollingbourne is just up the road and does traditional Sunday Roasts as well as alternative Gastro Pub fare.

Michilander

Thanks for the tips, guys. Unfortunately, we not plan to have a car there.

I did find the George Inn, which seems to be in walking distance from the castle. Anyone know about it?

Gagravarr

I often find Beer In The Evening to be a good guide to pubs in areas I don't know. Sadly though, their entry on the George Inn by Leeds Castle doesn't have any recent reviews. Google Plus doesn't do much better on recent reviews, but it looks like it certainly used to be fine...

Funky Spike

The George Inn in Leeds village does an alright Sunday roast. Although not too far away from the castle it is all uphill and quite a steep hill at that.

If you're travelling by train then the nearest station is Bearsted and my recommendation,The Oak On The Green, is yards away from Bearsted station.

Regards

Spike

Michilander

Spike,

Thanks for this heads up on the hill. I went ahead and rented a car for the day and that turned out to be the right thing to do. Not only was there the hill, the road was narrow with a lot of traffic and no sidewalks. We enjoyed the Sunday Roasts very much and had a wonderful day at Leeds Castle, including getting to use falconry gloves to have a hawk land on our hands.