The Journal

English pubs are so much more than a place to go for a drink and something to eat. Essays have been written about their cultural impact and meaning, but to distill it down to one word - for the sake of brevity - the English pub has blossomed and evolved for many centuries, and continues to do so, because it is a much-treasured place of sanctuary. Whether taking refuge from the weather, or as a sacred place to meet with friends and family, or even as somewhere to go alone to gather one’s thoughts and rest the mind, the best pubs have an undeniable sense of comfort and escapism in the air. And so, for some of the most supreme pubs known to man, look no further than the Cotswolds - a pretty patchwork of quaint villages and small towns strewn across a handsome stretch of countryside in the heart of England. Whatever the weather, whatever the time of year, a Cotswold pub is the epitome and personification of ‘an English pub’. Here is our expert guide to the area’s most desirable.