The Lowdown
Think of the most quintessential English country pub you can imagine, and then times that by 10, and you get The Compasses Inn. Ben Maschler’s 14th century inn is all about traditional charm, offset by minimal, Scandi-inspired bedrooms upstairs. Stroll from ancient beams and flagstone floors to Egyptian cotton, mid-century furniture and WiFi in just a few seconds.
The Journey
We drove from London (which is super scenic), but you can take a direct train from London Waterloo to Tisbury (five minutes from the Inn) in 1h45m.
What’s Around
The surrounding village of Tisbury is one of the prettiest we’ve seen in the UK (all thatched roofs and twinkling streams), but it’s not all quaint tea rooms and cobbled streets here. We definitely recommend trying to get to local gallery Messums during your stay – it’s a 13th century barn and dairy housing works by Grayson Perry, Tim Harrison and Norman Ackroyd. #UJLoves.
Food and Drink
This is pub grub at its finest. We’d recommend starting off with some bar snacks (we’re a sucker for a good scotch egg) and a glass of wine by the fire – take some time to really soak up the atmosphere here. The menu is highly seasonal so changes often, but the skate wing and the fish pie were highlights on our visit, and their English breakfast is worth getting up for.
The Highlight
The inn itself. Walking in here, you genuinely feel like you’ve been transported back to 14th century England: it feels like a home away from home. If you want cosy in the country this is the place to come – all you need to do is take a seat by the fire and settle in for the night.
