Landlady Ruth Woodley talks about taking on The Plowden Arms with husband Matt Woodley and the challenges of its historical menu . . .

My husband and I left London in search of the good (pub) life and a bit of history and found The Plowden Arms in 2012.

We wanted to celebrate the very best of British cuisine in a truly unique, historical way, to make our pub one-of-a-kind.

So our menu at The Plowden Arms takes inspiration from some of cooking’s greats – including Eliza Acton and Mrs Beeton – as well as using some centuries-old techniques, featuring unashamedly old-fashioned dishes from yesteryear.

Our recently opened pub, which is nestled in the heart of pretty Shiplake Cross, near Henley, looks about as picture perfect a country pub as you could ask for.

Step inside, however, and you soon realise there is much more to the quaint 18th-century hostelry than first meets the eye, as you enter a bygone era.

To create those historical dishes that bring our menu to life, we fill the kitchen with only the most seasonal and local of fresh ingredients.

Expect quirky creations, such as spinach pudding with Kidderton ash goat’s cheese, wild garlic and baby carrots, a dish that has been adapted from The London Art of Cooking, published in 1738.

Alternatively, try the steak, served with sauce Robert, which is a brown mustard sauce originating from 1691.

Matt pays homage to the 13th-century origin of carrot cake with his carrot pudding, served with an indulgent brown sugar sauce and orange marmalade ice cream.

But there is also an option of a dark chocolate trifle with a white chocolate emulsion.

Our current seasonal dish is Mackerel and Gooseberry Sauce, a combination of ingredients that have been paired together since the 17th-century and one we are trying to bring back, believing it to have been somewhat forgotten. Also on our menu at The Plowden Arms is a warm welcome, complete with flickering candles, antique cutlery and vintage crockery.

The summer days can be spent outdoors in the spacious beer garden, where you can enjoy forgotten cocktails, such as Gimlets and Gin Fizz, which are best enjoyed against the 1920s soundtrack.

For those colder autumn and winter nights, a warm, blazing fire is lit at the Plowden Arms.

On Wednesdays each week, we have Pie and Pint Wednesdays, which are always great fun and hugely popular with customers.

Then, on Sundays, we always have a choice of two sumptuous roasts, and, most importantly, we have dog (and people) friendly staff.

We would love for The Plowden Arms to take you back to a golden era of the proper British pub, where you can enjoy a truly original gastro experience.

The Plowden Arms, Reading Road, Shiplake Cross 
Henley on Thames 
plowdenarmsshiplake.co.uk