Regional & Seasonal: The Ring of Bells
Dishes sourced from moor and sea are served alongside local cider at a centuries-old country pub
Curving through the gentle green folds of the countryside between Dartmoor, Exmoor and the Blackdown Hills, a narrow road leads into the Devonshire village of Cheriton Fitzpaine. Passing thatched cottages and whitewashed houses, it leads up a lane to a pub, its red-brick chimney stacks puffing pale smoke from the fires burning warmly within. This is the Ring of Bells, a homely country hostelry where food is freshly cooked and locally sourced pints are pulled. “I have 10 handpumps on the bar, and eight of those are from the South West. It’s not just ale, but ciders and lagers. It’s amazing,” says owner Binka Caven. “We’re very fortunate with our location, so we use what we have to the best of our ability.” Light beams through demijohns of those ciders, bottled at a community press, lined up along a windowsill. Regulars prop up the bar, smiling and chatting while pub dogs, Scampi and Reuben bask by the fire. Blackboards propped or hung around the room display the menu in flowing chalk lettering. When the offering changes, which it regularly does, the menus are wiped clean and rewritten. “Our ethos is to always serve fresh, home-made food,” says Binka. “We try to be quite forward-thinking and individual; to offer something that’s good value, delicious, seasonal and local. Mid Devon is a honeypot; it’s incredible, and it plays a big part in our food and drinks menu.” The pub had been closed for two and a half years when Binka bought it in July 2014. Having moved down from the Midlands, she searched across the county for her ideal pub. “It was like something from the Marie Celeste when we found it,” she says. “The tables were still laid, and glasses were still out. It was a bit dated, but it had such a lovely atmosphere.” She immediately set about renovating the building, cleaning and repainting inside and out. The thatch was redone, the kitchen updated, and within a couple of months, the pub was ready to open. “It was pretty full on, but it was worth it,” she smiles. “There was a lot of excitement when we opened. The food was a hit straight away. It took a while to get our regular drinkers, but now everybody knows each other, and it’s a lovely atmosphere.” Locals and holidaymakers chatter on neighbouring tables as plates of halibut, black pudding or steaming bowls of soup are carried out. Children scribble over images of Reuben the hound,
who has been immortalised on a colouring-in sheet. Contemporary paintings are hung around the room, but exposed beams and brickwork, a faded pub sign and uneven walls reveal the building’s long history. “It was built in the 1500s and was originally five different cottages,” explains Binka. “Then, in the 1800s, it was turned into a public house and has been one ever since. There’s a massive fireplace with a bread oven in the dining room that’s original from the 1500s.” After its break of several years, the pub has been restored to its former existence as a thriving local. “It was a bit of a risk because there was no trading history and no books to buy from,” reveals Binka, “But it just had the right feel, and the locals are lovely. It’s a good pub.”
CONTACT The Ring of Bells, The Hayes, Cheriton Fitzpaine, Crediton, EX17 4JG. Tel 01363 860111 www.theringofbells.com