If you’re looking for a beautifully refurbished pub to visit this weekend, then stop the search right now! :) The Litton, in the idyllic little village of Litton near Wells, is definitely the place to put at the top of your list - and with the fab food, oodles of character, cool riverside terrace and gorgeous boutique bedrooms, we honestly think you’ll love it as much as we do!
Creating The Litton has taken two years of pure dedication by Owner Sally Billington, as she set out to restore a 15th century food mill - the pub formerly known as The Kings Arms! Although the building needed to be totally stripped back, completely re-roofed and the original features lovingly restored and reused (like the old elm from the roof timbers that was salvaged to create a bespoke bar top), wow flipping weeee was it worth it! ;)
The result is a stunning mix of old and new or, as The Litton puts it, somewhere that’s ‘Traditionally untraditional’. They’re absolutely spot on there!
The main bar and dining area is a big, bold, bright space for socialising with friends, relaxing with family or grabbing a quiet pint - and we particularly love the mix of places to pull up a chair, sofa or barrel in this part of the pub!
There’s a different seat for everyone, depending on your mood and our favourite is this little music-themed corner, complete with comfy sofas and prints of bands that remind us what we need to listen to when we get home (love a bit of Blondie!) :)
We also love this high-beamed feature ceiling, adding some real country cool to a lovely sofa area in front of one of the many fires. This would be a perfect place to curl up in Autumn if you ask us…
… and talking of cosy spots, when we arrived we came in through the entrance to The Whiskey Bar. That’s the oldest part of the original pub, dating back to the 1420’s, and it has a real homely feel. We said hello to 'Eric the Knight' on our way in (well, who wouldn’t want a knight of shining armour to greet guests)!
We made sure we took the pubs advice too, as there is a low bit in this part as you walk in…
... and with our heads very much intact, we discovered lots of lovely places to chill out with a nice glass of something strong! :)
If you’re counting, there’s around 50 whiskeys to try here so if that’s your tipple of choice, you’ll be in whiskey heaven. If it's not, no worries! There’s heaps of other spirits to keep you going and a little bird tells us that many have been sourced for their rarity.
The Litton’s not all about curling up inside though – there’s some great outside spaces for summer days and nights too. The courtyard garden is a tranquil sunken spot at the front of the pub, with cool firepits and comfy cushions. There’s also a gorgeous riverside terrace wrapping itself round the side of the pub, so you can sit outside with a drink or bite to eat and listen to the River Chew slowly meander by! Ahhhh.
Talking of a bite to eat, you’ll be pleased to hear that the food is ace too! For a start, our bread and balsamic was brought out in a quirky ‘First Aid’ tin. Love this idea…
… and our mains, of wild garlic gnocchi, mushrooms, leek puree and pickled shallots for me and a Litton burger with very chunky chips for Graeme, were cooked to perfection. For dessert, we both had a beautiful baked salt caramel cheesecake and the menu is full to the brim with classic pub favourites, as well as dishes with a twist and gorgeous puds so you won’t be disappointed!
And did we mention it’s dog friendly? Well it is, so we had one very happy Petal pup!
If you fancy a sleep over, The Litton delivers here too! Its' twelve stylish rooms have all been individually designed to reflect the vintage style of the building itself.
Some rooms are dog friendly – a big 'whoop' if you're looking for a place to stay with your woofer! :)
As for a newspaper in the morning, the Litton has its very own ‘Litton Times’, so you can discover everything about the pub and the journey the guys went on to make it what it is now. Another really lovely idea...
All in all, for local beer, ale, cider, wine, cocktails and whiskey, or a cracking bite to eat in a chilled out environment, we’re absolutely loving The Litton! It’s the perfect place for eating, drinking and being merry... as well as for a relaxed atmosphere in beautiful surroundings.
Our review in three words: Fresh. Exciting. Cool.
See you there soon - we'll definitely be back! :)