The Six Bells in South Oxfordshire

Having banger hours to kill in the vicinity in a Friday afternoon I decided to take a look around some Midsomer Murders filming locations and popped along to the Six Bells. At the time of visiting it was very busy with lots of locals introducing themselves to the very recent new landlord and landlady, both of whom were very friendly and welcoming. At the time of visiting it was not possible to order food as kitchen equipment was in the process of being replaced and catering will start in the coming days. That’s a very fair reason and new business owners often can’t get everything going perfectly from day one. A garden at the rear along with an outdoor area at the front makes this the perfect place to be for a summer’s evening drink. The venue and toilets were clean and I wish the very best of luck to the new people running the establishment. Hopefully the food will be great as the local butchers popped in to introduce themselves and their trade.

Wanted to see the Midsommer Murders "Black Swan" pub. Very nice old building with thatched roof. Friendly staff, nice outdoor area and lovely surrounnding

I have just come back from a Wonderful dinner at the Six Bells . I went with my Family and friends which amounted to Ten of us. We all had a Tasty Roast dinner with plenty of veg and gravy. Gary , Sam and Will couldn't do enough for us. We all felt relaxed because it was a really friendly atmosphere because of the service we had. Cannot recommend it enough. Thanks for a Great day we will be back.

We went to this pub specifically for its location and Midsomer Murders connections. It’s a lovely pub in a great location . The young staff serving were both delightful . Two of our party had a very nice roast chicken lunch . However , my wife ordered what was described on the menu as a Vegetarian Tartlet . What arrived was a large Yorkshire pudding, a parsnip and a couple of roast potatoes. Thinking that a mistake had been made and they had simply forgotten to add the tartlet or that it was hiding under the large Yorkshire pud, I suggested we lift the Yorkshire to see if there was any sign of the missing tartlet. Nestled under the Yorkshire were 6 tiny shrivelled dried up button mushrooms that even James Martin could not have breathed life into. Slightly confused , we called the person in charge over. We questioned the missing Tartlet and he went away to converse with the kitchen. He was away some time but upon his return he rather abruptly told us “ that is the vegetarian option” (in a sort of ‘take it or leave it ‘ sort of way). As 6 denuded button mushrooms does not constitute a Vegetarian Tartlet we asked him to take it away and remove it from the bill. He didn’t offer any alternative or apologise that we were dissatisfied but it was taken off the bill. I had roast lamb which was served up lukewarm . The side vegetables were sparse and also lukewarm . The cauliflower cheese was hot but not a lot for 4 people . Overall we thought the food was reasonably priced but the Vegetarian Tartlet was nothing of the sort . DCI Barnaby needs to investigate this under the trades descriptions act , it was a dish well and truly ‘Midsomer Murdered’

Went for dinner with friends during walk on Thames Path. Bar staff friendly and very helpful. Food and beer excellent. Many thanks.

Another very enjoyable family Sunday lunch at this cosy, traditional pub with bags of character and a prime location by the village green. Food and service were top notch, even though the pub was busy and they were fully booked. The friendly landlord and landlady have done a great job since taking over last year and the chef is excellent. Booking is recommended but there are spacious garden areas front and back for the summer months. A must visit!

The Six Bells tolled their last for us. The website indicates that they are open until 3 pm, not so for food. We arrived at 2.07 walked to the bar where no one was in immediate attention a picked up a menu. The landlord the asked if he could help and we ordered a pint and a drink for my wife. Seeing we had a menu the landlord started to pour the pint of beer and I asked if we could order food(menu still in hand), quite bluntly he said no we stop serving at 2. However, food was still appearing from the kitchen.

Hadn’t booked a table but they fitted us in. I had chicken Kiev and my husband had meat pie. Both dinners were delicious. Didn’t have time for a pudding as the table was booked for the next sitting.

Sunday lunch was amazing as always, highly recommend. Such a friendly environment, food is fabulous, & a great location.

Landlord welcoming and friendly. Nice cosy and pleasant pub, and buzzing with people (and dogs!). Sunday roast is notoriously difficult to serve to a large crowd, but I'm glad to say our food was very nice, both the roast and dessert was amazing 👏 😋 Well done!

An amazing evening. Menu options great, food was exceptional, wonderful atmosphere, extremely friendly & welcome

Great little pub with fab service and decent wine. Food is also very good. Not gourmet but very tasty and perfectly served. Gluten free options too are good.

We have visited here on many occasions and found the food to be okay. Sadly the welcome seems to be a struggle for the existing staff these days. Visited and the pub was freezing cold when we asked if the heating could be turned on it was explained it was on …..but broken. Not helpful and the fire was totally inadequate. This is a beautiful old building so has its limitations but no heat when it’s 8 degrees is not acceptable. The food is okay fairly basic but well presented. A smile goes a long way and hides all kind of problems…..sadly missing from this team. We shall not be returning.

What a find! The pub and surroundings are beautiful and the Staff were very friendly.. We just called in on the off chance of getting a table for lunch, so glad we did. The food was outstanding, plentiful, cooked to perfection. The location is lovely. Perfect Sunday outing.

I wanted to go to this pub because of its use in Midsomer Murders. The location of the pub is very English with the cricket oval small cottages and houses. A great adventure playground just across the cricket field for the kids. The lunch was a basic menu but very nice. Good selection of beers. A very enjoyable experience.

My wife and me ate there today and after an initial setback (the meat delivery was late) we enjoyed ourselves very much. The pub is in a lovely setting by the village green, and the interior (too cold to eat outside but would have loved to) although "bijou" is cosy and well appointed. Service was good, so was the food and we will be going there again.

The service was 5 stars! You couldn’t ask for a more kind and genuine team of staff. The duck confit croquette were superb!

The best club sandwich I have ever had great service for a busy day hope to be back soon very nice garden

this place is delightful, fantastic village green setting.. The menu has some great dishes, very Spanish influenced. I had the Padron peppers and the garlic prawns. Sadly the prawns were ruined as to cook the garlic prawns you need raw prawns to cook with the...

We came here for a casual Sunday afternoon lunch and really enjoyed it. We sat in the back garden, very relaxing - full table service The food was great our favourites were the garlic prawns and the beans with almonds Recommended++

Set on a breathtakingly beautiful village green, this 1600’s country pub offers a warm welcome and fantastic food. There are tables outside and a gorgeous garden at the back, but we chose to sit inside next to the enormous fireplace, which would be the perfect...

Was cooked to perfection for me & up there with the best roast ive had , friendly staff Couldnt fault it

We enjoyed a late Sunday lunch at The Six Bells on the Green on the 18th October 2020. Last orders for lunch are at 2.45/3pm on a Sunday. You really need to book though to guarantee a table. The Bells is open as of midday on a Sunday till closing I believe. Beautiful walks in and around and off the Green if you need to walk off lunch!There is a fantastic adventure playground and if in season cricket Is normally on the Green.We enjoyed one of the best Sunday roasts we have ever had at the Bells.We have lived in the village since 2002. Our 5 year old cleared her plate as did we. Amazing tender beef and quality veg and the cauliflower cheese was sublime! Kier was head chef! Excellent service by Jill and Floss and Nikki and full team on that day. I cannot recommend The Six Bells more highly.Child friendly, dog friendly(in bar areas) and as of a few weeks ago a spacious, fairy light decorated stunning marque.Thank you Nicki and team. - btw Pizza van comes on a Monday night!

A lovely setting for my surprise baby shower - great location and staff were very friendly with good customer service. Sunday roast was delicious and generous portions, would recommend the sticky toffee pudding too! Will definitely be back!

This pub has certainly had its ups and downs over the eyars --last time I went it was during a down period but we went for a meal on Bank Holiday Monday and it was superb--the pub is well arranged for Covid and the staff...

Bank Holiday Monday. Staff were relaxed and confident. The menu is simple, this is a good thing in this case. Good quality meat really well cooked. Top-notch fish and chips (triple cooked chips that don’t taste like they’ve been in the fridge for days) Seven...

Met with a few friends for an evening meal and all of us found the initial welcome very cool indeed and this didn’t improve during the evening. Some of the starters and mains we ordered used the same items of food so not much originality...

Visited as a family for an evening meal. The service, the food and the ambiance were all wonderful. My steak was cooked to perfection and it was excellent value for money. Highly recommended.

Meet friends for sunday lunch. Lively day so sat in the garden. Nice staff and pretty setting. 3 ordered roast beef and 1 shoulder of lamb. All the meats were well cooked and a lovely selection of fresh veg. One mango sorbet and coffe to...

I went to The Six Bells with two friends for lunch! I ordered a special which was pan fried duck with a potato Rosti and creamed leeks followed by a vanilla cheesecake with fresh raspberries and raspberry coulis! My two friends had a chicken, tarragon...

meet friends here for sunday lunch. beautiful thatched pub on the billage green. we had booked which you need to as very busy. nice menu with a selection of starters, roasts and a few other mains and puds. we did not have starters, 3 beef...

Been having Sunday lunch here for ages so thought we would try elsewhere just for a change. Never again. Perfect roast with an array of veg to accompany it. Great options if you don't feel like beef for your roast too. Booked again for this...

Fancied a Sunday Lunch and my husband suggested this pub, called them and they could fit us in at the last minute and so glad we went. Food was amazing and staff were lovely start to finish.

Had s fantastic evening would highly recommend the Six Bells. Food was great and plentful value for money. Lovely warm and friendly atmosphere. We will be returning

Really enjoyed our stay in Walingborough and can’t complement Nicky, Tristan, Beanie and good old Murphy enough for making an indifferent night out at Halloween into a good night out. We’ll definitely be back but will call first. Cheers Dave and Alison

Beautiful picturesque pub full of charm & character. Delightful friendly service even though the lady seemed to be serving bar & restaurant on her own. Highly recommended & beautiful walks outside - dog friendly. Delicious inexpensive food. Roaring fire too.

Probably the best pie I've ever had, the service is good and the pub is a charming little place in a lovely village.

Fantastic food and really good value, especially the specials menu. The food really was the highlight. Very cosy atmosphere with a beautiful open fire and located in a beautiful little village. Very friendly, quick and helpful service.

We started out with drinks in the garden and followed up with lunch inside. Everything was great but what really impressed me was how friendly and helpful the staff were! I will definitely stop in again next time I am in the area! And the prices were very reasonable too!

I was staying at the Shillingford hotel, and they had decided that guests weren’t allowed to use the restaurant or bars, due to a function. Having looked at the options, I walked up here. Lovely, attractive pub.

På fottur ned langs Themsen, er det å spise godt også en viktig del av opplevelsen. Denne puben var med å gjøre opplevelsen enda bedre. Vi hadde fått overnatting på en litt nedslitt sted som ikke hadde en fristende meny eller omgivelser. Derfor tok vi en liten spasertur på 1km for å prøve dette stedet i stede. Og det var vellykket.

A really nice pub know for it’ role in Midsomer Murders. The pub is located on a village green and the village it’s self really is a classic British village. The staff there are always lovely and happy to help the food is also very nice especially the Sunday roast.

I have been coming here as a tour guide on Midsomer Murders for over 10 years and I have never experienced such a bad roast as I did on Sunday, 04 August with my clients from the USA. I was so embarrassed by the poor food that they provided that I paid for the food myself. I provide a best food guide for the Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire area for the last 16 years so I have some great experiences in the area.

I am sat in this pub as I write this. They are serving food, but aren’t taking orders at the moment. The bar man doesn’t know when they will be taking orders again? And doesn’t know how long the wait for food will be once we do eventually order. The pub is not busy, and the menu is extremely limited. Very disappointing. We will finish our drinks and leave. Don’t bother!

The titles sums it up really....'we don't know when you can order your food' - let alone when will I actually get it?!?!?

We found the Six Bells by accident after driving past the end of the lane. It was a Sunday and it was busy. There is seating in front of the Pub and in a rear garden, as well as inside of course. Beautiful old thatched Pub with a lovely atmosphere, and very nice staff who fitted us in although they were very busy. Our food was ordered and came within a very reasonable time. Well prepared, fresh food cooked to order, and plenty of it as well!

If you have any interest in Midsomer Murders then you have to go to this village as many parts have been used during filming, especially The Pub. It is a truly great place, nice seating out the front and a large rear garden, its not big inside, so if you wish to eat inside i would recommend booking.

Husband suggested going out for lunch, wow what a fabulous location and food was fantastic. The only downside would be travellers setting up camp on the cricket field. Will be back with the kids. A little gem.

We came out for a typical Sunday drive and past the sign for The Six Bells...

As we cruised through England on our vacation, we realized we were very close to a pub which has been featured in a television series we watch, so we decided to stop in and have a quick bite to eat.

I booked for a birthday dinner with my family and called to clarify vegan options for my daughter. The response was very positive and the chef was happy to create options based on what she liked and didn't like. Everyone enjoyed their food and the staff were great too. Many thanks for making our evening so enjoyable

Real gem of a pub! Friends recently moved to the village. The halloumi chips were fantastic, beer equally as fantastic, and the staff were very friendly indeed.

Very welcoming and cosy pub for a lunchtime meeting with friends. Food was excellent, especially the asparagus starter. I imagine the beer was good too although only had soft drinks because of driving.

Beautiful pub. We had lunch in the garden we were made very welcome despite coming in at 2pm on the dot after lunch service had finished they were extreamly accommodating and were happy to feed us still! We both had the club sandwich which was to die for, we will definately be returning! A must visit place

New to this charming old pub. Recently installed experienced head chef presents old favourites beautifully cooked together with a full and varied a la carte menu to suit all tastes. The staff were courteous and the service could not be faulted. We were seated opposite the log fire in the evening - magical! We live 12 miles away but this is now our local.

This quaint and picturesque old English inn is fabulous. Great real ales and drinks to accompany a great menu - IF YOU EAT MEAT.

We'd traveled to the area to visit a kitchen showroom that turned out to be closed and decided to cut our losses and just have lunch. Well we were delighted to find the Six Bells in the area. The staff were very welcoming and the food was excellent and reasonably priced. We both enjoyed the chicken, ham and leek pie and I have to say the pecan bread and butter pudding with custard was the best of it's kind that I have tasted.

I went to The Six Bells following a family member buying me a Jackfm voucher. I didn’t know what to expect but it turned out to be a really nice meal.

Welcoming pub. Great choice of menu. Seabass with seafood risotto and pea puree really special. Dessert menu a real treat. Children's menu wide ranging. Chips to die for! Lovely setting.

Visiting family locally and walked here for lunch. To us a friendly, welcoming typical country pub. No wonder it has appeared 7 times on Midsomer. We enjoyed the sharing platter of rosemary camembert and jolly good it was. Either before or after your visit, you should take a stroll around the large adjacent green and have a look at the delightful houses that surround it, several of which have also appeared in the series.

Enjoyed lunch where the food was good but the service was very slow and this tended to spoil the experience. The food was just good pub food but nothing special and unlikely to return. Useful that they allow dogs in the main bar area.

Me and my brother visited for his birthday on Saturday Jan 12. Lovely meal in pleasant surroundings. Arran is a natural at the job. Nothing too much trouble. Barry

3 of my party chose Fish & chips for lunch. All 3 stated it was the best fish they had eaten in a long time and they would surely recommend it to their friends. I in turn has a steak which was cooked to my requirements (perfectly done). Again we will definitely recommend this establishment to friends and return next year. Highly recommended.

Popped in for a drink on Sunday lunchtime. Place packed so service fair. But dogs all over the floor, nearly trod on tails more than once . Good selection of beers but very dark interior.

Visiting from Surrey for a Birthday. Really gorgeous location. Found Manager really nice took time to chat. Food arrived quickly and was hot. Plenty of it. Only criticism we had five main courses only and two bottles of wine and it’s a little pricey. Otherwise thoroughly enjoyed it

My first visit and hopefully not my last.

I have coming here for years and is well worth it. In the summer, cricket is played on the large green, Midsomer Murders is often filmed around here. Fabulous walks abound.

First holiday away for some time in gorgeous Midsomer country, good food, lovely staff. B& B near by recommended. Minute steak could be a bit bigger but special pasta of the day brilliant.

I went there yesterday as part of a small family gathering as have been going there for years and it has never failed to impress. The menu is smaller than it used to be but I think it makes up for this in better quality food. Three people had the Fish and chips which were said to be very nice, and I had the burger which again was very good. The waitress who served us was very nice and friendly and seemed to be really a part of the pub. The atmosphere was very relaxing too. Being a brakspear pub makes it even more enjoyable the setting is also very pleasant too.

We hadden via mail gereserveerd. Eens aangekomen bleek onze reservatie niet genoteerd te zijn, maar gelukkig was er nog een tafel vrij. Alhoewel we genoten hebben van het eten, zijn we niet tevreden wegens de amateuristische service door ongeschoold jong personeel. Jammer want de zaak heeft veel charme.

The Six Bells is pure genius - not only is it the best pub in the country it’s in a fabulous village and the people are incredible.

Alas, the classic British country pub is a disappearing phenomenon. This one may remain.

Had lunch there yesterday. Sandwiches were slapdash, lousy bread, a couple of chips and salad garnish for way too much money. Nice beer, pleasant-ish staff, moderately comfortable place, trading on its location and appearances in midsomer Murders, but not worth eating here, really.

Came here across the fields by bike for a beer. The setting is great but looking at the recent trip advisor reviews it seems like something is not right. Having seen this, we didn't eat. The Brakspears was not clear and didn't taste like it should; the other guest ale was off. When I returned my beer, I chose another one from the hand pump but that didn't taste right either. It may just be their cellar is too hot in this hot spell but I was disappointed.

Lunch today was a huge disappointment. We took my 86 year old father in law out and he, my wife and I ordered fish and chips. The batter was dreadful soggy and limp with zero crispness. None of us could eat the batter. And the fish tasted smoked although no mention of that on the menu. The worst part was the huge deep fried moth at the bottom of my wife’s bowl of chips. To be fair they took her main course off the bill, but this was the worst fish and chips any of us have ever had. Such a shame as the pub and location are superb.

Poor service and over priced food. We booked in advance for a lunch time Group. We had a long wait just to get a drink at the bar. Very limited menu. We had to ask for jugs or water and we had to ask someone to take our order. Food was good quality but small potions and overpriced

We’re sitting in the Six Bells.....we’ve had a very good sea bass, a unique and tasty cold pea and mint soup, chips 3 scoops of excellent sorbet and a very good Guinness....what’s not to like? Well, the service could be a bit quicker but we’re not in a hurry and the ambiance is so nice...you hope he doesn’t hurry with the bill and card payment machine...

My family recently enjoyed a Sunday lunch for 15 to celebrate a senior birthday. Despite our numbers, the meals, mostly roasts, were all served by friendly attentive staff in good time and were enjoyed by all. The pub, recommended by those family members living locally, was an ideal venue for our celebration.

My wife and I had a meal at the Six Bells on Friday evening (22nd June). The pub was very busy and the pub was rather understaffed. We understood that some staff had failed to turn up for work. Presumably this included kitchen staff. I chose the vegetarian lasagne and my wife had the prawn linguini. Both dishes were very disappointing. My pasta was tough and almost cold, it was either undercooked or was hanging around in the kitchen for a long time. The dish was not at all tasty, what a disappointment. My wife’s dish was tasteless. We could have cooked far better food at home, I wish we had done. Furthermore the menu seemed to be the winter menu, there were no summer options, such as salads and just one daily special. If this is the sort of fare this pub produces as standard, I’m amazed it was so busy, perhaps most people were just having a drink. We certainly won’t return.

Picturesque pub with thatched roof, cozy interior, outdoor seating, good food and friendly staff. The Six Bells has appeared, inside and out, in Midsomer Murders, although not necessarily in the same episodes. We recommend a visit.

We looked at the menu online and thought this is going to be nice as the prices were reasonably high so would assume you would get a good quality plate of food.... I was sooo wrong.

Myself, my sister and father came for lunch - arrived at 12pm to an empty pub, started getting busy around 1pm/2pm, advertised jazz band playing, which they did have but they were outside and we were sat inside so heard none of the music which was a shame. The service was ok, they tried hard considering it got very busy. The food however was a big let down, one of the worst roast dinners we’ve had at a restaurant, the beef was cut so thick and was very tough, roast potatoes cold and the skin rubbery - clearly been left out and reheated, veg had no seasoning and boring, hardly any gravy and when we asked for more never received any! £1.80 for a (tiny) scoop of ice cream, which they got the flavours wrong! Very disappointed as theres so many good restaurants/pubs serving such amazing home cooked foods, I was surprised they have survived so long!

We booked this well in advance my wife indicating time of lunch as we had a two year old grandson in our party of 5 !

Booked special meal for 6 - 4 adults/2kids . Waited for a hour when we complained about service. After hour and half got the first four meals. Two were wrong and taken back. Two didn't arrive at all. Some minutes later after our guests had nearly finished, another turned up. I'm still waiting. Two other of our group disliked the food raw potatoes, no dressings etc. Finally, all other five of our group had finished yet I'm still waiting. After several requests I gave up and cancelled altogether and left without any food at all. Absolute disgrace. We and all the other tables were complaining, dishes going back and forth. CHAOS!!!. Will not be returning. Totally ruined my day. Need to up their game completely or close down. Somethings seriously wrong.

We came for dinner. Food is absolutely amazing. It is cooked fresh and tastes it. The staff are very friendly and helpful. It is the perfect place to sit with a nice cold drink food and watch the sun go down. The pub is where a lot of the midsummer murders were filmed it's like sitting on a TV set. I would definitely recommend this quaint little pub which I believe is a gem in the countryside which should never be passed by.

On a beautiful sunny day this pub / restaurant is a delight

Visit this lovely, traditional, old English pub today (late May bank holiday weekend) for lunch. 2 of us had the roast chicken and 1 had the fish cakes main course portion. I have to say the food was incredibly tasty. The chicken was juicy and soft, the roast potatoes were great and the stuffing...YUM! I also recommend trying a scoop of the white chocolate and honeycomb ice cream. Heaven in a little dish. The staff were super friendly and attentive and the meal in general was really reasonably priced for what we had and the quality of produce. Definitely worth a visit.

On a nice sunny day ,overlooking the cricket ground where else would you want to be with a glass in your hand.This is a very busy pub at weekends. There are seating areas both at the front and the rear. Parking can be difficult on the green .

I rarely give 5* but this place deserved it! Staff were friendly and polite - checking that everything was ok and nothing was too much trouble. Small portion of Roast Beef - just what I wanted and other Roast Pork and Veggie option were spot on. (Crackling could have been better).

We visited the Six Bells on 30/4. A lovely looking pub in a splendid location but unfortunately we were made to feel very unwelcome by the lady serving at the bar at lunchtime. We were ignored and then when we asked for 2 coffees she made a comment that she already had other drinks to make and then walked out the back. We were left wondering whether she had taken our order or not. Eventually we left to find somewhere that would be glad of our custom.

Visited here for lunch on Saturday with my Wife, baby boy and my Mother. Service was superb! Very attentive and child friendly. Nothing was too much effort. We were sold on the place within the first 5 mins. The pub is delightful. Situated in a small village 15 mins from Henley. Good beer, nice food. What more could you wish for. We will return. Highly recommend.

The six bells was conveniently located opposite our rental accommodation.

This is a nice country pub with locally sourced food and very pleasant staff, it seems to be quite busy and looks like the hub of the community, had a nice open fire. I think it would be a great place in the summer also,

Visited this lovely warm friendly country pub on a Saturday evening. The menu is full of fresh local produce and offers a good variety - everyone was very happy with their meals. I would definitely visit again. Excellent service.

As normal the service and food quality was excellent although the pub was overrun by visitors and dogs. The only observation was the quality of the Cheesecake which did not match that of The Cheesecake Factory Nottingham.

We were staying in the area for the night so popped inearly for a bottle of wine by the fire.

Everything you could wish for in a thatched country pub. Good food, tasty beers and excellent service.

If you are visiting this pub, we would recommend that you don't have a roast dinner. We were there on Sunday 5 November and if we hadn't been with family, I would have certainly sent my 'roast chicken' lunch back to the kitchen. It wasn't roast chicken, it was a large breast - I'm not sure how it had been cooked but it had been finished in a grill to give it a diamond pattern, but had no skin to crisp and was tasteless. The vegetables accompanying mine and the other roast dinners were very poor. Tough, 'roast' potatoes and insipid cubes of swede and other root vegetables. Thin gravy. No stuffing to accompany the chicken, but did get a Yorkshire pudding. The roast beef was better but not perfect. Overall a very poor experience and not to be repeated.

Lovely warming pub with friendly feeling, helpful smiling staff, great selection of real ales, wines and drinks. Selection of Sunday roasts along with other specials on board, well worth a visit, we will be back

Beautiful little pub, a real treasure! Very friendly and staff helpful. The food was amazing and reasonably priced for what is on offer.