LivingTravelTurf Tavern: Oxford's Almost Secret Pub

Turf Tavern: Oxford's Almost Secret Pub

People looking for an authentic and traditional English pub experience manage to keep The Turf Tavern on full blast despite its near-secret location.

Visit any day of the week and you will find the Turf Tavern packed with university students, academics, local families and visitors from around the world in search of the favorite alcohol of British television icon Inspector Morse.

The fictional detective, created by Colin Dexter and featured on the long-running British television series, was just one of the famous (albeit fictional) patrons at this pub. Among the real live celebrities: Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton had a reputation for stopping while they stayed close; the cast and crew of the Harry Potter movies hung out while filming in Oxford; Stephen Hawking, Thomas Hardy, Emma Watson, and Ernest Hemingway all bent their elbows at this bar (not all at the same time). It is also alleged to be the place where, during his days at Oxford University, former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke drank a yard of beer in 11 seconds, making the Guinness Book of Records, and President Bill Clinton famously, did not inhale.

The hardest to find Oxford pub

Christopher Middleton, writing in the Telegraph, said of this pub: “You could have been visiting Oxford for the past 600 years and still not found The Turf Tavern . ” That says it. Finding this fascinating little pub with its long history is quite a challenge.

Go down New College Lane in front of the Bodleian Library. Pass under the much-photographed Oxford Bridge of Sighs and almost immediately turn left onto the St Helena Passage, an alley so narrow that you may not be able to extend both arms. It used to be called Hell Passage. In Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead revisited , Charles says, “The passing of the turf in hell knew us well.”

The passage widens and narrows as you turn corners. About 150 yards, just when you think you’re lost, the little Turf Tavern appears. Go straight through a small green gate or follow the winding corridors left and right into the beer gardens. The Turf may not be the oldest pub in Oxford, but its ancient foundations support a maze of small, oddly shaped rooms, connected by narrow corridors, small staircases, and two small, busy bars.

An easier way, but much less adventurous and not as fun, is to enter Bath Place, a cobbled pedestrian path, on Holywell Street. The pub is about 300 feet from this direction.

Location is not the only puzzle

The age of Turf Tavern and whether it is the oldest pub in Oxford is also a mystery. It’s certainly one of the oldest, rivaling The Bear, a Fuller pub that claims to have been serving since 1242. The ramshackle half-timbered facade that overlooks Bath Place is likely from the early 17th century. A sign on the side of the pub says they have been serving since the 12th century (that would be 1100). But the first confirmed report of the place is 1381 in the tax records of the reign of King Richard II.

Drink

Once you find it, there is so much to enjoy in its small, interconnecting rooms. Despite being a managed pub (meaning it is run by a brewery), the managers, Greene King, have kept the character of a free house, offering a wide range of real ales and ales. Guest beers remain active, and the selection changes daily. Wine is available by the glass and bottle and champagne by the bottle. Orange juice, soft drinks and coffee are dispensed with as much joy as alcoholic beverages.

And if you have time to chat (which is rare), the servers in a closet as large as a closet will walk you through all the options.

Tip: don’t miss out on the hot red wine. It is a pub specialty in winter.

Eat

Main courses range from traditional English pub fare like Cumberland sausage and mash, beef and ale pie, fish and chips, to burgers and salads. The sides include excellent cooked triple chips. Desserts are traditional and solidly English: sticky caramel pudding, Eton Mess cheesecake, triple chocolate brownie. We like donuts with strawberry apple sauce.

Special features

Wrapped in other buildings on all sides, the pub’s three beer gardens are comfortable year-round. In the Middle Ages, these courtyards were places for cockfights and worse. The name of the pub comes from the turfmen or lawn counters (bookies) who made bets here. But that’s all ancient history, today beer gardens are kept cozy with charcoal, on large braziers and customers are invited to roast marshmallows on them, especially popular with children.

The verdict

It is a rare pub, nowadays, that manages to be full of local people but upbeat and friendly with strangers at the same time. Take the trouble to find this wonderful atmospheric pub.

Lawn tavern essentials

  • The Lawn Tavern
  • 4-5 baths, Oxford OX1 3SU
  • Tel: +44 (0) 1865 243 235
  • Open: every day at 11 am until 11 pm
  • Food served: every day from 11 am to 9 pm
  • Free WIFI
  • Family
  • Prices: moderate

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