Scotch Piper

Reopened after fire to thatch caused extensive damage. A Grade II*-listed building dating back to 1320, this three-roomed, thatched inn takes its name from an incident in 1745 when a highland piper, injured in the Jacobite rebellion, took refuge here. The interior boasts traditional black wooden beams, low ceilings and whitewashed walls, and a roaring fire in winter. Three cask ales are normally available from the small wooded bar. The toilets are in a small outhouse to the left of the entrance. Next door in woods to the right are the ruins of St Catherine's Chapel (aka Lydiate Abbey) , now rather overgrown. Reputed to be a tunnel between the Abbey and the Scotch Piper. Outdoor performances of Shakespeare are held annually in the Chapel grounds to raise restoration funds. New licensee from November 2016.