There are a few pubs in and around Oxford that carry more literary weight than their bar tabs would suggest, and The Trout Inn is at the top of that list. Sitting at 195 Godstow Road in Lower Wolvercote, just north of the city centre and right on the banks of the Thames, it is a Grade II listed building mostly put up in the 17th century, with some 18th-century alterations layered on since. It is part of the Premium Country Pub Collection run by Mitchells & Butlers, the same group behind more than 1,700 restaurants and pubs across the country, but the Trout has managed to keep its individual character.
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The building itself is worth a look before you even order. The Grade II listing covers the pub and the wooden footbridge attached to it, and just to the south, Godstow Bridge carries the Thames across two stone arches: the northern one is medieval, the southern was rebuilt in 1892, and both are listed in their own right. It is the kind of setting that practically begs to be written about, which is exactly what has happened over the decades. Evelyn Waugh dropped it into Brideshead Revisited, Colin Dexter used it across the Inspector Morse series and the Lewis spin-off — the episode The Wolvercote Tongue being the most direct nod — and Philip Pullman has woven it into The Book of Dust trilogy. Even the 1997 film The Saint made an appearance here, and in 2001, Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea, a University College graduate, stopped in.
Inside, the place leans into the country pub aesthetic without going over the top. There are roaring log fires in the colder months, a recently refurbished garden for when the weather turns, and a dining room that is genuinely stylish rather than just old. The menu is built around the classics: light bites, pub favourites, children's meals and a Sunday Roast, with a generous selection of wines, ales and lagers to match. It is the sort of place that works as well for a quick drink by the river as it does for a proper sit-down meal.
If you are planning to go, a bit of forethought helps. The pub is open Monday to Saturday from 12:00 to 23:00 and Sunday from 12:00 to 22:30, with its own set of hours over the Christmas and New Year period if you are visiting then. Tables can be booked online, though the booking page is known to be a bit temperamental at times, so it is worth double-checking your confirmation. A discretionary 10% service charge is added to tables of six or more, and deposits are non-refundable if you cancel within 48 hours of your booking time. On the practical side, there is wheelchair access and high chairs for children, so it is an easy place to bring the whole family. Whether you go for the literary connections, the river views or simply a decent roast, it is one of those Oxford institutions that earns its reputation.
