Fleur de Lys

A nice, genuine village pub serving good food and real-​ale, in a building steeped in history.
I visited the Fleur de Lys while on holiday in the area. It is located in the middle of the village, across the road from the George Inn (which is generally better known, as one of the oldest inns in England).
But the Fleur de Lys has its own charm: the exterior has a rustic Georgian character, but inside it is all stone walls, big fireplaces, stone floors and low, wooden beams. According to English Heritage it dates from the 16^th/​17^th century, and it looks like it: local tradition has it that it has been a pub since 1584, and part of the building (which pre-​dates the pub) may be older than the George.
History abounds: Both pubs bore witness to the last successful skirmish of the forces of the Duke of Monmouth during the eponymous rebellion, before his defeat at the battle of Sedgemoor in 1685. Twelve local men who had joined the rebel forces were hanged near the Fleur de Lys afterwards. Queen Anne of Denmark dined here in 1615 after a visit to Bath, and Samuel Pepys dined here with his wife and maid in 1668.
Inside, the pub is deceptively large, but retains a cosy feel: there is one main room as you enter, with a large fireplace opposite the bar; a small snug (with another fire) with two big armchairs at the rear; down steps past the bar is a longer bar room with painted wooden benches and yet another fireplace; and a darts area and skittles alley. There’s a TV in the lower bar, but it doesn’t intrude if you want to escape it.
They serve a small selection of real ales: on my visit they had Wadworth’s 6X and Wadworth’s IPA, and the delicious Butcombe Bitter. They have a good selection of classic home-​made pub food, including starters (£3.50-£5), main from £6 to £9, with steaks at £14, and a range of desserts (£3-£4.50). A children’s menu and half portions are also available, and a couple of vegetarian options. The food seems to have a good reputation I just had soup and a roll, which was fine for a quick lunch while waiting for the bus, but another couple eating said how much they enjoyed their food.
Overall, well worth a visit.