The Bull
Fairford, Gloucestershire

[Sunday - 10/30/94] The Bull Hotel is situated along one side of Fairford's famous market square. Much of the building is dated around the 15th century when it used to be a Monk's Chanting house and, during recent improvements, a secret tunnel was discovered from the hotel to the 500 year old St. Mary's Church. The other part of the hotel is thought to have been a 16th century hall for a merchant or trade guild.

The first record of the building being used as a hotel is found in the Torrington Diaries of 1745 which reveal that the Hon. John Byng, a notoriously critical judge, visited the Bull and awarded it the rare distinction of "good". By 1792, due to its situation on the great London to Gloucester turnpike road, the hotel was famous as a posting house with stables for 30 horses. This is now the restaurant!

A family-run inn, the rooms were really interesting and we enjoyed sitting in Medb and Susan's parlor. The bar is still a popular meeting place and has kept its original, medieval character. The public rooms were comfortable and inviting and we stayed up half the night playing an English version of Trivial Pursuit. Boy, did we feel stupid!