TOM KELSEY finds the Black Swan in Devizes a 17th century coaching inn that has some quirky surprises

A PLEASANT surprise awaits you when you enter The Black Swan in Devizes.

From the outside it looks like a traditional old town hotel - pastel fronted, sash windows, hanging baskets and all - but once you enter this 17th century coaching inn you are greeted by an eclectic mish mash of antiquities cluttering the walls, tables and ceiling, the likes of which I’ve never seen before.

What’s more, most of them are for sale, so if you like what you see you could be walking out with it a couple of hours later!

We were met by a rather gangly greyhound, sprawled out on one of the many sofas, watching everyone come and go. I believe he was the resident dog, and a well-behaved one he was too.

The smell of logs burning in the fireplace and the aroma of the Sunday roast wafting from the kitchen made for a warm and inviting welcome. There was a small blip when our booking couldn’t be found, but it was quickly remedied and soon we were sat at the table giving our drinks order.

You can’t help but be totally absorbed in all the paraphernalia surrounding you at this place. There are tables with old ticket machines transformed into table lamps and elaborate candelabras adorning the tables. An array of burning candles give the room a warm glow. It’s like standing in the middle of a bric-a-brac shop crammed to the rafters, and it certainly makes for a conversation point.

The bar and serving staff were all very friendly and made us feel very much at home in their antiques shop.... errr, sorry, pub restaurant. Our orders were taken quickly and we didn’t have long to wait for the food either.

As it was a Sunday, our party all enjoyed the Sunday roast at £12.50 per head (it’s half price for children). The roast dinners were served with roast parsnip, swede, carrots, roast potatoes and white cabbage and my pork was served with a lovely dollop of apple sauce, which was obviously homemade.

The roast potatoes weren’t plentiful but the ones I had were delicious. Best of all, my large slice of pork also had a generous helping of crackling.

The only gripe we had was that the Yorkshire pudding served with the beef was a little small, but I guess you can’t have it all.

Each plate had the same mix of vegetables – sweet, creamy swede without lumps, roasted parsnips which I am sure were cooked in the juices of the roast and a number of shiny carrots still with a visible sign of the green top, proving they were freshly picked from the garden. In all, lots of variety and all very tasty.

The choice of roast meats on our visit were beef or pork, and there was also a meat lasagne and a couple of vegetarian dishes.

There were five choices of pudding on offer ranging in price from £4.25 to £5.95, all with a choice of custard or cream. They ranged from a hearty crumble and bread and butter pudding to burnt cream (more commonly known as cream brulee). Homemade cakes were also on offer, which I am sure they would have warmed through and served with custard or cream too, if asked. All the food at the Black Swan is locally sourced, which is another tick in the box.

The choice was small but plenty for a Sunday and we all agreed we’d had a fantastic meal in the most extraordinary of settings.

Would I recommend The Black Swan? Yes, I would. Will I be going again? Most definitely.

Is it for everyone? Possibly not... I loved the quirky, offbeat feel of the place, which made for a better experience in my opinion, but if you’re not keen on clutter or a touch claustrophobic you might find it a little too fussy.

But if you are looking for a welcoming warm pub which serves good food it’s certainly fits the bill.Next time I will try an evening visit, when they serve up dishes like lamb stew and dumplings (£7.95) and cauliflower cheese with bacon rashers (£7.95).

Or maybe I’ll take my dog for a walk through the town and call in for a coffee or treat myself to a hot chocolate. I’m sure Louis would love it too.

To ensure the integrity of our reviews, all our critics dine as paying customers without the restaurant’s knowledge (unless otherwise stated). Photographs are taken at a later date

The Market Place, Devizes
SN10 1JQ
Tel: 01380 698070 blackswandevizes.co.uk

Parking: on site
Disabled access: yes

Main courses: £6.95 to £14.95
Adver ratings:
Food: 8/10
Choice: 7/10
Decor: 9/10
Customer service: 9/10

TripAdvisor rating: 3.5 out of 5