Pubs, roses and village history
Caunton
Come for two very different village pubs, then explore Caunton's Norman church, Rose King story and war memorial.
- Best for
- Pub food, church history and a nearby cathedral
- Give it
- A long lunch and a history stop
- Don't miss
- The Rose King story at St Andrew's
The Fox verdict
A village with two strong reasons to linger
Caunton pairs a 700-year-old building serving an entirely gluten-free menu with a traditional Georgian pub opposite a Norman church.
The thread from St Andrew's to Samuel Reynolds Hole, the vicar and rose grower Tennyson called the Rose King, rewards a closer look. The churchyard war memorial adds another piece of Caunton history, while Southwell Minster offers a nearby extension.
Where to go
Places in Caunton
Every place below is checked against a published source, listed with what it is and how long to give it.
Local signatures
3 placesThe Caunton Beck
A destination dining pub in a building with roughly 700 years of history, serving an entirely gluten-free menu with English and Mediterranean influences.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: allow around 1 hour 30 minutes
- Locality
- Beside the ancient church and the Beck
St Andrew's Church
A Grade I church with early 12th-century north-arcade pillars and a 13th-century font; its existing tower was heightened in stages and embellished in the 15th century, and rose grower Samuel Reynolds Hole is buried in the churchyard.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: allow around 45 minutes
- Locality
- Main Street
Caunton War Memorial
A Grade II listed First World War memorial at St Andrew's churchyard gate, built with stone removed from the church chancel during its 1869 restoration. It carries an iron Celtic cross and a bronze plaque naming Caunton's fallen.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: allow around 15 minutes
- Locality
- At St Andrew's churchyard gate
Food & drink
1 placeThe Plough Inn
A Georgian country pub serving familiar pub food and real ale, with decked outdoor seating, a grassed children's play area and a dog-friendly welcome.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: allow around 1 hour 30 minutes
- Locality
- Main Street, opposite St Andrew's Church
Walks & outdoors
1 placeRobin Hood Way
A long-distance Nottinghamshire walking route with a published stage starting at the Church Street bus stops in Southwell and continuing towards Kirklington and Eakring.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: allow around 2 hours for a short section from Southwell
- Locality
- Church Street, Southwell
History & heritage
1 placeSouthwell Minster
A Grade I cathedral with a Norman nave and medieval Chapter House carvings.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: allow around 1 hour
- Locality
- Church Street, Southwell
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Three ways to explore Caunton
Signature outings
Explore Southwell Minster
The nearby cathedral's Norman nave and medieval Chapter House carvings extend a Caunton history visit.
Take the traditional pub table
Paul and Marie host pub quizzes and live music nights, giving walkers another reason to linger after a meal.
Meet Caunton's Rose King
Samuel Reynolds Hole grew upwards of 400 rose varieties at Caunton Manor and is buried in St Andrew's churchyard.
The village story
Caunton, from the Beck to the Rose King
Two village pubs, St Andrew's Church and the legacy of rose grower Samuel Reynolds Hole shape a visit to Caunton.
A Gluten-Free Pub Reborn
The Caunton Beck occupies a building with seven hundred years of history. Its entirely gluten-free menu brings Mediterranean influences to modern British cooking, and the kitchen favours roasting, grilling and slow cooking rather than deep-frying or microwaving.
After a long closure, the pub returned in 2026 beside the village church and the brook that gives the pub its name. A courtyard provides outdoor tables, adding an easy place to linger over the menu.
The Traditional Counterpoint
Opposite the village church, The Plough Inn is a Georgian pub with a restaurant, bar and decked outdoor seating. A grassed area gives children space to play, and the pub welcomes dogs. Hosts Paul and Marie also run pub quizzes and live music nights.
Together, the two pubs offer distinct reasons to stop in the village: familiar pub food on one side and entirely gluten-free cooking on the other.
The Rose King's Caunton
St Andrew's has early 12th-century pillars in its north arcade, a 13th-century font and a tower altered in the 15th century. Samuel Reynolds Hole, buried in the churchyard, was Caunton's vicar and a celebrated rose grower. An invitation to judge a working men's rose exhibition in Nottingham sparked his interest; he later helped found the National Rose Society. Tennyson addressed him as the Rose King.
At the churchyard gate, a Grade II listed First World War memorial uses stone removed from the church chancel during its 1869 restoration. Unveiled in 1920, it carries an iron Celtic cross and a bronze plaque naming Caunton's fallen.
Beck and Ways Beyond Caunton
The Beck runs beside the churchyard and gives the dining pub its name.
Southwell Minster, about 4.8 miles from Caunton in a straight line, begins a published 6½-mile circuit using part of the Robin Hood Way. A separate trail stage starts at the Church Street bus stops and continues towards Kirklington and Eakring. Nottsbus On Demand serves Caunton in its South Ollerton zone.
A League from Everywhere
As W. E. Doubleday wrote of Caunton in 1942, it "lay a league away from everywhere except Heaven." It still rather does.
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A guide with a point of view
Written from research. Edited for real journeys.
Use the Official site links for live practical details, then use this guide for context, ideas and room to explore.
Sources
Every place on this page is checked against a published source. Each entry links the record we used and names who publishes it.
- The Caunton Beck — thecauntonbeck.co.uk operator, sector body or destination organisation
- The Plough Inn — theploughcaunton.co.uk operator, sector body or destination organisation
- St Andrew's Church — achurchnearyou.com national body or asset manager
- Caunton War Memorial — historicengland.org.uk national body or asset manager
- Southwell Minster — southwellminster.org national body or asset manager
- Robin Hood Way — robinhoodway.com operator, sector body or destination organisation