Discreetly restored by owner Piers Baker, this 15th-century yellow-painted inn stands opposite Dedham's church. In the bar (also painted yellow) are old oak floorboards and beams, log fires, window seats, sofas, club chairs, board games, books, lots of local information. The drawing room, with its large fireplace, is in country house style ('much preferable to the favoured minimalist style'). Jessica Savill is now the manager; the young staff were praised by readers: 'They insisted on carrying upstairs our numerous pieces of luggage.' In the bedrooms, furniture is a mix of antique and repro; beds are large, with 'divinely comfortable mattress'; there are neutral fabrics, 'great' showers, and quirky touches (old packing cases for bedside tables). The chef, Ugo Simonelli, provides 'inventive' dishes with an Italian influence, eg, carpaccio di manzo; arrosto pollo (roasted farmyard chicken, panzanella tomato and bread salad). Breakfast has orange juice ('squeezed by our own hands'); hand-cut wholemeal and soda bread toast; fresh and dried fruit from Victoria's Plums (The Sun's own deli); and a choice of dishes including farmyard egg frittate. Children are welcomed (special menus; games, books; slide, swing, etc, in the large walled garden). There is a covered terrace with heaters. Background music plays all day, but at night 'only church bells might disturb the peace'. (KA)