A ‘time capsule of ancient England’, Sue Burdge’s venerable former dwelling house has been the village pub and hub since 1837.

In an ‘absolutely beautiful position’ overlooking Start Bay, Rachel and Nigel Heath’s 19th-century village fisherman’s inn is ‘a relaxing place to stay’, writes a trusted reader this year.

‘Tucked away at the end of the main street of this idyllic town, seconds from the water’s edge’, Charles Deuchar’s pub-with-rooms is a medieval merchant's house in a 17th-century shell.

A relaxed atmosphere wafts through this white-painted 17th-century inn overlooking Torridge, estuary where dogs and muddy boots are welcomed.

It was all go at this whitewashed, 14th-century former cider house in Britain’s longest village, when a trusted reader arrived at 1 pm.

Possibly the oldest inn in England, with a medieval wooden window pre-dating glass, this thatched village pub in the Teign valley is ‘a gem’.

A stone’s throw from the River Exe, this characterful property with a rich history has welcomed the weary since the 1720s.

Abuttting the Roman city walls, this style-savvy red-brick old coaching inn (Young’s Brewery) has a lively atmosphere.