The Wheatsheaf Inn is a lovely seventeenth century Cotswold stone coaching inn situated in the centre of the Cotswolds in the historic market town of Northleach. The surrounding area has been designated as an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ by English Heritage.
Northleach is a pretty Cotswold town with a market square dating back to the 16th Century, with a church dating back to the 12th century. During the 16th and 17th Centuries the town was famous round Europe for its wool trade.
Inside the inn there are cosy wood fires, good food, real ales, great wines and nine double bedrooms all with en-suite bathrooms. Sit with a pint by the fire, have some oysters (which arrive in daily from the English coast) at the bar, enjoy a Sunday lunch with family and friends or just stay for a while.
Please click here to download our Autumn/Winter newsletter
Cotswolds Fishing
We've got some exceptional chalk stream fishing available on a private beat on the River Coln. The season has now finished but we are taking bookings for next year's season. The fishing is in a quintessential Cotswold Valley close to the inn and is dry fly and and nymph fishing. It is mainly for stocked brown trout and some wild trout as well. Please email georgina@cotswoldswheatsheaf.com for more details.
Cotswolds Shooting
We have also got some great days shooting over the winter on some amazing private estates locally. We can tailor the days to suit your requirements and have a number of days available but usually the guns meet the night before for a meal in the private dining room at the Wheatsheaf (seats up to 26) and stay in one of the nine bedrooms. In the morning the Wheatsheaf does a good, full English breakfast and we can then arrange transfers to and from the shoot. Generally the guns shoot through lunch and end up at the Wheatsheaf to de-ice frozen toes by the fire for a late 3 course lunch. If you prefer to have lessons, organise the shoot yourself or shoot clays then please speak to us and we can fit in with your requirements. Please email georgina@cotswoldswheatsheaf.com for more information.
The Wheatsheaf Shooting Syndicate
The Wheatsheaf Inn has taken a few day's shooting at three really fantastic local shoots. All days are 150-175 bird days and are open to any of our regulars or anyone who likes shooting and wants to join us. At the end of the day we'll have a late shoot lunch. Please email georgina@cotswoldswheatsheaf.com.
Cotswolds Art Exhibtions
We have recently held the Musicians as Artists art exhibition with works from the collection of Jonathan Poole including those by John Lennon, Janis Jopling and Keith Richards and an exhibition of works exclusively by John Lennon. Our next exhibtions will be:
- Jonathan Poole of the Compton Casey Gallery will be exhibiting the amazing works of Sir Anthony Hopkins. The exhibition has just been in Edinburgh and London (see http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/jan/20/anthony-hopkins-paintings-interview) and will be at the Wheatsheaf until 12th April 2010.
- The excellent Bill Lovelady is back at the Wheatsheaf again with a selection of his beautiful works. He trained as a fine artist but has made his career as a composetr and virtuoso guitartist. His music has been performed worldwide (Radio 3, Classic FM etc). He has written and worked with musicians such as Julian Lloyd Webber, Art Garfunkal and Hugh Masakela. In the 70s and 80s he had two top 10 hits and has composed scores for several of David Attenborough’s programmes and was Emmy nominated for a National Geographic film. He composed a Cantata for the Duke of Edinburgh's 75th birthday, which was performed in St. George's Chapel and will be performed again for the Diamond Jubilee in 2012. All works will be for sale and Bill will be playing live on 23rd April. Please book.
6th May - THE GENERAL ELECTION
Cheer, hiss and boo at the politicians on election night. We will be watching it live and drinking to drown our sorrows with whoever is voted in.
24th May – Design and Interiors Club
Lynette Willia of www.designandinteriorsclub.co.uk will be running a course for anyone interested in interior design. It starts at 10.30 am and runs through to about 3pm. If interested please email Lynette on lynette.willia@btconnect.com.
The World Cup
Watch the World Cup in the private dining room on the large screen. We will be serving food and drinks throughout the game:
12th June - England v USA – kick off 20:30
18th June – England v Algeria – kick off 20:30
20th June – Father’s Day
Bring the whole family on Sunday 20th June for Fathering Sunday. Please book because it will be a busy day.
Saturday 26th June - The Wheatsheaf Summer Party
Relax in the garden and listen to live music. Marquee, hog roast, live music from 6pm to midnight. Tickets are £10 and proceeds from ticket sales will go to the Northleach Primary School and the Northleach Charter Charities.
The Bloody Mary Challenge
Quoting one of the UK's best journalists, Adam Edwards:
"Once a week this river of red juice flows through the veins of the Cotswolds. In a myriad of pubs and restaurants (as well as our own front rooms) the potent mixture of vodka and tomato jice kick-starts us into the Day of Rest. Yet there is no exact recipe for a bloody...It is now up to the ten mine hosts (plus Sam at the Wheatsheaf) to slice the lemon, punch out the Tabasco and let the bloody battle commence."
You can read his full article in the November edition of Cotswold Life.
The first Cotswold Bloody Mary Challenge has just been held on 6th Novemember and a number of local hotels, restaurants, pubs and inns competed to win the Bloody Mary Statute for making the best bloody mary in the Cotswolds. There was a blind tasting and the judges were Mike Lowe, the editor of Cotswolds Life, Mark Savage MW, director of Mark Savage Wines, the comedian and journalist, Dom Joly and the landscape gardener and journalist, Sir Roddy Llewellyn. When the results were announced there was swearing and hissing but WE WON IT! So please come and sample the best bloody mary in the Cotswolds. We will be defending our title next November.
On 12th April 2010 Essentially Me perfumes are coming to the Wheatsheaf. They produce natural perfumes that you won’t find on the high street. Alex Lawless and Sian James run natural perfumery courses, source natural perfumes and sell everything you need to make your own perfumes (see www.essentially-me.co.uk). Please come and ask them questions about perfumes and sample some of their lovely natural perfumes at 8pm on 12th April (please book a place by calling the Wheatsheaf).
Meal with the bestselling author Sophie Hannah
Sophie talked about her new book which has had great reviews. Everyone got the chance to meet Sophie, ask her questions about her book and then get their copy of the book signed.
'This utterly gripping thriller should establish Hannah as one of the great unmissables of this genre - intelligent, classy and with a wonderfully Gothic imagination.’ The Times
'Beautifully written and precision-engineered to unsettle' The Guardian
Meal with the author Nicholas Clee and the Wheatsheaf Music Evening
In June we had a great evening with the author, Nicholas Clee (author of the brilliant book about 'Eclipse') and on 27th June the Wheatsheaf held its first live music event with Becky Biggins www.beckibiggins.com, who was nominated for the 2009 Grammy Award of Best Contemporary Jazz Album and was winner of American Billboard Best Smooth Jazz Artist 2008. Her album was at number 1 in the US Jazz charts for 10 weeks. She played with Laurie Holloway www.laurieholloway.com. Laurie has appeared with the London Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Concert Orchestra, the Royal Philarmonic and the Boston Props Orchestra, both as conductor and lead pianist and is also the musical director of Strictly Come Dancing and the Parkinson Show. Bill Lovelady and his band also played (Bill has been called the 'master of guitar' by Alex James in the Independent) and his band were also excellent. The evening raised £1000 for the Northleach Primary School. Take a look at some pictures from the evening here.
The Wheatsheaf Book Club
The Wheatsheaf Book Club was launched in May. Mr B's Book Emporium, winner of the Best Independent Book Retailer of the Year 2008, has designed a booklist specially for the Wheatsheaf. The bookclub is held on the first Monday of the month at the Wheatsheaf in the private dining room. No cost for joining but if interested please email georgina@cotswoldswheatsheaf.com.
Festivals
If you're staying and would like tickets for any of the Cheltenham Festivals (racing, science, food and drink, jazz, literary, music - see www.cheltenhamfestivals.com), the Three Choirs Festival (www.3choirs.org) or to any other local events over the summer please let us know and we will try our best to organise them for you.