The Lindsey Rose, in the village of Lindsey Tye, near Hadleigh, is a charming historic pub that dates back over 500 years.
As part of Nedging Hall Estate, it's been at the heart of the community for years, and it's certainly lost neither its charm nor its community spirit. On this Sunday, the main bar area it was full of locals and families, chatting away, catching up and bringing a really friendly, local feel to the whole place.
We were lucky enough to bump into James Buckle, owner of Nedging Hall Estate, and son Charlie, managing director, who ran the Lindsey Rose between 2017-2020 – and lived there – after the family purchased it in October 2014.
The passion shines through when Charlie talks about the ethos of the pub and plans for its future; keeping the historic feel and making it a village meeting place that serves good quality, locally sourced food at lunch and dinner, with an extensive drinks menu. This includes ales from their very own brewery, Mauldons, a short drive away in Sudbury.
The pub prides itself on being the hub of the village, with community events such as a free fireworks party each year, an annual beer festival, a five-a-side football tournament and children’s activities. Says Charlie, the aim is an environment that welcomes everyone and caters for all.
Sustainability also sits at the heart of what they do. In summer last year, a maze made of maize was created behind the Lindsey Rose, a free visitor attraction that also highlights the importance of sustainability and environmental planning in the hospitality industry. The maize is harvested and turned into biofuel to run the pub.
We visited on a wet and windy Sunday; we had been told the Sunday roasts are a highlight at The Lindsey Rose, and there’s something special about getting everyone around the table to laugh and enjoy good hearty food. After a fantastic time exploring the grounds of Nedging Hall, a long pub lunch seemed the perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon.
The beauty of the pub and its situation in stunning Suffolk countryside made us all smile; our only wish was that it had been sunny enough to sit in the superb beer garden, which would have spectacular views of the sunset across the fields in the summer (a good excuse to return).
The beautifully beamed, traditional Suffolk pub has been carefully refurbished, retaining original features such as the fireplace, a real focal point for the pub in winter. We were shown to our table and straightaway drinks were offered. I chose my favourite beer from our tasting at Mauldon’s Brewery the day before, a pint of Silver Adder pale ale. I'm not usually an ale drinker but the smoothness and hoppiness of this drink could just change this.
With a couple of drivers in the group we tested the barman with a Virgin Mary (spicy but not overpowering) while a jug of tap water was offered. We order a couple of their nibbles to start with, crispy whitebait with an aioli, and some rosemary and garlic focaccia, which was delicious. I love a good whitebait and this was perfectly crispy and enormous, a sign of good quality.
We chose a selection of starters, for sharing and, with the customer experience in mind, small plates were handed to each of us. You have to trust your fellow diners when sharing; I must confess, the garlic and chilli whole prawns arrived with crusty bread and looked so tasty I just dived in, for fear of missing out. They were delicious, decadent and full of flavour, with perfectly balanced garlic and lemon butter and a kick of heat from the chillies.
The rest of the table tucked straight into the chicken liver pate with red onion chutney, cornichons and toasted sourdough, commenting that it was definitely homemade and so good that I'd better hurry up with the prawns as there may be none left.
Next came what I hoped would be a highlight, the Sunday roast. It had been so highly talked about and looked amazing. I love to cook a family Sunday roast every week, and am so often disappointed if I eat out and find it's not a patch on home-cooked ones (without wanting to sound big headed!). I chose the 20-day aged rare roast sirloin with roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables, a perfectly sized Yorkie and gravy. Others chose the Dingly Dell pork belly, and the nut roast, while Mrs B went off-piste and ordered the pan roasted cod, crushed mint peas, fries and tartare sauce. I think she's just used to my roasts being too amazing...
The beef was superb and cooked to perfection, the roasties crunchy but fluffy inside, and the vegetables – especially the parsnips – were cooked beautifully. All complemented by a deep, rich, full of flavour gravy that still allowed the flavours of the food to come through.
Being married to a Yorkshire lass who makes excellent Yorkshire puddings, I asked her opinion on the size, texture and taste of those on my plate. A thumbs-up across the table said it all; they were great – a huge compliment.
The feedback on the pork was just as complimentary. And the nut roast? While not vegetarian, this diner raved about it – to such an extent I may consider trying it on our next visit.
And their will be another visit; we all loved every aspect of the experience. We felt relaxed, at home in a close community’s environment, well fed with delicious food... and a lasting memory of bread and butter pudding with a twist. It was made with croissants and it really worked; a pudding that was decadent, full of cream and butter, and so delicious.
I must finish with a shout out to the Lindsey Rose team. Matthew Watts, group operations director, started his career in hospitality washing dishes at the Lindsey Rose pub more than 22 years ago when he was just 14. Freddie Fallon, executive chef, started as head chef of The Lindsey Rose in October 2022 and was promoted to executive chef for the group in January 2023. A big thank you to Tracy Martin, general manager, Jade Jones-Elves, assistant manager, and Tony O’Farrell, their talented new head chef. They all understand the pub so well.
For the first time, the Lindsey Rose is opening every day over the summer holidays. I recommend that you visit, if not for their excellent food, then just to enjoy a chilled glass of something in the garden, relaxing and admiring the view.
