We’ve a suite the size of a barn, for that’s what it was, with stairs leading
to the open plan galleried bedroom. There's a comfy sofa and two chairs, a
table and a barn-ette of a bathroom, so plenty of room to swing cats. But
the lighting is pretty brutal in the bathroom, says Lizzie: “the sort where
you keep piling on more make-up to try and make things look better.”
We retire to the darkened bar, heads politely averted at the sight of my
enormously made-up wife and find Kirk Heywood, who owns The Raven. Kirk
started his working life as a cooper and has always in hospitality and
tourism, in Australia and South Africa before arriving in Much Wenlock 17
years ago.
He still hasn’t stopped working, his latest project being the conversion of an
adjoining house, adding six more rooms by August and bringing the total to
20. Kirk is proud of the place, and rightly so, his kitchen having earned
two AA rosettes. The restaurant is full again tonight, and has been every
night for the past five weeks.
There are only 1,700 people living in the town, says Kirk, so it must be
something special to draw out the residents and pull in the tourists to Much
Wenlock. “I plough a lone furrow,” sighs Kirk, for effect.
The Raven itself is a lovely old 17th coaching inn built around a courtyard
and incorporating medieval buildings. Meanwhile, the village has a 12th
century priory (open all year), museum
and 16th century guildhall (open Apr-Oct, 01952 727509). Much Wenlock is
tiny, laidback and was aptly described by Shropshire novelist Mary Webb as a
place that “somewhere in the Middle Ages had fallen asleep.”
AE Houseman wrote of Wenlock in A Shropshire Lad, down the road there's
the World Heritage site
at Ironbridge, the Shropshire Way and the limestone escarpment of
Wenlock Edge. There is a
riding school on the Edge. More importantly, a local GP created the
Wenlock Games in 1850 on which the Olympic Games are said to be modelled.
Olympic founder Baron Pierre de Coubertin made a speech at The Raven when he
visited to study the local games. There’s an Olympic
trail around the village today – and Wenlock’s Game continue to this
day.
Made ravenous by stories of Olympian sporting endeavour, it was time for eat.
The night’s menu showed the dishes hadn't travelled far - Stottesdon Lamb,
Morville beef, Meadowley chicken and Wenlock Farm pancetta – while there was
also a Raven-labelled claret and chardonnay and a locally brewed Raven’s
bitter in the bar.
Most diners were over 50 and the restaurant emptied by 10.15pm - and only two
tables were occupied for breakfast. Either everbody is up at dawn having
retired so early or everyone was taking advantage of the breakfast tray in
their room.
I took advantage of the full Shropshire - local sausage, bacon, poached eggs,
tomatoes, mushrooms, hash browns, with baked beans on the side. They don't
do things by half at The Raven.
Bottom line: Doubles/twins from £120, singles from £85, includes full
breakfast and VAT. Galleried suite from £155. Two night breaks from £165pp
to include dinner and breakfast.
Need to know: The
Raven Hotel & Restaurant, Much Wenlock, Shropshire.
Access all areas: several rooms accessed via courtyard with ground
floor accommodation.
Best thing: The food
Worst thing: Fake flowers
Room: 8 out of 10
Food: 10 out of 10
Service: 8 out of 10
Value: 7 out of 10
