It’s a Wednesday, it’s a little tiny hamlet, there’s no need to book... so says STEPHEN WEBB to his wife...

IF you've ever taken to the rural roads north of Swindon - say between Purton and Cricklade - and blinked, you may have missed the Bell Inn at Purton Stoke.

That would be a pity, because the Bell is one of the friendliest, most welcoming country pubs in the area, which also happens to serve really good food.

Purton Stoke is a hamlet a couple of miles south of Cricklade and the Bell stands proud among a cluster of properties.

"Have you booked a table?" my wife asked, before we set out.

"It's a Wedneday night, it's a tiny village - it'll be empty," I replied.

But when we arrived it was clear I would be eating something extra to what was on the menu that night - my words.

The car park was packed and a glimpse through the pub window revealed bustle and busy-ness. Purton Stoke is clearly the place to be on Wednesday evenings.

As we entered the Bell, with me making mental calculations of finding alternative places to dine, we were greeted with bright smiles and a warm welcome from the staff behind the bar. And my less than hopeful inquiry regarding a table for two was met with a positive response, and we were positioned by a window and close to a roaring log fire - where we had some big decisions to make.

The menu offers plenty of choice and it was close to make-your-mind-up time. We knew we'd want dessert (we'd researched the menu online earlier) so glossed over the admittedly tempting selection of starters and went straight for the main courses.

It was a very tough choice - I went for slow cooked lamb shank with a mint and rosemary gravy and new potatoes and veg (£13.95). This was a plate dominated by the meat, with a huge joint from which the lamb just fell off. It tasted delicious, boosted by the rich, deeply-flavoured sauce.

On the opposite side of the table, a homemade steak, mushroom and stilton pie with chunky chips and veg (£12.95) was going down very well. "Amazing pastry," she declared. "Crumbly and rich, with swirls of stilton through the gravy."

Now, those desserts. The website says "Sample menu only – most will be on menu but can sell out or be replaced", so I was hoping and praying the homemade Malteser cheesecake (£4.95) would be available. It was my lucky night -homemade Malteser cheesecake was a goer. And it really was(ital) my lucky night, because this dessert was divine - the consistency of the cheesecake was perfect, the smoothness punctuated by crunchy chunks of Malteser.

My wife chose treacle tart and custard (£4.95) and was equally impressed, not least with the way it was served - "in a bowl, rather than a plate with a little jug on the side, so the treacle topping could soak up the custard. I couldn't talk between mouthfuls, it would have been disrespectful." More of that then.

The bill, incuding drinks, came to just under £60.

There is a reassuring old fashioned feel to the food at The Bell - and very much in a good way. The menu has pub standards, with pies, fish and chips, ham and egg, lasagne, although the starters go a bit more exotic with a couple of tempura dishes and kangaroo. The specials board is worth checking out too.

The Bell is not a gentrified, posh gastro-pub by any means, but inside it is cheerful and comfortable, and there seems to be food for every taste and appetite.

So take a drive out to Purton Stoke one evening - and try not to blink.

The Bell Inn, Purton Stoke, Swindon, SN5 4JG

Tel: 01793 770434

Email: bellinnpurton@gmail.com

Website: www.bellinnpurtonstoke.co.uk/

Parking: Yes

Disabled access: Yes

Main courses: £9.95-£13.95

Adver ratings

Food: 9/10

Choice: 9/10

Decor: 8/10

Customer service: 9/10

TripAdvisor rating: 4.5/5