Ploughman’s lunch at The Bathurst Arms, reviewed
Location –
The Bathurst Arms
North Cerney
Cirencester
Gloucestershire
GL7 7BZ
Tel: 01285 704300
Website –https://www.bathurstarms.co.uk/
Date of Visit – 09/05/2026
Notes on the visit:
A day out. Cirencester was the eventual aim. Before hand, a spot of lunch, So why not have a ploughman’s lunch, and a visit to Chedworth Roman Villa?
The Food
2 –Pickled onion. Erm… only now, while doing the review, do I realise that there was no pickled onion. I know there does not need to be a pickled onion, but, well… whatever. There were tiny gherkins – I believe they are called cornichons. They were good, but do not possess the body of a proper pickled onion.
3– Pickle. Not really a pickle either, more like apple sauce with chilli flakes on it. It was actually quite nice, but the cheese really needed some acidity to break it down and contrast with the fat and protein. It would have worked better with a little more sharpness.
The apple and tomato did work well in balancing the cheese in many ways. However, it still stood as a beautiful dish, so no blame on the chef. That said, a certain sharpness is usually expected in a Ploughman’s lunch, whether through onion, pickle, or chutney.
7.5 – Cheese & Ham:
Ham.
Now, we are in new territory here. The ham was a show-stopping, “WTF?” level of awesome. Straight up, some of the best ham I have ever had.
As I write this, I think that no matter the eventual score, if you like ham, try this Ploughman’s.
Cheese
Now the cheese was good. I like more, a lot more. A Ploughman’s lunch is, after all, a reason to eat an irresponsible quantity of cheese.
I think it was Black Bomber. A fine cheese, certainly. However, why that cheese? We are in Gloucestershire. What about a nice lump of Gloucester, Double Gloucester, or one of the many other local cheeses?
The next day we explored Cirencester after an overnight stay at The Kings Head. We investigated the Corn Hall Deli and their Cheese Room. This revealed some of the local wonders from King Stone Dairy, like Rollright, Moreton, Ashcombe & Burford.
I feel a tad mean with the score; however, only a few miles away is a source of truly inspirational local cheese.
10 – Bread: Sourdough, I am sure. Warm, big holes, good crust, slightly toasted with a hint of olive oil. It was rather good. The philistine in me wants to mark it down, to demand a cottage loaf or a slice of bloomer but I cannot. Sourdough is a beautiful, traditional bread, and this was so good.
4 – Spread Butter. A small pot of butter. Not quite enought for what was afoot. It was nice, temperature was correct. It would be nice to know where it was from. It it was local, then stating this (and providing a bit more of it) would have made it 6 out of 5.
7 (out of 5, yes, I am cheating) – Presentation: The presentation was outstanding. It was perfection, the sign of a top chef who undesrstands the aesthetic.
Taking on board the comments above, the presentation style would not have been disturbed by additional cheese, nor a cheeky pickled onion. This was presentation by someone who clearly knows their craft. Bravo!
4 – Salad, etc. Well, there was no salad as such. It still gets a good score because it worked with the dish. There was apple and tomato. The apple was perfect. Having it sliced just right was a nice touch. The OG form might have been a whole apple, OK in the field, but at a nice lunch, this worked well.
The tomato was lovely too; however, it was out of season, so marks down for that. At this time of year, a carrot or cabbage slaw would have worked nicely. I am starting to get all Jay Rayner now, maybe there is no need for that. I just like to support local farmers, and think seasonally.
5 – Originality.
Presentation. The ham: so well presented, and it lived up to how it looked. Also, there is a noticeable level of thought that has gone into its presentation.
Food Total: 42.5
Beverages
10 – Drinks: Reasonable choice. I had a bitter shandy. A couple of cask ales on offer, plus Inches cider (I was driving, or I would have probably had a few).
Drinks Total: 10
The Venue
10 – Service: Friendly and prompt, food arrived swiftly. What more could one ask for?
8 – Atmosphere: A cracking country pub. The staff were amazing, but sometimes places can feel a bit flat simply because of who happens to be there at the time. This should not put you off. It is a call to arms to go to the pub and inject life and enthusiasm espcially for bread and cheese.
10– Location: A beautiful spot in the Cotswolds. Beautiful inside and out. A massive garden stretches out at the front, with a stream tumbling alongside. Inside, it was old, but carefully modernised. Lovely.
5 – Toilets: Tip top. Exactly what is required.
Venue total: 33
Total Score: 85.5
Footnotes:
Editor: 85.5 is still an excelent score. I would recomend you try it – you may score it higher.
It would be so easy for an extra 10 points to take it near to the top – just get some King Stone Dairy cheeses and wallop, top marks.
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