Ploughman’s lunch at The Swan Inn, Wilton, reviewed

Location –
The Swan Inn,
Wilton,
Marlborough,
Wiltshire.
SN8 3SS

Tel: 01672 870274
info@theswanwilton.co.uk

Website – https://theswanwilton.com/

Date of Visit – 05/07/2025

Notes on the visit:
No, not that Wilton, the ancient and former County Town of Wiltshire near Salisbury – famed for carpets and Wilton House. No, this is the stunningly beautiful little village near East Grafton. The famous Wilton Windmill is nearby, and a short walk gets you to Crofton Beam Engines, the Kennet and Avon canal and Wilton Water.

The Food

9 – Pickled Onion. Good. Whilst I have been a bit sniffy about small white onions as pickles, there’s nothing not to like about these. Crisp but not hard, just the right amount of acidity, sweet and flavourful without being too much. Very nice.

The additional Conchicons were also a delights and worked very well with the Ham and cheese.

9 – Pickle. This was not the usual Ploughman’s pickle (think Branston). It was something different, and I think it might have been Tracklements Red Onion Marmalade. It was very pleasant and ideal with all other ingredients on board.

9 – Cheese & Ham:

Cheese – A nice wedge of Cheddar. Displayed proudly on the menu as Ford Farm’s Coastal Cheddar – and rightly so! Coastal cheddar is one of the finest, a delight. If you ever have the chance, buy some; you will not regret it. It’s creamy and crumbly, but not annoyingly so. It has good taste without being acidic. Flavour no doubt developed from grass-fed cattle on the Dorset hills overlooking the Jurassic coast. Not just grass, but all the fine herbs and flowers that make the delightful patchwork of Dorset countryside here – and maybe, just a hint of salt from the beautiful azure seas of this coast. Initially, as always, my eyes were bigger, and I wanted more. However, the size was about right.

Ham – Lots of ham. Lovely ham. Maybe a tad dry. I feel a bit harsh saying this as it was delicious, but at the top end (and this ploughman’s is at the top end), competition is fierce, so critique has to be strong. Very delicious and nicely sliced.

10 – Bread: Well, it is unusual for me to give such a score for bread that’s not from my local bakery. However, this bread is deserving of superlatives.

It had that lovely “Bready” flavour of a good old-fashioned home-cooked loaf – one cooked by someone who knows what they are doing. A fairly dense texture, yet light to eat, with a nice crumb. Holds well and yet tender. Highly recommended. Perhaps they should shout out about the bread…..

4 – Spread Butter, Anchor. This is local, made in Westbury. So, Wiltshire produce. Good temperature, not a fridge bullet. Local, no plastic, Good.

5 – Presentation: Nicely done indeed. Good-sized served on a solid lump of wood. It had care and love put into it, a very well-presented piece. In hindsight, I do wonder if it was upside down. I had it as shown in the picture; however, it would have made more sense the other way up. No matter, this didn’t affect the quality, and I had no sleeves to dangle in the pickle.

5 – Salad, etc

Salad:
Faultless. Fresh. Nice sliced apple. The tomatoes were little explosions of tomatoey flavour, the leaves fresh and nice flavours running through. Just a little dressing that helped things along. Marvelous.

4 – Originality.

Egg. There was an egg. Now, after previous excitement at the presence of an egg, I have been crestfallen to discover it was pickled. I knew at first sight that this was not so. The yolk had a slight run to it and was a lovely harvest bronzey orange colour. I was almost surprised to find out it was cold, and not warm. How anyone peels an egg that’s soft and not boiled until it’s a form of rock is beyond my skills.

Coleslaw. Now, I like freshly made coleslaw, and this did not disappoint. It was fresh, crisp, creamy and not too rich. barvo!

Food Total: 55

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Beverages

10 – Drinks: A fine selection of drinks is on sale. I did have a cider. Devon Dry, from Sandfords Orchards. I also had a Tea, it was Dorset tea, and very nice too.

There’s a good range of beers and other drinks, many local like Ramsbury, and a showing of Cornish beer too.

Drinks Total: 10

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The Venue

10 – Service: It was a busy lunch. Yet we were made to feel welcome, and the service was great. Packed with people enjoying fantastic food, yet still welcoming if you fancied a pint or two and a sit in the garden. There was a minor error with one of the dishes served. The waitress was quick to attend, confirmed this issue, sought resolution, and all was done within the matter of a minute or so. Occasionally, mistakes happen, and this did not seem to be the sort of place prone to them, but swift resolution is brilliant.

10 – Atmosphere: A local pub. It is now completely food-based. I remember years ago when it was more of a drinking place that sold food: now, like many pubs, it’s a food place that serves drinks. However, everything was absolutely right.

5 – Location: Deepest Wiltshire. Suits me.

Wilton is a stunning, chocolate-box village that postcard manufacturers dream about. Old Victorian villas mingled with traditional thatch cottages, with a village pond as a bonus.

Only an hour from London by GWR Train. From Great Bedwyn, it’s 10 minutes by bus if you use Wiltshire Connect or walkable in just over an hour and a half down the canal. Other walking routes take between 2 – 3 hours for the more scenic option. Recommended. Contact Roaming the Paths if you want help getting about in the Vale of Pewsey. Car parking can be a bit sparce when busy, so if meeting people, please consider the environment and the locals and car share – or see if the Wiltshire Connect bus can work for you.

4 – Toilets: Practical, Clean. All the things you need. Lovely.

Venue total: 29

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Total Score: 94

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