TOP 100 PUBS – THE PEASANTS’ TAVERN, NORTH WALSHAM

November 2025. North Walsham. Norfolk.

Next up, an instant classic in rural Norfolk. No, really.

The Peasants’ Tavern is Norwich & District CAMRA Pub of the Year, open Noon till 11pm all week, some bench seating, lined glasses,

terrific beer, mostly local,

but all that is secondary to the sheer joy in this pub on a damp November afternoon.

I ask about the “unnamed” chocolate stout (top left, S & P), get offered a taster, reply (obvs) “a pint’s a taster”,

and then the wonderfully cheery landlady takes it away to photograph it as it’s the last in the barrel.

While she does that I chat with a bloke from County Durham about Langley Park, and perhaps it’s the friendly banter at the bar that nails it,

but actually it’s the laughter.

This is the cheeriest Norfolk pub I’ve ever been in, without being micropub sized where you might feel forced to join in.

So it’s a mixed crowd, the sort you’d get in Cromer’s magical Red Lion (“too many beers on” says someone at the bar), the sort of place to sip your wine,

or neck a pint of chocolate stout (NBSS 4) in 10 minutes.

An absolute must visit.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

7 thoughts on “TOP 100 PUBS – THE PEASANTS’ TAVERN, NORTH WALSHAM”

  1. This was the Market Tavern when I was cycling in Norfolk a bit more than two years ago (Norwich to Sheringham), and closed at the time. It reopened in April 2024, so I guess I’ll have to take your advice and go for a visit.

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  2. “Next up, an instant classic in rural Norfolk. No, really.”

    In North Walsham. Blimey.

    Gets one to believe small town pubs are where it’s at.

    “but all that is secondary to the sheer joy in this pub on a damp November afternoon.”

    Oof. Don’t get me started. Cold and bloody damp here this month as well. The only consolation (living over here) is that it isn’t yards of snow. But then, you lot get that over there as well.

    “get offered a taster, reply (obvs) “a pint’s a taster”,”

    LOL!

    Also, (looks down);

    Love the fact that the beer is ‘un-named choc stout’.

    “and then the wonderfully cheery landlady takes it away to photograph it as it’s the last in the barrel.”

    And a proper pint glass.

    “and perhaps it’s the friendly banter at the bar that nails it,”

    That’s the key; beer, banter and… baps?
    (couldn’t find a good ‘b’ word for atmosphere; although I was tempted to use (am)bience)

    “but actually it’s the laughter.”

    Still no ‘b’ word that would suffice.

    “This is the cheeriest Norfolk pub I’ve ever been in”

    Bliss! That’s the 3rd ‘b’ word that works way better than baps.

    “or neck a pint of chocolate stout (NBSS 4) in 10 minutes.”

    Are you between trains, again?

    “An absolute must visit.”

    Should things go completely sideways over here (note: fat chance of that), I’d consider moving over there just to have that as my ‘local’.

    Cheers

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  3. Sigh, sadly I don’t have a ‘local’ as such. There was a pub-style place about a 10 minute walk from my home, which was around when I was commenting 5 or 6 years ago. It was called the Royal Coachman and was actually pretty good. Main area had a sunken section with a wood fireplace. They had a backyard area only accessible thru the pub that had a koi pond with a small waterfall. Everyone I took there thought it was good as well.

    However, at the end of Covid it was bought by immigrants who came to Canada on the ‘spend money’ and get citizenship quicker deal. They ran it for a year, then it mysteriously was closed due to rats, and then, a year later, burnt down. (I’m sure they collected the insurance). I never did get to go there after I retired (it would have definitely been my local) and I never got to take my Dad there. 😒

    The other nearest places are a good 30-45 minute walk from home. Ones a microbrewery that has gone frou-frou. There’s one that has spin sessions (bikes) in the back. Another is right on the water and has some great beers on tap (it has the nice happy hour) but the music always seems to be a tad loud.

    So, it’s my own pub in the backyard, where I can be on call for the missus and can now have a nap as she bought me a recliner for Christmas/birthday. 😎

    Cheers

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