The Three Daggers Hotel

Wiltshire

Set on the northern escarpment of Salisbury Plain, the idyllic village of Edington was made famous in the Domesday Book as the place where Alfred the Great forced back a marauding Danish army. If that isn’t enough to get you feeling patriotic, The Three Daggers’ menu of modern British plates made from top-quality West Country produce certainly will.

This 300-year-old pub has been reimagined by property developer Chad Pike, who has transformed it with a farm shop, brewery and self-catering cottage. Above the pub, three rooms tread the line between cosy and cool thanks to wonky wooden beams and luxurious touches such as claw-footed bathtubs.

Start your evening with home-brewed stout Daggers Black in the garden, a favourite haunt of the village cricket team, before retreating to the flagstone-floored dining room. Menus change regularly, but on our visit a poussin succulent with lemon juice served alongside pearl barley enriched with pancetta is the stand-out dish. Wild mushroom gnocchi sautéed in lashings of butter is equally good, while berry mess, complete with strawberry purée and vanilla-infused cream, is summer on a plate. Doubles from £85.