OKAY, Henry VIII never slept here. But the King's Arms in Old Amersham has a very strong claim to fame: a few minutes of the film Four Weddings and a Funeral were shot outside the inn.

And that's what really causes excitement among the many transatlantic tourists who loved the film and come here to see its setting.

Even so, this fine old inn is not short of real history. It was built in 1450 as two houses either side of a covered entrance to the inn yard, and it's easy to conjure up images of stage coaches galloping through and the bustle of ancient markets outside. Historical notes and old photos on the walls fill in some of its story, and the building is full of picture postcard charm.

Come here to dine and you're presented with shades of the great British class system. When you arrive, you have to choose whether to eat in the restaurant -- all candles and carpets and upper-crust service -- or join the plebs in the bar in the other half of the King's Arms.

In the bar it's unpretentious. No carpets, a hotchpotch of stools and window seats and high-backed settles, heat ring-marked tables, no non-smoking areas in the evening, and total informality. It fits every notion of a traditional snug hostelry.

We chose the bar, and from a small choice of four dishes (no starters on offer) we selected beef stew with red wine and dumplings, and pork and leek sausages with veg and onion gravy.

Both meals were all that these traditional dishes should be. The stew was rich, the dumplings lived up to childhood memories, the sausages were fat and spicy and the fresh vegetables were excellent.

The two desserts on offer were chocolate torte and cheesecake, so we ordered one of each.

The message came back that "the cheesecake seems to have disappeared", so we gladly accepted pear tart from the restaurant menu. Both were delicious, and beautifully presented in a none-too-traditional way with strawberry coulis and the latest upmarket decoration of sifted icing sugar all over the plate.

We'd definitely bring our overseas guests here. It's the antithesis of a themed pub full of mock beams and horse brasses. It has an artless charm of its own. Menu Beef and red wine stew with tarragon dumplings: £5.25

Pork and leek sausages with fresh veg and onion gravy: £5.25

Chocolate torte: £2.50

Pear tart: £2.50

Cup of coffee: £1

Pot of tea: £1

Total: £17.50

This is an independent review Restaurant rating Quality of food: Excellent

Quantity of food: Average-to-good

Value for money: Amazing -- all this and dreams of Hugh Grant too

Sense of history: Ancient and modern, it's all here

Yank appeal: They'll love it Film history: The King's Arms, High Street, Amersham (01494) 726333

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.