Where do you go for a taste of old England? Sandra Carter explores historic pubs that please locals and tourists alike YOU get a lot more for your money if you eat at the historic inns that abound in these parts. You enjoy a slice of heritage thrown in. Some say the English inn is in fact this country's greatest heritage.

I'm spending September looking at pubs with a history which adds to the pleasure of a night out.

They're also guaranteed to please any overseas visitors you may be entertaining.

I started with the grandaddy of them all, The Royal Standard of England at Forty Green.

Yes, I know lots claim to be the oldest pub in the land. But apparently among free houses this is the real oldie.

The inn is all you could want: enough old oak beams to make a ship, spiralling chimneys, nooks and crannies.

It has all the right stories: King Charles II hid in the roof behind that stained glass panel in 1651.

There's an old inglenook fireplace and some of the original mud and wattle walls survive from the 13th century.

The core of the building dates back 900 years.

But what about the food? It's more than a match for the surroundings.

Traditional pub food cooked with the kind of home made care that is all too often forgotten.

My companion chose Beef and Owd Roger Ale Pie seasoned with shallots.

It really has to be the best pie ever -- big chunks of meat, light but satisfying pastry, and the richest, darkest gravy imaginable.

It came with a good pile of chips and salad. Owd Roger, by the way, is a strong ale brewed here for 400 years.

I tried the more upmarket end of the menu with Seared Lamb Steak with red wine and rosemary jus.

This was delicious, with a superb sauce and good fresh vegetables.

My other half was too full of chips to try a pud, but my five-fruits summer pudding was a gorgeous example of this old English dish.

The Royal Standard of England gets thousands of overseas visitors.

But don't let them hog the place -- locals can enjoy a bit of heritage here too. Menu Beef and Owd Roger Ale Pie: £7.25

Seared Lamb Steak: £8.95

Five-Fruits Summer Pudding: £3.25

Total: £19.45

n This is an independent review. Restaurant rating Quality of food: Traditional English fare at its best

Quantity of food: Ample

Value for money: Pretty good, with heritage thrown in for free

Sense of history: Authentic olde worlde atmosphere

Yank appeal: They'll love it

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