We settle down for the afternoon on the verdant banks of the River Test. Opposite us fly fishermen cast their rods into the clear water that ripples quickly downstream, navigating its way further along through the quaint Hampshire village. It’s a typically English summer’s day, the air is warm but charcoal clouds brew above as we sit with cool glasses of Chenin blanc and pints of pale ale for lunch at The Greyhound on The Test.
Woven with dark wood and low beams, the 1800’s building enjoys a prominent position on Stockbridge high street. Step inside and beyond the building where time stood still hides a generous space of land alongside the river, allowing plenty of space for private events and lunches such as ours. On our visit, this resulted in The Greyhound’s answer to post-lockdown lunches: a new hamper the team have created made up of their finest cold deli dishes and desserts for those within their support bubble to share at their leisure.
Carefully packaged up, this hamper spanned from a green tender stem broccoli salad, a selection of charcuterie meats, soft and hard cheeses, coronation chicken and soft breads, finishing with a vanilla cheesecake with ruby raspberries. Should you want to eat in the garden, the Tiffin Boxes are also an alternative to choose from and are, as they state a ‘simple, satisfying fare’ in their summer garden. Covering all bases, choose from the carnivore box made up of a 6oz minute steak, French fries and watercress, the fresh catch box: smoked haddock and pea kedgeree, mango, poached egg, the veggie box: chickpeas, butternut squash and coconut curry baby spinach, fragrant rice and/or the sweet box: a vanilla and strawberry cheesecake.
Catering to all those who visit and stay at The Greyhound on The Test, other menus include Sunday sharing roasts, a garden grill night menu and a Hoxton pizza night menu. No victim to 2020’s pandemic, this variety of menus showcases how The Greyhound on The Test has adapted to ensure they can still cater to all, whilst capitalising on their delightful English setting. Closing the main building and only offering food and drinks to those residing in one of their ten rooms, tucked beyond the car park they have adapted their garden area with a semi-permanent gazebo accessorised with fairy lights, a small but chic garden bar and lush cottage garden greenery blooming with flowers moments from the river.
A place that epitomises its English setting, The Greyhound on The Test encourage their guests to discover all Hampshire has to offer with their selection of outdoor pursuits. Unsurprisingly they lead with fly fishing, attributing their envious location as the ‘mecca’ of the activity. Meanwhile, two other local partnerships allow them to offer guests game shooting and clay pigeon days out. Their central location in the village allows easy access to the upmarket boutiques that line the heritage high street whilst also stepping foot out into the rolling hills of northern Hampshire, just 65 miles from London and on the outskirts of Winchester.
Factbox
Address: 31 High St, Stockbridge SO20 6EY
Phone: 01264 810833
Website: thegreyhoundonthetest.co.uk
Email: info@thegreyhoundonthetest.co.uk
