We live quite close to Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire (ok, a 30 minute train ride away) and although I've visited the museum when the children were little, we've never actually done the proper visit around the town.
Henley is right on the riverside, with the Thames lapping under its bridges and against riverboat moorings. When we arrived, in February 2026, it was even more so, after a season of heavy rain causing the river to swell and trickle under the benches of The Angel pub and restaurant nearby. We had a walk around the shops, dropped off our bags at our hotel and then decided to pop out for some lunch.
I'd heard of The Bull on Bell Street, which, according to Historic England has its roots in the fifteenth century. Seeing as this period is totally my era (hello Wars of the Roses), I booked us a table for Sunday lunch and hungrily looked forward to our visit. I must just say that when we arrived, the front of the pub was covered with scaffolding and I was unable to get a good photo, so the one above is from Wikimedia Commons. When we go back I'll take another photo that's more up to date. They've had a fresh coat of paint and fairy lights have been added to the arch on the right.
The inn has welcomed people for hundreds of years, although it might have been a private home in the 1400s. The upper floor bay windows seem to have been added in the seventeenth century, with lots of work being carried out in between, and certainly after that time. What I often find with old pubs is that they're much bigger once you go inside than you think they'll be. The Bull is the same. You walk in to the main bar, where there are more tables the further back you go, and a separate dining area to the right. The dining area is really light and spacious and when we went there were a lot of mixed age groups and their families, and there was definitely a lovely atmosphere.
We were shown to our table by a friendly staff member, and offered the Sunday Lunch menu. We both chose the arancini as a starter, which was completely lovely and then my husband had some truffle pasta and I had roast beef. Lush. The more modern feel of the dining area - it was in a conservatory or similar - doesn't give the same vibes as a cosy meal in a historic, wonky building. But you are surrounded by a lot of history, and you can always finish your drinks in the older looking part of the pub, or ask to eat there if that's what you're after. We went back later that evening for a pudding and we ate in the bar, but I'm not sure about a full meal. The staff are lovely so just ask.
We really loved the time we spent at The Bull, the food was honestly great and the staff were friendly and happy to recommend dishes we'd like, from the menu. It's just a short stroll from the river from New Street and then turn left into Bell Street. Walking this way, you really get a sense of Henley's historic past, via fifteenth century cottages Anne Boleyn's Cottage and Tudor Cottage and the other historic structures you pass as you go. Another historic pub I'd absolutely recommend. Thank you to The Bull on Bell Street for looking after us so nicely.
Liked this? You might also like: The Stonor Family of Henley on Thames During the Wars of the Roses, The 1474 Inventory of Stonor Park and 10 Things to Know About Stratford on Avon Before You Visit.
Interested in the Wars of the Roses? My first book explores the roles of women from all sectors of fifteenth century society and the impact they had on the Wars of the Roses conflict. Many of the Stonor family from Henley on Thames are discussed, and we peer around various women's homes and surroundings through evidence in their inventories and wills. Order your copy here.
The Bull on Bell Street was standing during an important period in the development of England's science, culture and the arts. Find out more in my book Power Couples of the Renaissance. It features relationship dynamics that went against accepted norms of the period and power-hungry couples who ruled, fought and spread the patronage of art, science and culture across the globe during one of the most tumultuous periods of history. Find it on the Pen and Sword Books website.
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