Mark Tallentire experiences one of the treats of the Great North Road and dines out at Croxdale’s The Coach and Horses, which is steeped in fascinating history

THE A167 was once the Great North Road, the main route connecting London with Edinburgh. In the past, the road was busy with horses, coaches and carriages clattering back and forth, up and down, and once the roadside was full of hostelries where travellers rested and horses were changed.

Times have changed, and the pubs by the roadside are dying away as the motor cars whiz by – a few months ago, I noted with sadness that the Thinford Inn had closed.

Thankfully, The Coach and Horses at Croxdale survives, and has all the hallmarks of a traditional travellers’ rest-style hostelry. In fact, it appears to be doing a fair trade. On our arrival, about ten tables were occupied between the cosy dining room and the large, attractive conservatory.

A lengthy menu was available, plus numerous specials on boards hung next to the bar, which was where we ordered our food and drink as there was no table service.

To start, Sarah and I shared the Coach Combo (£7.50), which was a huge platter featuring chicken nuggets, garlic bread, fried potatoes, fried mushrooms, pieces of fish, salad and a variety of sauces.

It was far too much to get through, even between us, but it was highly enjoyable.

While we waited for our main course, Sarah began to enthuse about the background music, which was a range of mid-1990s pop and R ’n’ B, which had her singing, or rather silently mouthing, along for much of the evening.

I was engrossed by the unusually enlightening menu which explained the rich history of the restaurant, linked to the intriguingsounding Butcher’s Race.

ONE day in October 1346, the English spotted Scottish spies near Ferryhill.

The Scots were badly out-numbered – Edward III had raised an army of 10,000 from Richmond and Barnard Castle to take them on – so they turned tail and fled along the course of the A167.

With thousands of screaming Englishmen pursuing them, they ran from Ferryhill through Thinford and up to Butcher’s Race – then an unnamed hillock – where the English caught up with them and, on the site of the pub, butchered about 500 of them.

The pub was established in 1590, where a farmer named Hutchinson began brewing an ale – the honey-induced sweetness of which earned the venue its original name: The Beehive.

The current title dates from 1801, the great coaching era.

Back in the 21st Century, for main course I chose the steak and black pudding pie, served with chips and vegetables (£8.95). Again, the portion was huge and the food quality was excellent.

The black pudding was flavour-some without being overpowering and the chips were pleasingly chunky and crunchy.

Sarah was similarly impressed – perhaps even more so – with the steak bordelaise (£11.50).

She passed on dessert, but I couldn’t resist the Mars bar pavlova (£4.50) – a meringue nest filled with cream, chocolate and caramel sauce, topped with Mars bar slice.

With a small glass of the house red (£3.10) and a pint of Fosters (£3.15), our bill came to an entirely reasonable £43.25.

The Coach and Horses, Butchers Race, Croxdale, Durham DH6 5JU Tel: 01388-814-484 Website: coachandhorses.me.uk/new

Food served: Monday-Saturday, noon to 9pm, Sun from noon onwards

Food quality: 3/5

Service: 3/5

Surroundings: 3/5

Value: 4/5