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The Betsey Wynne is a brand new free house built by the Fremantle family at Swanbourne, the country seat, near Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, Central England. It has been designed the blend perfectly
with the houses in this charming village, although the architect kept well clear of the traditional thatched roofs which many cottages in the village still retain.
Nor is this one of those pseudo
places, which look traditional outside but are full of imitation wood beams inside. The dining room is constructed more like the upside-down hull of HMS Victory, (and the Fremantle’s should know about that),
with massive oak columns, knees and beams forming a sweeping church-like arch. Unfortunately I did not have my camera when I visited in October 2006, but interior pictures will be published as they come in.
The Pub’s name comes from Betsey, who married Thomas Fremantle when he was a sea Captain with the British Fleet in Naples, 1797. Horatio Nelson was the best man. Betsey kept a diary of her travels
thoughout Europe and it was edited and published by Ann Fremantle, copies are available on www.Amazon.com.
From their prolific union stems the complete Fremantle line of distinguished Naval Officers,
including three Admirals and the present head of the family, Lord Cottesloe, who lives at Swanbourne.
I had an excellent lunch in the pub with Lord and Lady Cottesloe and was surprised to find I
should have made a reservation, even on a weekday. The menu is extensive, with much of the produce home grown at local farms, including the superb lamb which I enjoyed.
Well worth a visit: Mursley Road, Swanbourne, Milton Keynes, Bucks. Tel: 01296 720825.
The pub’s web site was under construction at time of writing. www.thebetseywynne.co.uk.
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