The Sign of the Angel, Lacock: 15th Century Coach Inn
The Sign of the Angel is a 15th century coaching inn in Lacock, probably the most beautifully preserved village in the Cotswolds.
The Grade II listed building has creaky old floors, stone fireplaces and uneven walls.
You’ll also find beamed ceilings, cute cottage windows, stone floors and more roaring fireplaces downstairs.
Entrance to the building is through a wonderful Tudor-arched carved timber lintel, dating from around the 16th century.
In the 15th century, the wool trade in Lacock was flourishing and the property is believed to have converted into a wool merchant’s house in the 16th and 17th centuries.
It also features one of the finest examples of a ‘horse passage’ in the village.
In 1911, the building was used as a shop, occupied by Mr Barnett and family.
The front 15-pane window you can see today is likely from the time the building was a shop - this window was inserted into a broad 15th century hollow-moulded frame.
By 1939, it had become a guest house and today, it has reverted to its origins as an inn, combined with a hotel.
The name is thought to be related to an ‘angel,’ found on an old English gold coin, depicting St. Michael the Archangel on one side.
Or it could be the ‘sign’ was related to the sighting of a nun, given the inn was near Lacock Abbey.
Following the Dissolution of the Monastries in the mid 16th century, the public would perceive seeing a nun as a holy event, as they would if they had seen an angel.
The Sign of the Angel has also starred in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, as the Babberton Arms!
If you’re staying here overnight, you’ll come across old wooden doors and low beams leading into bedrooms with ceilings about 6ft high.
There are two categories of rooms: standard and superior.
All have antique furniture, but no televisions, which the owners feel might spoil the medieval atmosphere.
The menu, meanwhile, is traditional British, with locally sourced ingredients.
Starters include ham hock and leek croquette with piccalilli, with mains such as rump of lamb and roast cod.
Is the pub haunted? Apparently, the outdoor sign of the pub says that ghost has been seen on a few occasions.
It’s not surprising this pub has at least one ghost, given it’s history!
It’s said that the main ghost is the elderly lady seen sitting at a table in the lounge waiting for service.
It’s thought she may be an old landlady.
Apparently, she is quite unthreatening and has been seen several times by staff and customers - she has also appeared upstairs in the guest bedrooms.
Someone who recently stayed at The Sign of the Angel said on TripAdvisor: “We went for dinner and loved it. It's a quintessential and full of character old English pub with a very pleasant atmosphere.
”The food was truly extraordinary (particularly the fillet of beef), the service was spot on and very quick and professional (props to Taylor, she was delightful).
”We had an amazing time and I cannot wait to go back.”
Another person added: “If you want an authentic experience of staying in an old English inn, this is it.
”We had a lovely breakfast, after a night in a comfortable bed. We had an ensuite room, with a couple of steps down to the attached private bathroom.
”We also used the extra heater that was in the room. Is it old? Yes, but that is part of the charm. I see that there are negative reviews about The Sign of the Angel, which I think were written by people expecting all mod cons.
”The floors may not be perfectly level, the doors may be a little crooked, and there may be winding stairs to navigate - all to be expected in a historic building.”
If you’d like to visit, the address is: 6 Church St, Lacock, Chippenham SN15 2LB.
Lacock itself is a quintessential English village with timber-framed cottages and local shops.
With its central grid of four streets, Lacock today looks much as it did 200 years ago.
The medieval landscape was dominated by Melksham Forest, which came right up to the village and stretched for 33 miles to the south and east.
Settlement began around the church, reflected in the irregular line of Church Street.
However, the rest is a medieval planned town, deliberately laid out on a grid of the other streets which can be seen today.
There's lots to discover in Lacock village: quaint traditional stone cottages, the medieval tithe barn, and the village church.
Why not start your trip to Lacock by pausing at the window of the old shop at 2 High Street?
In the late 19th century the building was used as a coffee tavern, then after the First World War it became a stationers and in 1966, incorporated the Post Office.
It remained in the same family until it closed in the early 1980s.
Miss Butler, the last resident, arranged the shop window in the style of early 20th-century displays and it has been untouched ever since.
Lacock village is a firm favourite for film and TV producers, most notably for its picturesque streets and historic cottages, untouched by modern alterations.
The village’s most famous appearances include Downton Abbey, the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice and Cranford.
Arguably, the main feature in Lacock is the Abbey.
Lacock Abbey was founded in the early 13th century by Ela. Countess of Salisbury.
The abbey was fortified and remained loyal to the crown during the English Civil War,, but surrendered to the Parliamentary forces once Devizes had fallen in 1645.
Throughout the life of the building, many architectural alterations, additions, and renovations have occurred so that the house is a mish-mash of different periods and styles.
The Tudor stable courtyard to the north of the house has retained many of its original features including the brewhouse and bakehouse.
It’s a great place to explore, we believe that guided tours are avaliable too, but it’s worth checking the National Trust website.
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