Perch & Pike

01/11/2026

🎃👻 WOW… WHAT A NIGHT! 👻🎃

South Stoke (and beyond!) – you absolutely went for it!

A huge thank you to everyone who came out and joined us for our Halloween party. The costumes were AMAZING, the atmosphere was brilliant and those of you who pulled a TRICK were fabulous sports! 😂👏

The unexpected cotton candy making for the kids was such a wonderful surprise, the BBQ was fabulous, the music was pumping and the pub was absolutely buzzing. ❤️

And, of course, we have some winners…

🎃 A big shout-out to Rebecca Larkin Smith, our Carved Pumpkin Competition winner – and, as our one and only entry, quite literally in a league of her own! 😂🏆 Thank you for getting involved, Becca!

🍬 And the answer to Guess the Candy in the Jar was… 87!

We couldn’t quite believe this one – Glenn F guessed 88 and Zalika V guessed 86, putting them both just ONE away, so we have a tie! 🏆🏆

Rebecca Larkin Smith, Glenn F & Zalika V – you all have prizes waiting for you, so please pop into the P&P to collect them! 🎁

Most of all, thank you. You all turned up with such panache, brilliant costumes and a real sense of fun. You made the night what it was.

And with Halloween not falling on a Saturday again until 2037, thank you for making this one such a great one with us! 🎃❤️

What a community. What a night!

29/10/2026

🎄✨ FESTIVE DINING AT THE PERCH & PIKE ✨🎄

Christmas get-togethers are just around the corner… and our Festive Party Menu is ready! 🥂

Whether it’s the work Christmas lunch, a festive catch-up with friends, or getting the family together before the big day, join us in South Stoke for a relaxed country-pub Christmas.

🍽️ Three courses | £39.95 per person
🎄 Available 20 November – 24 December, excluding Sundays
🥂 For groups of 6 or more

And there are some rather lovely things on the menu…

✨ Warm Heritage Beetroot with goat’s cheese & candied walnut
✨ Duck Liver Parfait with pear & ginger compote
✨ Hampshire Roasted Turkey with apricot & pistachio sausage stuffing
✨ Braised Venison Hunter’s Pie with blackberry jus
✨ Wild Mushroom & Truffle Pithivier
✨ Classic Christmas Pudding with brandy butter anglaise
✨ Chocolate Délice with salted caramel

…plus plenty more to choose from. 🎄🍷

Planning a festive get-together?

Booking enquiries can be made directly through our website — just let us know you’re enquiring about our Festive Party Menu and we’ll take it from there. Booking link in the comments...

📍 The Perch & Pike | South Stoke

🌲 Great food, great w**e and the best company. Christmas in the countryside. 🎄

25/09/2026

🎒 SOUTH STOKE STORIES | No. 3

Nearly 150 years of school days…

With the children now back at school, we thought it was the perfect time to revisit a rather lovely piece of South Stoke history.

How long have children been going to school in our little village?

The answer is… rather longer than you might think!

📜 1659 – Griffith Higgs of South Stoke left the considerable sum of £600 to purchase land that would provide an income for a schoolmaster and a free school in the village.

🏫 1877 – South Stoke's new mixed Board School opened its doors, with room for 80 children.

📚 1895 – Average attendance at the school was 55 children.

And nearly 150 years after the Board School opened, South Stoke Primary School is still here on The Street, continuing a remarkable tradition of education in our village.

There's another lovely connection to the past, too…

The Griffith Higgs South Stoke Educational Charity still exists today, more than 360 years after his original bequest, supporting children and young people from the historic parish with their education.

❤️ More than 360 years later, his legacy is still part of life in South Stoke today.

And now, over to you!

Did you go to South Stoke School? Did your children, parents or grandparents?

We'd LOVE to hear your memories — favourite teachers, school-day stories, and especially any old photographs you might be willing to share in the comments. 📷

Let's see how many generations of South Stoke schoolchildren we can find!

29/08/2026

🐝 Ever wondered why Brakspear has a bee in their logo?

There’s quite a story behind it — one that stretches from a medieval Pope, through more than two centuries of brewing in Henley, and eventually right here to The Perch & Pike in South Stoke.

It begins with Nicholas Breakspear, born in Hertfordshire around 1100. He rose through the Church to become Pope Adrian IV in 1154 and, remarkably, remains the only Englishman ever to have become Pope.

And this is where the bee comes in. 🐝

Nicholas Breakspear’s papal symbolism featured a bee, said to have been chosen as a nod to the ‘B’ in Breakspear. Nicholas was a distant relative of the Brakspear brewing family and, centuries later, the bee became part of Brakspear’s corporate identity — a small symbol with a rather extraordinary history behind it.

The brewing story came much later.

In 1779, the Brakspear brewing story began in Henley-on-Thames, starting a relationship with pubs and b**r that would become part of the fabric of this corner of Oxfordshire.

And eventually, that story reached South Stoke.

We haven’t yet been able to pin down exactly when The Perch & Pike first became a Brakspear pub, but we do know the relationship goes back more than three decades.

In fact, in 1993, a newspaper feature about Brakspear’s old Henley brewery happened to capture their traditional sign painter at work on a new sign for The Perch & Pike — complete with our three perch and a pike. More than 30 years later, the Brakspear name is still above our door.

So while you may not often spot the little bee itself at Brakspear pubs, next time you see the Brakspear name here at The Perch & Pike, you’ll know there are centuries of history sitting quietly behind it.

From Nicholas Breakspear and the only English Pope, to Henley brewing in 1779, to The Perch & Pike in South Stoke…

Quite a journey for one little bee. 🐝🍺

20/08/2026

⛪ SOUTH STOKE STORIES · No. 2

Eight centuries. One little village church.

If you’ve walked through South Stoke, chances are you’ve passed St Andrew’s without giving too much thought to quite how long it has been there.

The church we see today dates largely from the early 1200s — although its story may stretch back even further, with the parish thought to have Anglo-Saxon origins.

Built from local flint and stone, St Andrew’s has watched South Stoke change for more than 800 years. Medieval glass survives inside, its bells have called generations of villagers, and its churchyard holds centuries of local history.

But one of its more surprising stories belongs to Dr Griffith Higgs.

Higgs went rather further afield than most South Stoke residents of his day: he became chaplain to Elizabeth, Queen of Bohemia, and later Dean of Lichfield. He eventually returned to South Stoke, where he was buried in 1659 and where his memorial can still be seen inside the church.

He also left the church £5 — money used to buy a beautiful silver chalice and paten in 1660.

His story is just one of many woven into the history of St Andrew’s — and into South Stoke itself.

Next time you walk past, perhaps give it another look. There are more than eight centuries of South Stoke stories behind those walls. ❤️

05/08/2026

📖 South Stoke Stories | No. 1

Did you know South Stoke once had its own ferry?

Long before bridges made crossing the River Thames straightforward, a seasonal ferry connected South Stoke with the neighbouring village of Moulsford. For generations, it carried villagers, farmers, livestock and travellers across the river, providing an essential link between the two communities.

Life revolved around the Thames, and the ferry played an important role in everyday village life. Whether travelling to market, visiting family, transporting livestock or simply making the journey across the river, the ferryman was a familiar and trusted figure.

Although the ferry disappeared many years ago, its story remains an important part of South Stoke's history. Stand at the old crossing today and, with a little imagination, you can almost picture the ferryman waiting patiently on the bank, ready to row passengers safely across the water.

It's these little stories that make our village such a special place, and one of the many reasons we love calling South Stoke home.

If you enjoy these stories, we'll continue uncovering more of South Stoke's fascinating history over the coming weeks.

Do you have a favourite South Stoke story, or have you heard tales of the old ferry from family or friends? We'd love to hear them in the comments.

25/07/2026

🌿 DISCOVER SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE
End your day at The Perch & Pike

Some of the best days aren't planned to the minute. They're about taking the scenic route, discovering somewhere new and finding those hidden gems you'll want to return to again and again.

Explore the riverside charm of Goring & Streatley, wander the historic streets of Wallingford, discover the grandeur of Basildon Park, enjoy a family day out at Beale Wildlife Park, or simply lose yourself in the rolling countryside of the Chiltern Hills and along the Thames Path.

Then, when it's time to slow down...

Nestled in the beautiful village of South Stoke, The Perch & Pike is the perfect place to bring your day to a close.

Whether you're joining us for a relaxed brunch, a leisurely lunch, an evening of exceptional dining, or simply a perfectly poured pint or carefully selected glass of w**e, you'll find seasonal British cooking, warm hospitality and a welcoming atmosphere waiting for you.

Because every great day deserves a memorable start and ending.

📍 The Perch & Pike
South Stoke, Oxfordshire

🌐 Explore our sample menus (we change the menu daily), opening times and book your table:
https://www.theperchandpike.co.uk

We look forward to welcoming you.

💬 Where's your favourite place to explore in South Oxfordshire? We'd love to hear your recommendations in the comments!

19/07/2026

🥾 School's Out... Time for a Ridgeway Adventure! 🌿

Looking for a family day out this summer?

Why not explore The Ridgeway National Trail—Britain's oldest road and one of the country's most iconic walking routes. Dating back more than 5,000 years, this ancient trail has been travelled since prehistoric times, guiding generations through rolling hills, ancient woodland, chalk downs and picturesque villages. Today, it's the perfect way to enjoy the beauty, history and wildlife of the Oxfordshire countryside.

Nestled in the heart of South Stoke, The Perch & Pike is placed along the The Ridgeway route, making us the perfect place to pause, refuel and relax.

Whether you're joining us for a leisurely brunch before your walk, a seasonal lunch, coffee and homemade dessert, a well-earned pint, or a relaxed dinner after a day exploring the countryside, you'll always find a warm welcome and a frequently changing seasonal menu celebrating the very best of British produce.

🥾 A great day out for families.
🐾 Dogs are welcome in our bar area.
🍽️ Fresh, seasonal food in a traditional country pub.

📍 The Perch & Pike, South Stoke, Oxfordshire

👇 Our booking link is in the comments if you'd like to reserve a table. We'd love to welcome you this summer!

18/07/2026