Why people love The Rose and Crown, Romaldkirk, County Durham

The 18th-century coaching inn sits six miles north-west of Barnard Castle on the B6277, surrounded by the sheep-dotted fields and moorland of the North Pennines.

It is owned and run by the Robinson family, who also own Headlam Hall near Darlington, and has been quietly building a devoted following for years.

Here is what keeps people coming back.

The bar

The bar at The Rose and Crown is the kind of room that is almost impossible not to love.

Stone-flagged floors, old wooden beams, rural knick-knacks on every surface and a big open fireplace that earns its keep for most of the year.

It serves local real ales, more than 50 wines, a wide selection of gins including local varieties, and over 15 Islay malts.

Dogs are welcome under the table.

Lunch and dinner are served daily, with outdoor seating on the front terrace when the weather allows.

“This is probably the most dog-friendly place I’ve ever been in and the food is superb,” wrote one TripAdvisor reviewer in February 2026.

“There is a great selection of beer, wines and spirits.”

The food

Head chef Dave Hunter, who has worked at two Michelin-starred level restaurants during his career, leads a kitchen that balances hearty pub classics with fine-dining plates built around local produce from County Durham, Northumberland and Yorkshire.

The lunch menu offers dishes like ham hock terrine, smoked haddock omelette and venison pie, while evenings in the oak-panelled dining room step up to more ambitious cooking.

Sunday lunch is described by the team as “a real highlight” and can be taken in either the bar or the restaurant.

SquareMeal called the cooking “pretty polished,” singling out a twice-baked goat’s cheese soufflé and sea bream with fennel as setting “a highly satisfying standard that held up at every turn.”

The Good Hotel Guide praised the “thoughtful, well-prepared food” and noted readers’ appreciation for small details: “food served on hot plates, and staff who listen to your requests.”

The rooms

The Rose and Crown has 14 bedrooms spread between the main 18th-century inn, a single-storey courtyard mews and a 17th-century cottage called Monk’s Cottage, which overlooks the green and the church.

Rooms feature period details, beamed ceilings, exposed stone and antiques alongside locally made furniture, Molton Brown bathroom products, fresh milk for the tea tray and homemade biscuits.

The majority of rooms are dog-friendly.

“An amazing place,” wrote one TripAdvisor guest.

“Attention to comfort is exceptional.

“The rooms are warm, beds are excellent, food is wonderful and the place itself is beautiful.”

The Telegraph described the inn as having “a relaxed warmth and well-judged sense of rustic charm that strikes a happy balance,” calling it “a foodie-destination country inn that has smartened up while still maintaining its village pub credentials.”

The setting

Much of what makes The Rose and Crown special is the village around it.

Romaldkirk is one of the prettiest settlements in Teesdale, its stone houses grouped around a broad green with the Church of St Romald, a medieval building of Saxon origins, at its heart.

High Force waterfall is less than 10 miles up the dale.

Raby Castle is a short drive east.

Barnard Castle, with the Bowes Museum, is six miles away.

The Good Hotel Guide called it “an ideal base for walking and wildlife enthusiasts.”

Planning your visit

Address: Romaldkirk, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 9EB
Getting there: Six miles north-west of Barnard Castle on the B6277; 20 miles from the A1 at Scotch Corner
Opening times: Daily from 11am; lunch 12pm-2.30pm; dinner 6pm-8.30pm; Sunday lunch 12pm-2pm
Rooms: From £150 per night; 14 bedrooms, majority dog-friendly
Booking: rose-and-crown.co.uk or 01833 650213
Awards: TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice; Sawday’s Best Authentic Pub 2020; Good Hotel Guide Editors’ Choice 2020