The Bear is Back!!!
Come up to Cumnor, Check us out!

After a seemingly lengthy period of hibernation, the Bear and Ragged Staff is emerging once again into the bright light of day and is determined to reclaim its place at the top of the tree on the Oxford Pub and Restaurant Scene.

In early December, a group led by Mark Greenwood, acquired the tenancy of the Bear from the previous owners. As Mark explains, it was not that difficult to immediately identify the enormous possibilities at the Bear. With a recently renovated restaurant facility backed up by a first class modern trade kitchen, it seemed the perfect place to have a comfortable meal with friends. In addition to the restaurant, at the front of the building, there is a three sectioned pub which is the oldest part of the building. Records date back to the early sixteenth century during the reign of Henry VIII, when the property was owned by St. John’s College.

The Bear has had a rich history. Though it is best known these days a pub and restaurant, has doubled up in the past as Army billets during the Civil war, when Richard Cromwell, Son of Oliver, is supposed to have resided here. If Local rumour is to be believed, the chiseled out wood in the lintel above the fire place in the main bar is believed to have to have been the Royal Crest, which was removed by none other than Richard Cromwell himself during his stay here, when the property functioned as a “gentleman’s residence”. Surprisingly, it has only been a pub since the middle of the nineteenth century. It took the name from an older hostelry which is believed to have been destroyed by fire a few years earlier. The emblem of the Bear and Ragged Staff is inextricably linked with Warwickshire, where it is still the coat of arms of the county, and also with the family of the Earls of Warwick who have used the same motif for at least 500 years.

The setting of the pub in a beautiful old Oxfordshire village in rolling countryside has inspired the recent makeover of the food offering. The area is surrounded by woods and farmland. The local fields heave with wildlife such as pheasant, partridge, deer, muntjack, rabbit and pigeon to name just a few. Since the middle of January, new menus have been introduced for both lunch and Dinner. Bar Snacks are also available. These have been designed to represent the cornucopia of wildlife that is available locally. Our food could be best described as hearty, country style cooking. Game, casseroles, steaks and pub classics will be always be found on a menu at the Bear and Ragged Staff, always cooked with local ingredients wherever possible.

It is envisaged that our menus will be changed out every 5-6 weeks. This will allow us to reflect the seasons in our offerings, although pub favourites, such as fish and chips and Bangers and Mash, which are hardly seasonal, and will therefore be found the year round.

The pub will still be a haven for little ones. A traditional Bear welcome will await any child that steps over the threshold. During the summer we will have our picnic garden available for use. Our gardener, Luke, is already planning herb gardens and herbaceous borders. We will be acquiring new furniture for the children to sharpen their acrobatic skills. Please be assured that all junior visitors to the Bear will be fed well. Nearly all the items on the main menu will be available for children at special prices, and, if you ask your server, there will be other dishes besides!!!

So in a nutshell, the changes amount to more Bear and better Bear. The exterior of our home is just as stunning as it ever was and we will be aiming to provide a quality offering of food and beverage at sensible prices that suit all budgets and all members of the family.