A truly excellent pub is difficult to find. One that’s full enough to have a buzz, but not so full that you’ll never get a seat. A fire in winter is essential, while a good selection of beer and cider goes without saying. It doesn’t sound much, but sadly, it’s all too rare.

Which is why you should know about The Royal Oak in Ramsden. On my last visit we nabbed a creaking table by the bar and sat back to enjoy a delicious pie and a pint of “Pheasant Plucker” scrumpy. Our fellow guests were straight from the pages of a Jilly Cooper novel – a handsome local farmer, two spaniels beneath the table, and a pair of gorgeous girls on a stolen hour out of the office. And… don’t tell anyone I mentioned it, but this fabulous find is in the heart of David Cameron’s Witney constituency. You just never know who you might bump into.

Image courtesy of The Royal Oak