The Duke on the Test Inn – Romsey

The Duke on the Test Inn in Romsey, The front of the building.

Experience History and Comfort at The Duke on the Test Inn

Nestled in the heart of Romsey’s picturesque village in the Test Valley, Hampshire, The Duke on the Test Inn beckons you to a journey through time. Dating back to the 16th century, this remarkable inn has worn many identities over the centuries, including The Admiral Vernon, The Duke of Cumberland, and The Duke’s Head.

A Step Back in Time

Step inside, and you’ll be transported to a bygone era. Ancient beams and original features adorn the inn, exuding a timeless charm that tells stories of centuries past. Each room effortlessly blends classic and modern styles, offering a unique atmosphere.

Modern Comforts with a Dash of History

Modern comforts await you as well. Our stay at The Duke on the Test was exceptionally comfortable. The rooms are spacious, beautifully decorated, and provide a tranquil and peaceful retreat. The lovely powerful shower is an added bonus. Enjoy the convenience of in-room tea and coffee making facilities, and rest easy with on-site parking and in-room safes.

Culinary Delights

Furthermore the inn’s rich history is complemented by its delectable cuisine. The extensive menu caters to all tastes, with a wide range of options for vegans and vegetarians. Whether you choose to have breakfast, lunch, or dinner, every meal is a journey through culinary history.

Breakfast to Remember

Start your day with options that cater to your preferences. There are choices for a fully cooked English breakfast and a delightful continental breakfast with tea, coffee, and juices. My husband chose the full vegetarian breakfast, featuring beans, eggs, mushrooms, avocado, fried tomatoes, halloumi and toast. I opted for the lighter full continental breakfast consisting of yogurt, fruit, cereal, toast, and pastries.

Lunch and Dinner Extravaganza

The Duke offers both lunch and dinner options that are nothing short of lavish. They take pride in serving regional dishes made by expert chefs. We savoured a sumptuous lunch experience. We began with soft drinks and nibbles—Artisan bread with homemade Guacamole and Roasted squash and Ras el Hanout Houmous with homemade flatbread.

For starters, I enjoyed the tomato and courgette soup served with homemade bread. My partner chose the wild mushrooms and leek ragu filo basket, poached egg, tomato concasse, pine nuts, and topped with old Winchester shavings. The flavours were spot on.

For the mains, my husband relished the vegan Thai red curry with coconut rice and cashew nuts. I indulged in the char-grilled lentil, black bean, and chickpea burger, vegan cheese, sriracha mayonnaise, red onion marmalade served in a brioche bun with fries and salad. Not surprisingly, we found both mains were not only delicious but also beautifully presented. Additionally, the service was impeccable.

Save Room for Dessert

After so much good food, we thought we were bursting, but there’s always room for dessert. My husband had the sticky ginger and apple pudding, served with ginger wine and brandy sauce alongside vanilla ice cream. I opted for the blackcurrant tartlet with clotted cream and blackcurrant compote. Both desserts were simply delectable.

An Impressive Wine List

The Duke’s has a well stocked bar serving locally made real ales, wines and sprits with an impressive wine list. It’s the perfect accompaniment to your memorable dining experience.

Book your stay now and immerse yourself in history, comfort, and culinary delights. Every corner of The Duke on the Test Inn tells a story, and your visit will become a cherished memory of a journey through time.

We were offered a complimentary stay and Lunch at The Duke on the Test. The views expressed in this post are an honest and accurate reflection of our experience during our stay.

You make like to check these posts:

Scandic Hamburg

Dining out in Athens

My Five favourite restaurants in London

Hotels to stay in Athens

If you enjoy travel posts, why not check out my Travel Instagram channel citrusspiceuk

Share this post
Pin Share

Nayna Kanabar

A vegetarian influencer that loves to travel and discover new places.

39 thoughts on “The Duke on the Test Inn – Romsey


What a cozy inn to stay for holiday. love the history of this place.


It was an amazing place, comfortable, great food and impeccable service.


I love how this Inn looks! It seems so cozy and welcoming, this would be a wonderful spot to stay. Thanks for sharing this! If I am in the area I will book them.


I hope you do go there its lovely.


I would love this place to have a great time and live historically as well


Definitely its a lovely place.


Everything looks splendid. I enjoyed the photos and then I got to the dessert pics and did a ‘wait a minute!!!’ Those look spectacular. I’d go just to experience those alone.


Lol the desserts were delectable and as I said in my post even after a huge meal there is always room for dessert.


I do love places like this to stay and visit, it is the type of place we stay at when away with friends


Yes its a nice change to stay in places like this.


Ah, The Duke. My parents stayed her a few years ago during that ‘UK home holiday’ phase they went through, and loved it!


That’s so nice I think they recently refurbished it.


Love this place, Perfect place for a family trip. Looks so cozy and comfy and the food looks so delicious!


It was a lovely place and perfect for families too as there is so much to see and do in the area as well.


The place looks very welcoming and cozy and the food looks delicious too! What a nice spot to spend a weekend 😀


I agree I would love to go back therein the winter to savour the cosy feel.


This sounds like such a lovely Inn. I really love the set up of the room. It looks like it has all the essentials. The food there sounds great too especially the roasted squash and Ras el Hanout Houmous with homemade flatbread and the blackcurrant tartlet. Sounds like you had a great time.


It was really a lovely stay and I agree food was top notch.


I love hotels with historical details. The Duke on the Test seems cozy and comfortable with its charm, plus a delicious breakfast.


The food was superb .


Stepping into The Duke on the Test feels like a journey through time. The fusion of historic charm and modern comforts makes for an exceptional stay. The spacious rooms, delightful decor, and thoughtful amenities like in-room tea and coffee truly elevate the experience. It’s a retreat that seamlessly combines the best of both worlds.


Yes its remarkable how they new conservatory and rooms have been added to the original building but keeping the originality intact.


The food and dessert looks amazing. I am not really a fun of the decor but it does match with the theme.


The decor is rustic and giving you a true feel of 1600 century vibes, I guess its not every ones cup of tea. The food was indeed amazing.


I like the posts with the travelled places in them. The images are priceless. As a great majority of us will never go to visit such places, it is incredible that we can see and feel the vibe from your and your traveling experiences.


Thankyou for such lovely feedback, The place was indeed magical.


Oh my goodness! The food sounds so yummy. I love the idea of a curry & char-grilled lentil, black bean, and chickpea burger. I would assume it would have been traditional pub food, a happy surprise!


The menu was varied there were traditional English locally sourced ingredients and food together with dishes suitable for people with dietary restrictions. This was the beauty they have catered for all .


This looks like a perfect place for a getaway and I’m sure the food did not disappoint.


The food was absolutely delicious.


Oh my goodness, the place is so beautiful and the food looks delicious ❤️


Thank you , yes we had a great time sampling all the dishes.


This place looks really worth a visit. All the clicks are really beautiful. I would love to visit there someday.


Thankyou for the lovely comments. We really enjoyed the food.


Ooohhhh…I need someone to physically restrain with all those spreads and sausages before me. I can never have enough of those. I’d like to visit this inn!


Yes it’s lovely.


Next time you are in Hampshire make sure you check it out.


Your dinner looks absolutely delicious – sounds like a great place to stay.


Yes it was really nice.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

*