Chichester Arms

The Chichester Arms is a traditional pub-hotel in the village of Mortehoe, near Woolacombe in North Devon, England. The building it occupies was the village vicarage for several centuries before being converted into a pub-hotel in 1820, and it has operated as a place of food, drink and hospitality almost every day since. It is a well-known local landmark at the heart of Mortehoe and serves both residents and visitors to the North Devon coast. The pub serves lunches and evening meals all year round, combining seasonal dishes with traditional home-cooked pub favourites. Its menu includes daily specials, a selection of fresh fish — much of it locally caught — and homemade puddings. Since March 2012 the kitchen has used only British meat and free-range eggs, a policy the pub says is intended to ensure traceability and high standards of animal welfare. The bar opens daily from 11am, offering fresh ground coffee, wines, local real ales and ciders, including St Austell Proper Job and guest ales from West Country breweries. The Chichester Arms does not currently take bookings; guests are encouraged to visit without reservation. It also hosts events such as Chichfest, a food and drink festival scheduled for 3–5 July 2026, and runs a 'World Food' street food pop-up on Mondays and Tuesdays. The pub maintains a website at chichesterarmsmortehoe.co.uk and can be contacted by telephone on 01271 870411. As a single-site independent pub, the Chichester Arms is privately operated and is not part of a listed group. Its identity is closely tied to its historic building, its North Devon location and its emphasis on local produce and traditional hospitality.

The building that now houses the Chichester Arms was the vicarage for the village of Mortehoe for a few centuries. In 1820 it was converted into a pub-hotel, and according to the pub's own account it has been sheltering and refreshing visitors almost every day since then. This makes it one of the older continuously operating hospitality venues in the Mortehoe and Woolacombe area of North Devon. Over the following two centuries the Chichester Arms established itself as a village local and a stopping point for visitors to the North Devon coast. Its identity remained tied to the historic vicarage building at the heart of Mortehoe. In March 2012 the pub adopted a policy of using only British meat and free-range eggs, citing traceability and animal welfare as motivations. This change reflected a broader trend among British pubs and restaurants toward sourcing transparency and higher welfare standards. In the 2020s the pub continued to operate year-round, serving lunches and evening meals with seasonal dishes, daily specials, fresh fish and homemade puddings. It also expanded its events programme, introducing a 'World Food' street food pop-up on Mondays and Tuesdays and scheduling Chichfest, a food and drink festival, for 3–5 July 2026. The pub does not currently take bookings, instead inviting guests to call in. It maintains an official website and a telephone line (01271 870411) for enquiries.

• 2026

  Chichfest food and drink festival scheduled for 3–5 July 2026.

• 2012

  The pub adopts a policy of using only British meat and free-range eggs.

• 1820

  The former Mortehoe vicarage building is converted into a pub-hotel, becoming the Chichester Arms.

A historic, independent village pub-hotel emphasising traditional British hospitality, local produce and ethical sourcing.

• Lunch menu

  Seasonal dishes and traditional home-cooked pub favourites served at lunchtime.

• Evening menu

  Evening meals served seven nights a week, including daily specials and fresh fish.

• Real ales and ciders

  Local real ales and ciders, including St Austell Proper Job and guest ales from West Country breweries.

• World Food street food pop-up

  Street food pop-up available on Mondays and Tuesdays only.

1. 1THE CHICHESTER ARMS, MORTEHOE, WOOLACOMBE, NORTH DEVONchichesterarmsmortehoe.co.uk
2. 2Chichester Armswikidata.org