The Royal Inn

The Royal Inn, commonly known as The Royal, is a historic country pub and inn in Horsebridge, West Devon, England, set on the Tamar Trail in the scenic Tamar Valley near the ancient Horsebridge built in 1437. The building began as a nunnery founded by French Benedictine monks roughly fifty years after the bridge was constructed. Following Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries, the nunnery was converted into a pub known as The Packhorse Inn. According to local tradition, Charles I visited during the English Civil War and left his seal in the granite step 'for services rendered', after which the pub became known as The Royal Inn. The seal is said to be leaded into the granite step beneath the Devon porch entrance. Today The Royal operates as a traditional country pub offering hearty, home-cooked cuisine prepared with locally sourced ingredients. Its menu celebrates the produce of Devon and Cornwall, featuring seasonal items from nearby farms, fresh fish, venison, and pheasant, alongside real ales and a Sunday roast. The pub retains historic character with beamed ceilings and open log fires, and provides a beer garden, ample parking, and sheltered outdoor seating. It has also appeared as a filming location for the BBC series Beyond Paradise, with scenes from Season 2 filmed inside and Season 3 opening with a dramatic scene in the river just in front of the pub. The Royal describes itself as serving the community for over 500 years and positions itself as a welcoming spot for both locals and visitors. It hosts live music and events, though upcoming event details are announced on its website. The pub is independently operated; no parent company or ownership group is indicated in the available evidence.

The Royal Inn stands near the ancient Horsebridge, which was built over the River Tamar in 1437 by French Benedictine monks. The monks stayed on the site of what is now the pub, and a building was erected as a nunnery about 50 years later. After Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries, the nunnery became a pub and was named The Packhorse Inn. According to tradition, Charles I visited the pub during the English Civil War and left his seal in the granite step 'for services rendered'. From that day forth the pub became known as The Royal Inn. Visitors entering through the Devon porch can look for the seal leaded into the granite step beneath their feet. The pub has served the community for over 500 years and continues to operate as a traditional country inn. It has also been used as a filming location for the BBC series Beyond Paradise, with scenes from Season 2 filmed inside and Season 3 opening with a dramatic scene in the river just in front of The Royal.

• 1437

  Horsebridge built over the River Tamar by French Benedictine monks.

• A nunnery erected on the site of the current pub about 50 years after the bridge.

• After the dissolution of the monasteries, the nunnery becomes a pub named The Packhorse Inn.

• Charles I reputedly visits during the English Civil War and leaves his seal, after which the pub is known as The Royal Inn.

• The Royal is used as a filming location for BBC's Beyond Paradise, with Season 2 scenes filmed inside and Season 3 opening by the river in front of the pub.

A historic 15th-century country pub and inn offering traditional home-cooked food, real ales, and a welcoming atmosphere for locals and visitors in the Tamar Valley.

• Traditional home-cooked cuisine

• Real ales

• Sunday roast

• Fresh fish

• Venison

• Pheasant

• Locally sourced seasonal produce

1. 1The Royal, Horsebridge, Devon | The Royalroyalinn.co.uk
2. 2About The Royal | The Royalroyalinn.co.uk
3. 3The Royal Inn - Wikidatawikidata.org