The Wild Goose

The Wild Goose (also known as The Wild Goose Inn) is a historic village free-house in Combeinteignhead, a small Devon village between Newton Abbot and Shaldon in the United Kingdom. The building is believed to date from around 1640, when it was originally the farmhouse for the area. It has been providing drinks to the local community since 1771, a fact commemorated in a stained-glass display above the bar. The pub is currently owned and run by father and son Ian and Henry Gidwell, together with Chris Williams, and is described as a unique family-owned village free-house offering a modern British outlook on food. The Wild Goose prides itself on sourcing the best produce Devon can offer, with at least three real ales on tap. Its menu covers meat, fish and game as well as vegetables, salads and desserts, all prepared daily. The inn serves lunch, dinner and a children's menu, and is known locally for its Sunday roast. Opening hours are seasonal and subject to change; the official website lists lunch and dinner service from Wednesday to Sunday, with Monday and Tuesday closed. The pub's name has a local legend attached to it. According to the inn's own history, a local farmer kept geese that would attack customers, leading locals to refer to the pub as The Wild Goose. The name was officially changed by Harry Woolerton, who bought the pub and renamed it The Wild Goose Inn. The property itself has a documented past: in 1856 an auction was held at nearby Coombe Cellars (then Morgan's Inn) for property owned by Susan Holman Boden following her death, purchased by the Fowler family and later becoming The Country House Inn. Today The Wild Goose operates as a free house, meaning it is not tied to a particular brewery and can offer a rotating selection of real ales. It is a community-focused establishment in a rural Devon setting, combining historic character — cosy bar, log fires and a 17th-century building — with a contemporary approach to pub dining. The business maintains a website at wildgooseinn.co.uk and can be contacted by telephone or email. It is a private, family-run enterprise rather than part of a larger pub group or chain.

The Wild Goose Inn is a historic pub in the village of Combeinteignhead, Devon, England, situated in the valley between Newton Abbot and Shaldon. According to the inn's own account, the building was originally constructed around 1640 as the farmhouse for the area. It has been providing drinks to the local community since 1771, a date recorded in a stained-glass display above the bar; the drink served in earlier centuries was probably cider from local apple orchards. In 1856, following the death of Susan Holman Boden, an auction was held at nearby Coombe Cellars (then known as Morgan's Inn) to sell property she had owned. The property was purchased by the Fowler family and subsequently became The Country House Inn. The pub's present name derives from a local legend: a nearby farmer kept geese that would attack customers, and the pub became known locally as The Wild Goose. Harry Woolerton later bought the pub and officially changed its name to The Wild Goose Inn. In the modern era, the pub is owned and run by father and son Ian and Henry Gidwell, along with Chris Williams. It operates as a free house — not tied to any brewery — and offers a modern British menu focused on locally sourced Devon produce, including meat, fish, game, vegetables and salads, all prepared daily. It keeps at least three real ales on tap. The inn serves lunch, dinner and a children's menu, and has earned local praise for its Sunday roast. The building retains its historic character with a cosy bar and log fires, and the business maintains a website at wildgooseinn.co.uk.

• 1856

  Auction held at nearby Coombe Cellars for property owned by Susan Holman Boden; purchased by the Fowler family and later became The Country House Inn.

• 1771

  The site has been providing drinks to the local community since this date, as recorded in stained glass above the bar.

• 1640

  Building originally constructed as the farmhouse for the area (according to the inn's history).

• Harry Woolerton bought the pub and officially changed its name to The Wild Goose Inn.

Family-owned historic village free-house offering a modern British outlook on food, with locally sourced Devon produce and at least three real ales on tap.

• Real ales

  At least three real ales on tap.

• Modern British food

  Meat, fish, game, vegetables, salads and desserts, prepared daily using Devon produce.

• Sunday roast

  Locally praised Sunday roast.

• Children's menu

  Menu option for children.

1. 1Homewildgooseinn.co.uk
2. 2Aboutwildgooseinn.co.uk
3. 3The Wild Goosewikidata.org