The Bull at Burford

Lord Nelson stayed here in 1802; today it’s 18 rooms and an open-fire dining concept on Burford’s High Street.

The Bull has received guests as an inn since 1610, in a building whose history has been traced back to 1397. Its red brick facade was added around 1690, likely by innkeeper William Tash or his son John. By 1750, Burford was a busy stop on the London to Cheltenham and Wales route, and The Bull thrived on that trade, hosting notable travellers including Lord Nelson and Emma Hamilton in 1802. The inn has survived two serious fires, in 1797 and 1982, remaining open throughout its long history.

Three Centuries of Notable Guests

Few Cotswolds inns can claim quite this depth of history: nearly two centuries as a working coaching inn before Nelson and Hamilton’s visit in 1802, and more than four centuries of continuous hospitality since first opening its doors. That history sits comfortably alongside a thoroughly modern present, with 18 individually designed bedrooms and suites — Bull Rooms, Junior Suites and full Suites with lounge areas and vaulted ceilings — balancing period character with contemporary comfort.

Open-Fire Dining

Food is a genuine draw at The Bull, with three restaurants plus all-day grazing available from ‘the pantry’. At the heart of the offering is an immersive open-fire dining concept, where seasonal British ingredients are cooked over flame in a theatrical, communal setting — a distinctive approach that sets it apart from the more conventional gastropub fare found elsewhere in Burford.

Planning Your Visit

The Bull is on the High Street, in the centre of Burford and you can also visit our wider guide to Burford

Where to Stay Nearby

Burford’s central position puts it within easy reach of several of our north Cotswolds properties. For a fuller sense of what is available nearby, our full portfolio of Cotswold properties can be filtered by location.

However you choose to base yourselves, our concierge team can arrange a table at The Bull as part of a day exploring Burford.

In Short

The Bull at Burford wears more than four centuries of history lightly, pairing genuine coaching-inn heritage with a dining concept — open-fire, theatrical, communal — that feels thoroughly of the moment.