Cotswold ‘hidden gem’ to go under the hammer in Bond Wolfe’s October auction

A quintessential Cotswold pub, described by national food critic William Sitwell as “one hell of a perfect pub”, is heading to auction with Bond Wolfe this October.

The Black Horse, located on Lower End in Salford, near Chipping Norton, will feature in Bond Wolfe’s live-streamed auction on Thursday 23 October, with a guide price of £550,000+.

Set in the heart of rural Oxfordshire, this vacant freehold property offers the rare chance to acquire a beautifully presented country inn complete with first-floor living accommodation, a detached one-bedroom cottage, attractive landscaped gardens, terrace seating and ample parking.

Ian Tudor, commercial auction director at Bond Wolfe, said:

“The Black Horse is a true hidden gem, a charming, characterful Cotswold village pub that has benefited from considerable investment and improvement.

It’s ready to reopen immediately following acquisition and is ideally located just off the A44, two miles west of Chipping Norton.

This is an exceptional opportunity for an owner-operator, investor or developer to acquire a high-quality hospitality venue in one of the most desirable rural areas of the country.”

The property’s detached one-bedroom cottage, previously used as a successful Airbnb, adds a valuable income stream or owner’s accommodation option.

The pub’s location offers easy access to some of the Cotswolds’ most famous destinations — Soho Farmhouse, Daylesford Farm Shop, and Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm Shop and Hawkstone Brewery, all within a short drive.
It also sits close to Salford Trout Lakes, a popular destination among local anglers.

As recently as February 2024, the Black Horse received high praise in The Daily Telegraph, where William Sitwell wrote that the “once abandoned” pub had been transformed into a “sparkling interior with a tantalising ‘menu of dreams’.”

Salford itself is a picturesque Oxfordshire village surrounded by farmland, with The Shakespeare Way walking trail passing nearby, making the pub a perfect stop-off for visitors exploring the area.

The Black Horse will be among 180 lots appearing in Bond Wolfe’s next auction, starting at 8.30am on Thursday 23 October.

The auction will be live-streamed via Bond Wolfe’s website, with remote bidding available by proxy, telephone or internet.

For more details or to register to bid, visit www.bondwolfe.com/auctions/properties, email [email protected], or call 0121 312 1212 or 01902 928 510.

Each property is subject to a reserve price which may be different from the guide price. Please refer to the Important Information and legal pack(s) for further details and any additional fees which may apply.