The Hen and Chicken ... Southwater
Map | Reviews
OS Map : Landranger 187 · Map reference TQ 158 276
Description
The Hen and Chicken has been a pub from 1850 and the premises date from 1742. It is a cosy pub with restaurant area and garden. The bars contain several low sofas that could be attractive after you have cycled here. There is a jazz night once a month and a charity quiz night on Sundays.
The pub is a big supporter of one of the local breweries that started after the demise of King and Barnes and it sells Horsham Best Bitter and [when I was there] bottles of Great Blooming Horsham from King and Company as well as Bombardier bitter from Charles Wells.
The Horsham beers from King and Company have an Ale Trek associated with them where you can get a free sweatshirt if you visit 30 pubs that sell the beers - and, presumably, a larger size sweatshirt if you complete the trek again!
How to get there
By car
Southwater is a 1-2 miles south of Horsham and the pub is only minute or so from the A24.
Cycling
The best mixed off/on-road route is via Pedlars Way
[end of Queensway]. From Brighton Road in Horsham, cycle down Queensway
to the end of the road. Turn left down a dip, under the railway bridge
and up the track towards Chesworth Farm. Pedlars Way bridleway goes through
the farm and then up hill to Southwater Street.
Turn right at the top of Pedlars Way and cycle over the A24 to the mini roundabout. Turn right here and the pub is found on the right - before the A24 Hop Oast roundabout.
The shortest route from Horsham is to cycle up Worthing Road [can be busy] past the Boars Head pub on the right. Across the, very busy, A24 Hop Oast roundabout and then right at the next smaller roundabout to Southwater. The pub is on the left about 1 mile [1.6 km] after the A24.
Suggested cycling routes from here
From the pub, turn right towards Horsham. After a short distance there is a, narrow, bridleway on the left, behind some houses, which leads to Christ's Hospital and then the Downs Link bridleway.
or turn left from the pub through Southwater village, past the Cock pub on the right, and then turn right into Shipley Road for a route to the George and Dragon at Dragon's Green.
or pick up the Downs Link bridleway in Southwater village and cycle south, towards the Bridge House Inn at Copsale and the White Horse at Maplehurst, or north to the Bax Castle at Two Mile Ash [near Christ's Hospital].
Your reviews
Sandra Fruish says: 
| 18-June-08
A lovely friendly welcome from staff and regulars alike. The food was good, my steak was cooked to perfection! A wonderful pub.
John says: | 4-April-08
Excellent food, hot and on time. Perfect service, well done and well sold. Professional waiters and waitresses, barman very good and prompt.
Connor Pascoe says: | 4-March-08
This pub is excellent. I was amazed at the service and the waiter was very friendly. The atmosphere was nice and the food was superb.
Barbara Haines says: 
| 4-January-08
Revisited this pub recently. What a downturn. The mature couple are no longer there. The food was poor, portions were much reduced, and presentation was nothing like previous.
Janet Bull says: | 8-October-07
Our first visit. Friendly and welcoming staff. Excellent food.
Brian Lawson says: | 23-August-07
Gone downhill a lot in recent years. Beer very poor and landlord/manager/bar staff unfriendly. Not a good place to go for a relaxing beer.
Older reviews
Hannah says: | 19-April-07
I love this pub. It is so nice there, the bar staff are my friends and are very friendly!
The Bowers family say: | 7-January-07
We ate here three times over our holiday. Outstanding quality food was served hot and promptly, in generous portions. Atmosphere was nice and quiet, very tasteful pub decor. Very friendly service too.
JKB says: 
| 20-June-06
I could crawl to this pub from my house, and would be happy to. Nice bar staff, good ales and [mostly] quiet. Only scored 4 because it is a little tired.
Isobel H says: | 5-June-06
A nice pub with lovely food and hosts.
Barbara H says: | 2-May-06
Charming and very friendly 'olde world' pub with friendly service. Food excellent. Homemade produce with fresh vegetables - a rarity these days.
Richard L says: | 13-September-05
Been in this pub a few times recently. Very nice people running the pub. Also, the new barmaid is super. Will use this pub again.
Graham M says: |
18-October-04
Great little old-fashioned village pub with a warm feeling.
Pub score - No Good · - Excellent
