The Queens Head ... Barns Green
Telephone 01403 730436 · Map · Reviews
OS Map : Landranger 187 · Map reference TQ 126 271
Description
Enter the cosy bar of the 17th century Queens Head through a small entrance hall. The pub has four fireplaces including a large inglenook where rumour says that smugglers used to hide their contraband - there is a road nearby called Smugglers Way. There is an attractive garden, with flower covered pergola, at the back of the pub.
Beers come from Fullers, King and Company and Hammerpot Brewery and Sharp's Doombar is also on tap.
How to get there
By car
Barns Green is a small village between Southwater and Billingshurst.
Cycling from Horsham town center, take the Worthing Road [B2237] and turn right at the Boars Head pub. Follow the road up the hill and round to the left, under the A24 and past Christ's Hospital entrance on the right. After another 1.1 miles [1.8 km] you will see the Bax Castle on the left. Turn right at the next junction, just after the old railway bridge, and follow the winding road to Barns Green. After you pass under another railway bridge, turn left at the next T-junction and the pub is on the left - it is signposted from the T-junction.
Suggested cycling routes from here
From the pub, turn left and at the railway line turn right towards Billingshurst and the Limeburners.
or turn right from the pub along Plumtree Cross Lane towards Itchingfield. After Itchingfield, turn right towards Christ's Hospital and the Downs Link bridleway heading south.
or there are some quiet country roads south of Barns Green between Southwater and Brooks Green. Why not visit the George and Dragon at Dragon's Green?
Your reviews
Disclaimer: All reviews and ratings on this website are personal opinions by pub-goers. Horsham Pub Guide publishes comments at our editorial discretion but we are not responsible for comments made.
NEWS: December 2008: The pub changed management in late 2008. Older comments will not necessarily reflect the current status of the pub.
Gordon Kempster says: 
| 28-November-09
Very friendly staff and customers, great beer and excellent food. All four of us enjoyed the starter and main course. All vegetables fresh and very tasty.
Phil K says: | 4-October-09
This has to be one of the best pubs in the area now. Very friendly welcome, good atmosphere, and excellent beer.
Charlotte Tweed says: | 8-September-09
Wow! What can I say?? I went to the pub recently as I was staying at the camp site and we were there for a meal on the Friday night. I think his name was Nick behind the bar, and I fell in love with him! The food was fantastic too and all the staff were really really friendly. This pub is a must! I'm looking forward to our next camping trip, hopefully without the hubby this time!
Steve Dixon says: | 8-September-09
Just returned from a camping weekend with three other families to Sumner Ponds. We had Friday evening dinner at the Queens Head for 19 [eight adults and 11 children]. I rang the pub the evening before and spoke to a very friendly member of staff who advised that we would probably have to eat in two sittings due to the limited space available but they would be pleased to see us. Anyway, we turned up at 8.00 pm on the Friday evening [all 19 of us] and the welcome could not have been more friendly. The pub had reserved a large table for 12 so the children ate first while the adults had drinks in the garden.
After the children had finished their meals, they played in the garden while the adults ate. The pub was very busy [irrespective of us turning up] but this didn't phase the staff and their service was fantastic and very, very friendly. The food was great [I had the lamb shank] and we had the best evening possible. Thanks to everyone at the pub, with particular mention to the very patient ladies who served us drinks and food. We would highly recommend this pub to anyone for its warm welcome and great food and service. From four very contented families of campers from Croydon.
Mr and Mrs Jeffery say: | 24-August-09
My wife and I have started to use this pub as a new local since it has been taken over and have found it to be very welcoming. The staff are first class at looking after your needs. For example, on the 22nd August despite a surge of around 20 people, they where still able to accommodate us and gave us a really good meal. Would recommend this pub to anyone, the food is outstanding, good value for the price with big helpings, and the staff are well-dressed and friendly.
Steve says: 
| 18-August-09
Pub 5 on our Saturday cycle ride and just a quick stop because the beer and the food was starting to have an effect on our cycling ability! This is a nice enough pub, lots of pub chat going on and really impressive range of beer; will have to return to sample some. Unfortunately, there was a group of lads whose language was a bit ripe which spoiled the visit here for us. On to the Blue Ship.....
Jo says: 
| 29-July-09
This pub is now well worth a visit - a good selection of beers and a good friendly atmosphere - what a change to a year ago!
Jim G says: | 29-May-09
After queueing at another nearby pub to get some lunch, only to be told food had run out on a Bank Holiday Sunday, we decided to give the Queens Head a try. We turned up just before 2.30 enquiring about food. No problem sir [party of 6]. Were welcoming, had generous portions, and a good selection of real ales. Nice to be made welcome .
Sheryl says: | 15-February-09
Gem of a pub! Very friendly and management went out of their way to be helpful. Food was delicious and the atmosphere great!
Rosemary says: | 15-February-09
Haven't been to this pub for many years so the previous reviews were interesting reading. My sisters and I went for a meal and found it a very nice pub, with a friendly atmosphere and very friendly and helpful staff. The food was good, but not exceptional as it seemed a bit microwaved. However, we will go back and try some other choices on the menu to see if there is much in the home-cooked variety.
Mike S says: | 4-January-09
I visited this pub again after a long absence because of the old landlord. The new landlord has spruced the place up and also made it quite cheerful for Xmas. Atmosphere is once again friendly.
Bobby says: | 9-December-08
Thank god the old landlord has gone. If he had been on a reality show, he would have been voted off a long time ago! Good luck to the new tenants. I am looking forward to drinking in my local once again.... onwards and upwards.
Older reviews
Jason Asthana says: | 2-December-08
I commented on the Queens Head on this website before but I now feel the need to comment on it again. The pub is under new management and it's amazing how fast they have worked to turn the Queens Head back to the pub it used to be many years ago. It is now a real pleasure to drink and relax in, with top quality service and beer. Don’t just read what’s on this website, go and check it out for yourself as it's now back to being a top pub. If you have commented on the pub before, go back and you will see for yourself what a change in management has done.
Ian Thompson says: 
| 20-August-08
We recently visited this pub for the third year running after making our annual visit to the camp site over the road. To all campers who visit this website can I make this plea - please go to this pub! The food is OK, the bar staff and waiters/waitresses are lovely - but undoubtedly the highlight is the landlord, who is by far the grumpiest man I have ever met. How he has kept his job beggars belief, but it will keep you in dinner party anecdotes for ages.
J D Downs says: | 18-April-08
What used to be a lovely pub is now really not worth a visit. The landlord is one of the most unfriendly people I have ever met and the beer quality is not too great. As for the dog, I'm contacting Environmental Health.
Stephanie Brown says: | 23-January-08
I recently visited this pub with my husband and son. We had a Sunday roast [which was a carvery] which I must say was appalling! The meal looked like it had been left out for days. We were not offered anything else other than the carvery and the children's menu. My son was making some noise because I had given him something he did not like and it was hot! Also, there was a health and safety problem because when we were eating our meal, the dog was wandering around the restaurant area. Not nice!
A couple of weeks later, we returned to the pub and had a couple of drinks only to be told that if we could not keep our son quiet, we would have to leave the pub because of the pub diners. My husband replied "you never complained a couple of weeks ago when we were spending money on food in here".
I would like to suggest that somebody from the brewery visits because they would surely advise the manager to go on on a health and safety course, and a customer service course and maybe learn how to smile and be nice to people. This pub is a disgrace and needs some better management. The only reason we return to this pub is because we have good friends that drink there! The two women that work there are very nice though.
Barns Green Resident says: | 19-November-07
This pub is the hub of the village and deserves to be better. It's up for sale at too much money but maybe the villagers should club together to form a cooperative and buy it? Surely there must be 120 people out there willing to invest £1000 each to retain our great local and get rid of the miserable bloke who is killing our pub! Even living in the village, I don't go there, it's too depressing.
Pub score - No Good · - Excellent
