Shropshire Magazine

The view along the river from the Riverside Inn’s garden.

Neil Thomas takes a table down by the river. Pictures: Russell Davies

Lamb chops, rosemary and redcurrant sauce.

The Romans gave it the glorious name Sabrina, poets like John Milton and A E Housman eulogised about it and it has been captured on canvas by artists like Thomas Harral.

The river Severn is one of the natural glories of Britain and it is ours. It is one of this nation’s great rivers and here in Shropshire and Mid Wales we see it for free, day in, day out. It has inspired many down the ages – poets, songwriters and painters from the great to the greatly enthusiastic.

‘High the vanes of Shrewsbury gleam, islanded in Severn Stream,’ wrote Housman in A Shropshire Lad.

In the17th century work Comus, Milton wrote of Sabrina, a gentle nymph ‘that with moist curb sways the smooth Severn stream’.

By contrast, Anna Seward’s 18th century poem ‘Colebrook Dale’ lamented pollution of the river by the industrial revolution in what must surely be one of the earliest examples of artistic eco-politics, writing of ‘thick, sulphureous smoke’ that doth “stain thy glassy waters”.

Right up to the present day out fascination with the Severn continues. The television presenter Griff Rhys Jones recently paddled on it in a metal bathtub at Ironbridge – much to the bemusement of passersby – as a tribute to ironmaster John ‘Iron Mad’ Wilkinson. Griff also visited Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth as he researched material for a BBC series and accompanying book on some of Britain’s most beautiful rivers.

Beside the Severn is a great location for a pub or restaurant. And The Riverside Inn at Cound certainly makes the most of having such a natural asset at the bottom of the garden. Not only is the setting attractive, but so is the building. Constructed in 1750 as a vicarage, it subsequently became a girls’ school and railway halt before its rebirth as a pub in 1878, from which it has never looked back. Clearly, our forefathers thought drinking took precedence over religion, education and transport – and who are we to argue?

There’s a beer garden with sumptous views of the river as it weaves its majestic way just 30 yards down the bank, as well as the rolling green beyond including The Wrekin. 

Inside, a long conservatory allows diners to devour the breath-taking scenery along with their steak.

Those “glassy waters” looked wonderful to my 21st century eye as my wife Vanessa and I sampled the delights of Cound on a Saturday night. Balmy summer evenings were made for this – a long cool drink by the river, caressed by a warm breeze gently rustling the trees.

Then it was into the dining room where one of the first things that strike you is the sense of space. I mean, there is no shortage of diners or atmosphere  – quite the reverse, the place was full and buzzing – but guests are not crammed in.

Previously a vicarage and a girls’ school, the inn now has a more relaxed atmosphere.

This scores high points. 

Restaurants need to know that many customers don’t think it particularly stimulating to be squeezed in, sitting cheek by jowl with complete strangers in stifling self-consciousness or forced into chatting to the type of restaurant bore you’d ordinarily prefer tongue amputation to conversation with.

There’s nothing quite so irritating as the feeling that someone is eavesdropping on your conversation, however prosaic it might be. What’s more – and you might think this unusual for a journalist – but I’ve no real desire to inadvertently tune in to anyone else’s conversation, which is likely to be just as prosaic. Someone’s elbow suddenly landing in your Lamb Shrewsbury would, of course, put a real crimp in the evening.

No such worries at The Riverside where room to breathe is as generous as I’ve ever encountered in a restaurant. If any elbows were going to land in our food they would be ours alone and entirely down to our clumsiness. Our table for two would have accommodated four diners, and the same could be said of other tables. In one delightful anteroom, with views of the river, there were two tables for two where many other restaurants would certainly have squeezed four.

Despite this, the restaurant is spacious enough to seat 90, which ensures there’s plenty of atmosphere. 

Head chef Jon Winter.

The location, atmopshere and comfort are backed up by the food and service. Head chef Jon Winter and his team use good local produce to excellent effect, with a range of dishes that reveal plenty of flair and imagination without being overly complicated.

Monthly changes of menu help to keep choices fresh for regulars, though, of course, it renders this review of a July evening hopelessly out of date for an August issue.

My crab and ginger salad featured pieces of juicy, ozonic crabmeat that were sumptuous and given added zing by the ginger. Vanessa’s black pudding was a delight, she said, sautéed with onions and mushrooms, then finished with a honey and mustard dressing.

Among other starters we could have sampled were egg mayonnaise served with prawns and Marie Rose sauce, potted beef and beetroot, and strawberry and sambuca sorbet.

My spring lamb chops were succulent and full of flavour, complemented beautifully by the minted gravy and redcurrant jelly

Vanessa’s pan-friend pork medallions were tender and delightfully offset by a sauce of mushrooms and cream finished with a drop of brandy.

Other mains included roasted salmon fillet served with a green peppercorn sauce, roasted vegetable pancakes, steak and grilled chicken with creamed mushroom and chive sauce.

My chocolate and orange pudding, which rejoiced under the name of Jaffa Mud Cake, was light, moist and with the strong flavours complementing one another rather than competing. A delight.

Vanessa enjoyed a splendid selection of hard and soft cheeses with biscuits and a fruit chutney. So generous was the portion that I was ‘forced’ to help her do it justice. 

Other desserts included glazed lemon tart, pineapple Bavarian cream and spotted dick.

We accompanied our meal with one of my favourites, a crisp chardonnay from CJ Pask of Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, chosen from a decent list of fine wines, spirits and ports. What’s more, as Free House, The Riverside has a range of local ales and guest beers.

An espresso for the wife and a well-made ground coffee for me completed an enjoyable meal, which, at just over £60, represented really excellent value.

Service was friendly, efficient and helpful without being intrusive. Everything, in short, is done to ensure the guest has an lovely evening, which explains, I guess, why the place was full.

By the time you read this, of course, the menu will have changed though I’m sure that August’s offering will be every bit as good. And you can check it out before you visit, as we did, by visiting the website at www.the riversideinn.net

I’ve had a peek at the August menu – and I might just return.

• The Riverside Inn, Cound, Shropshire SY5 6AF. Telephone (01952) 510900. www.theriversideinn.net

Glazed lemon tart with compôte of mixed berries and raspberry sorbet.