The Hen and Chickens in Botley occupies a row of 17th-century cottages between Chesham and Ley Hill, and the building wears its age beautifully — Tudor architecture, wooden beams, two log fires at either end of the main bar, and a lovely enclosed garden that comes into its own in summer. First licensed before 1822, it is one of the older pubs in the Chesham area, and the atmosphere inside carries that particular quality of a place where things have stayed largely the same because there was never any good reason to change them.
The pub no longer serves hot food but the real ales are well kept, the draught cider is frequently praised, and the landlady’s warmth and knowledge make it the sort of local that regulars return to as much for the company as the drink. A beautiful, quaint English pub in the truest sense — worth the short drive from Chesham for anyone who values the genuine article.
