Amid the fine Georgian frontages, pretty pastels and wonky timber-frame houses that line Dedham’s High Street, this medieval coaching inn with its low beams and comfy sofas around a log burner inspires beams of satisfaction. It was run-down and dilapidated when Piers Baker took it on in 2003, aiming to improve facilities for visitors while preserving the pub’s character. He has done just that, with full marks for the 'welcome, room, staff and food', according to a reader. 'The food was excellent, likewise the beer and wine.' Meals are served in the bar, the dining room and on the terrace, where locally sourced seasonal menus show a strong Italian influence, with pastas and dishes such as aubergine parmigiana, grey mullet, lobster sauce and sweetcorn agnolotti. There is an exceptional wine list (and Monday wine club). Each smart bedroom has its own character. Constable has a half-tester bed and views of St Mary’s Church, the tower familiar from the great landscape artist’s paintings. Dovecot, at the rear, is accessed via an Elizabethan stair tower. 'Our room, Elsa, was large as described, the bed was comfortable.' Breakfast on locally smoked salmon or a full English with Dingley Dell sausages and take a picnic to explore the water meadows of Dedham Vale.