MY PUB: The Crown, Bildeston, Suffolk

The family-owned residence is home to a country house, brewery and a collection of pubs – of which the Crown in Bildeston is one of those.

Owner and operator Charlie Buckle tells The Morning Advertiser all about the Crown, which offers everything from luxury stays to food sourced from its own locale.

The pub

The Crown is a country pub with rooms in the village of Bildeston, Suffolk. It sits within the Nedging Hall Estate, which has been in my family for more than 50 years.

We took back management of the pub in 2022 and carried out a full restoration to bring it back to life while keeping its character. Today, it has a 50-seat dining room, three private dining rooms that can host up to 38 guests, and a separate bar area with an open fire. We also have the Paddock Bar, which is inspired by my love of racing.

Upstairs, there are 13 newly refurbished bedrooms, so people can stay overnight and really enjoy the pub as a destination.

The publican

My wife Harriet and I own the Crown together, and we’re both very hands-on.

The estate has been in my family for more than 50 years, so there’s a really personal connection to the place. When we took back management in 2022, our aim was to restore the pub in a way that felt true to its history while also making it somewhere people genuinely want to spend time.

Harriet led the interior design side of the restoration and we’re both really focused on creating a strong link between the estate and what we serve on the plate.

The trade

We’re a rural country pub with rooms so we get a mix of local regulars and people travelling to the area specifically to eat or stay with us.

Food is a big part of what we do and many guests come for the dining experience but it’s still really important to me that it feels like a proper pub where people can drop in for a drink. Having the bedrooms means people can make a night of it and enjoy the countryside as well.

The team

Our kitchen is led by head chef Greig Young, who was a finalist for Chef of the Year in the Suffolk Magazine Food & Drink Awards 2025. Greig works closely with the estate gardening team and builds his menus around what’s being grown and what’s in season.

Front of house is led by our general manager Jackie Ha, who oversees the day-to-day running of the pub and makes sure guests have a great experience whether they’re coming in for a drink, dinner or a stay.

The drink

We’re really proud to serve beers from Mauldons Brewery, which is also part of the Nedging Hall Estate, so there’s a nice connection there for us. Alongside that, we offer the traditional pub favourites you’d expect from a country pub.

The Paddock Bar is a charming drinking space inspired by my love of horse racing and it’s become a characterful spot where people really enjoy settling in for a drink.

The food

Food is at the heart of what we do and it’s guided by our ‘Estate-to-Plate’ philosophy. A lot of our produce comes from the Nedging Hall Kitchen Garden so the kitchen works closely with the estate gardeners to showcase what’s in season.

We also use wild game from the estate, alongside other livestock and poultry sourced locally. The menu changes regularly with the seasons, and alongside the main dishes we also offer bar snacks so people can enjoy something simple with a drink.

The events

We offer private dining for up to 38 guests, which works really well for celebrations and smaller gatherings. Having the different dining rooms means people can have something more intimate while still enjoying the atmosphere of the pub.

We host wine pairing evenings; Nedging Estate Spring Supper took place on 15 May and we served a five-course supper of dishes created from ingredients from our very own estate and the surrounding area.

The future

We’re continuing to develop the rooms side of the business and are planning to add more bedrooms this year.

In July, we’re also hosting an event in the Nedging Hall Kitchen Garden, which will be the first of its kind for us. Greig will be showcasing produce from the estate, starting with canapés followed by a four-course dinner with a wine flight.