The Bull Inn

Walk into The Bull Inn and you're stepping into a proper slice of Hertfordshire heritage. This old coaching inn sits in the heart of things near St Albans, and the building itself tells the story - timber frames, low ceilings, the kind of place where you can almost picture merchants and travellers from centuries past settling in with a pint.

It's the real deal for history buffs, particularly anyone interested in how ordinary people lived and worked rather than just looking at a museum display. The inn functions as a working pub, so you're not just viewing it from behind velvet ropes - you're actually using the space as it was intended. That's rarer than you might think.

The best time to visit is mid-week when it's less rammed, though weekends have their own energy. Allow a couple of hours if you want to sit down properly and take it all in with a drink. For families with older kids interested in local history, it's worth a stop. Younger children will probably lose interest after half an hour, truth be told.

If you're based at Commons Wood or Cherry Green Trees - both within five miles - this makes an easy evening outing. St Albans town centre is nearby too, so you can easily combine it with other attractions. The Bell pub culture is integral to understanding England, and The Bull Inn does that without any pretence.