Anchoring our roots

In our foodie spotlight is Hector Bunting, who runs the Anchor Inn at Nayland near Colchester on the Essex/Suffolk borders.

Why do you live and work where you do?
As a family, Bunting & Sons who own the Anchor have very long-standing connections to this area, in fact we’re proud to say we’re one of Colchester’s longest standing businesses, established in 1820 and our roots are firmly entrenched in the area, having been based in the borough throughout our entire history with various international offshoots from time to time. Besides the pub, we have Carter’s Vineyards at Boxted, Westwood Park near Great Horkesley and various agricultural holdings.

What makes your locality so different in terms of its uniqueness?
The Anchor is in the picturesque village of Nayland, nestled on the banks of the River Stour and the whole beautiful valley was made famous by Constable’s paintings. The tranquil village setting is a lovely place to work in for me and of course appreciated by our guests, good for walking off a good meal along the river or working up an appetite beforehand.

The pub historically marks the mid-way part of navigation on the River Stour and has a colourful history – being the last place in England from which the press gangs operated so legend has it! We like to think we’re a little haven for foodies, not everywhere has its own neighbouring farm, kitchen gardens and smokehouse on site, producing fabulous raw ingredients for the menu.

That sounds so interesting, tell us more about what you harvest and rear…
The Anchor Inn Heritage Farm extends to just under 100 acres along a mile or so of the River Stour and the cultivated land is worked by our Suffolk Punch Horses, on the critically endangered list with just 425 left in the whole of the UK. Come and see them working on the farm most Tuesdays and Thursdays (subject to ground and weather conditions – so phone before setting out). The food production on the Farm and on the Estate is specifically geared to providing for the pub. Our aspiration is the simplicity of delivering food to the table from the land closest to it, but in a way that restores and conserves a natural working landscape.

A couple of years ago we created our “kitchen garden”, utilising the rich soil on the adjoining land making wonderful conditions to grow a wide variety of herbs and vegetables. Using traditional farming methods we have returned our food production back to when there was less hurry, livestock and crops were given time to develop naturally and old fashioned flavour was everything. Meat from the Estate guarantees quality and freshness in harmony with good care and a free-range life from rare breed cattle such as English Longhorn, Dexter and Red Poll as well as sheep, goats and pigs on the other side of the River.  Guests can even wander around on one of the farm trails and visit our conservation areas complete with our Stag Beetle Pyramid and Hibernaculum.

There is a complete interaction between the farm field and the kitchen and as much of our food as possible is sourced from our own land to the kitchen door so we get meat, vegetables and fruit - from Norfolk black turkeys at Christmas, figs in the height of summer and trout from our well stocked lake. You’ll often find Carl our Head Chef out in the “kitchen garden” before lunch service selecting the vegetables for that day’s menu.

Share with us a few of your favourite local foods and drinks on your doorstep…
The Anchor is nearly self-sufficient with the majority of the meat and vegetables coming from our Heritage Farm and kitchen garden. At this time of year we’re enjoying strawberries and raspberries from the local pick your own – McLauchlans in Boxted as well as rocket from a lovely couple, Mr and Mrs De-Vries, who have a small glass house in Boxted. Colchester Fish Supplies supply us regularly with lots of fresh fish, great for us to put into the smokehouse, for our trademark Anchor Inn Smoked Platter. Naturally the family Carter’s Vineyards supplies the Anchor with local wines from the vines at Boxted, I particularly like the award-winning red, King Coel, which is very popular here.

How about your favourites from further afield in north Essex/south Suffolk?
Wilkin & Sons supply us with their fantastic Tiptree jam which we serve with homemade scones and lashings of clotted cream for afternoon tea. Alongside great beer from Adnams and Greene King we use small local breweries to supply us with local ales which are often on as guest beers, changed every couple of weeks.

And from the remainder of the counties and from across East Anglia?
We really focus on very local produce so apart from the odd Cromer crab and other delicacies, we try to put ingredients on the menu from the farm and vegetable garden. 

Where do you like visiting to eat and drink on your doorstep?
The Company Shed in Mersea.  Their fish is delivered directly by local fishermen and they are producers of some of the finest flat oysters in the country. A must if you love seafood!

How about shopping or generally relaxing, any hidden gems as favourite places?
A great way to unwind is canoeing on the River Stour.  I won’t mention the Anchor is a perfect halfway stop-off for thirst-quenching refreshments! Our vineyards just down the A134 at Boxted are well worth a visit but of course I’m biased! There’s 40 acres of pretty Essex countryside, not just our precious vines but also wildflower meadows, lakes and woodlands. Visitors are welcomed to walk the nature trails, enjoy a wine tasting and drink in the views (W: cartersvineyards.co.uk)

What about eating and drinking elsewhere around this part of the Essex/Suffolk borders?
The Bildeston Crown, we love it there, they do such different things with excellent ingredients from modern classics to novel interpretations. The Great House in Lavenham is also a real treat!

And further afield in East Anglia?
At this time of year I think the country shows are a treat and a really enjoyable day.
Lavenham is steeped in history and is awash with antique shops, places for tea or a beer! Long Melford is just the same and a favourite destination there is the Black Lion Hotel, full of character and charm and has gorgeous romantic bedrooms.


THE ANCHOR INN
Few dining pubs can boast the pedigree of local produce on their doorstep as the Anchor, literally grown and reared behind the kitchen door in fact. Carl Shillingford, the Inn’s very lucky Head Chef can let his earthy gutsy cooking run wild working with this quality of ingredients.

With a background in top restaurants such as Michel Roux’s Waterside Inn at Bray on Thames, Berkshire, it is unexpected to find such a relaxed hearty selection from him in a dining pub setting. But the effort and time put in at the stove are still very much evident. One signature dish on the current menu is a Platter of Dexter Beef for two to share, comprising no less than eight different cuts and garnishes, including salt beef and red cabbage, tongue and gherkins and fillet steak with watercress and mustard cream. Even vegetarians get their own meat free equivalent with their stuffed vegetable version.

The trademark daily special are their excellent home-made sausages, perhaps proper sage and onion bangers with cheesy mash and thyme gravy. Lighter options for a quick bite could include their ever-present smoked meat, fish and cheese platter with home made bread, Nayland cured ham with buttered samphire, rocket and parmesan tuiles, or even just a burger, all be it gourmet style with beetroot, pineapple, ham & egg.

If only there were more places putting their time, effort and investment into putting proper real ingredients on the plates like the Anchor, let’s make them an icon for change.

The Anchor Inn, 26 Court Street, Nayland, Suffolk
T: 01206 262313