This fantastic 200+ year old Inn is located in the attractive village of North Cadbury amidst orchards and stone built cottages. North Cadbury was described some 140 years ago in the national Gazetter of Great Britian and Northern Ireland as '.........a parish in the hundred of Catash, in the county of Somerset, 5 miles to the W. of Wincanton, Castle Carey is its post town. It is situated in pictursque and fetile country.........'. the description remains apt.
North Cadbury, an estate village for most of it's history. Recorded in the Doomsday Book (1086) as Cadeberia. The handsome Elizabethan Cadbury Court was built by Sir Francis Hastings in 1581 and fine collegiate church built in 1470. Shortly after the Norman Conquest the manor formed part of the barony of Newmarch and later came to the Botrreaux family. Elizabeth Lady Botreauz rebuilt the church in 1427 and now with splendid bench end carvings dating from 1538.
The Catash Inn team are proud to work at the Inn and are here to offer you home cooked menus prepared with the finest local produce. Plus our excellent traditional carvery roasted on a Wednesday and Sunday. A selection of real ales and wines are available to complement your meal.
Entertainment includes a pool table, dart board, extensive gardens with kids play area and a skittle alley which is also available for private hire. We also have a regular range of activities and events, see the what's on page for more information.
The name of this Inn has puzzled many, and its meaning must to certain extent be a matter of surmise. There is no doubt that it was taken from it's being situated in The Hundred of Catash or Catt-aish. These "Hundreds," of which there is a group situated around that of catash, were territorial divisions on which originally one hundred families were settled, possibly soldiers in a conquered country.
According to authorities consulted, they were originated by the danes. Each division had its own Court of Justice, which met periodically to settle disputes, collect fines, rents and give judgements on all local matters. It is known that they continued for hundreds of years, and the Rev. Prebentary Daniel, in a pamphlet published on the subject, gives extracts from rolls to which he had access, extending over five years, from 1598 to 1603, when local business was still almost entirely in the hands of the Hundred Courts. These Courts obviously must have had a place of meeting, and Rev. Daniel quoted J. A. Bennett as giving about a mile from the present Inn as the probable place.
Several of the other Hundreds took their names from some natural object, such as Whitstone, from a white stone still to be seen on the edge of the Mendip Hills, and in the Hundred of that name.
It is, therefore, more likely that some notable Ash Tree was the place of a meeting of The Court of Catash, especially as Cad, or Cat., said to be early British for War, joined to the Anglo-saxon Ash or Aish, makes War Ash; possibly in commemoration of a battle.
The Inn Sign depicts a meeting of the Court, under the Ash Tree to collect rents and fines, the costume is of the period 1600 - 1605; it is made of tin and was painted by hand.
- Monday - Thursday: 12.00 midday - 2.30pm & 5.30pm -11.30pm
- Friday: 12.00 midday - 2.30pm & 5.30pm - midnight
- Saturday: Open All Day from 12.00 midday -12.30am
- Sunday: Open All Day from 12.00 midday to 11.30pm
- Food usually served: 12.00 midday-2.00pm & 6.00pm - 9.00pm
- Some availability at other times upon request