The Three Crowns is a beautiful old country pub, set back from the road in Brinkworth – the longest village in England. It’s a pleasant drive from Swindon and is certainly worth the effort.

On the day we arrive for a big Sunday lunch, the car temperature gauge reads 32 degrees. In old money, that’s 90 Fahrenheit – and there isn’t even a whisper of breeze to cool us. We leave the air conditioned car, and I’m ready to storm the pub for anything with ice, but my parents tarry a while, chatting to the proud owner of a stunning 1964 Alpha Romeo that has been completely rebuilt and polished. By the time we get in the pub, I’m ready for a drink!

The original stone pub, with thick walls, is delightfully cool and feels invitingly shady after the full glare of the midday sun. We have booked a table for 1.30pm. Unlike previous years, the new management encourage booking, where previously it was a “walk-in - first-come first-served” establishment that could leave you hanging for half an hour waiting for a table. However, with new management has come a smart new conservatory, and a well-tended terrace, packed with tubs overflowing with flowers and parasols offering a host of shaded nooks to enjoy a quiet drink. We opt for a corner table on the terrace, but only half of the area is shaded, so we end up sitting shoulder to shoulder like people on a bus, surveying the other diners.

It’s Sunday lunchtime and everyone is having variations on a theme. The clientele is a nicely diverse mix – there’s no huddle of obvious locals and no gaggle of tourists. To the far corner a retired couple are chatting easily over a bottle of wine. Next to them, a young couple chat nervously as if on a date, while next to us are two families, both with well-behaved children.

The menu arrives and we can choose Angus sirloin, mustard glazed gammon, turkey, dry aged pork or vegetable shepherd’s pie, all at £13.45 for an adult or £7.25 for a child’s portion. The roast meat is also being offered as a salad option with various dressings, except the veggie version which is stilton and walnut for £12.50 for an adult or £6.50 for a child’s portion. Ditto for the filled ciabatta rolls – all filled with the same meats (or cheddar) all for £7.95, served with chips and salad.

Although it is certainly salad weather, we opt for two portions of the beef and a veggie pie. When the beef arrives, the huge plates are sizzlingly hot, with food piled high. The towers of food are made up of a base of red cabbage, diced swede, broccoli, roast potatoes and a whole carrot. Next is a few slices of sliced rare beef with a jaunty batter pudding balanced on top. There are small jugs to the side with gravy, a Kilner jar of horseradish and the usual condiments.

As the only vegetarian in the group, I get the choice of one meal. The vegetable shepherd’s pie. I’ve had this many times and it’s always a meat substitute base like TVP, lentils, a few veggies and gravy under a topping of baked mashed potato. However, today I was in for a surprise. The vegetable shepherd’s pie was… well, a pie. It came out egg-washed and bronzed. A fine, short crust pastry pie, crisp and not too thick and Mary Berry would probably be pleased to hear, there wasn’t a soggy bottom in sight.

Now for the downside. The filling was a few diced vegetables and a thin gravy – and pretty much the same vegetables it was being served with. Normally, the meat substitute has a different texture – thick field mushrooms, soya, TVP, seitan – but unfortunately it was all a bit samey. Although it was not to my taste, it was well cooked. However, one thing that was very much to my taste was the cauliflower cheese served in a separate serving dish. A rich, gloopy mix of lightly seasoned béchamel sauce with heaps of mature cheddar. The cauliflower still had a touch of crunch and was delicious. The plates were so full, none of us finished our main courses.

Next came the puddings. The toffee sponge was nicely placed in a river of sweet sticky sauce, to one side was a collection of vanilla ice-cream and clotted cream with a pleasant gravel of gingernut crumbs to add crunch. Nicely balanced and delicious. The Eton mess, was much more Eton neatness with carefully arranged buttons of crisp meringue, with spheres of strawberry ice cream and clotted cream, finished with a swirl of tart blackberry coulis.

All puddings were charged at £4.95. In all, our meal came to a pretty average £70 for three people, with two rounds of drinks. Not the cheapest, but in my opinion for the quality, good value for money.

The staff were very pleasant and very helpful. Mid-meal, I got up to get a second round of drinks and one of the servers immediately popped over to tell me they’d go to the bar for me. They couldn’t have been nicer. Although not a free house (it’s an Enterprise Inn), there’s a good selection of beers and lagers including Butcombe Bitters and Carling as well as some nice soft drinks from bottle green and a huge gin menu!

Head to the Three Crowns on a Monday and there’s a bucket of fresh Cornish mussels on offer with chips and ciabatta for only £9.99. Wednesday is burger and a pint for £15, plus every Friday there’s a surf and turf evening with different specials depending on what’s in season. Unusually, there’s also a sumptuous afternoon tea on offer every Saturday from 3pm (order in advance) and don’t miss their breakfast club at the weekend – Saturdays 9.30-11.30 and Sunday 10-11. A la carte menu anyone? It’s yours from £19.95 for two courses. And if you don’t want to go out, and you don’t want to cook, then there’s always the takeaway option too.

However, with the weather feeling this Mediterranean, I think there’s a seat on the terrace with my name on it for pizza and prosecco Tuesday (£11.95)…