TWO Winchester pubs have been named in the top 10 cosiest pubs in the South West by South Western Railway.

We all love a nice, cosy pub.

Whether visiting for a well-deserved pint at the end of the week, a swift half after work or a romantic first date, a cosy pub is the ideal setting, especially in the cold, wet winter months.

Winchester residents can now take pride in knowing that our city is home to not one, but two of the cosiest pubs in the South West, according to research by South Western Railway.

Both The Wykeham Arms and The King Alfred made the list, placing at fifth and tenth respectively.

Hampshire Chronicle: The Wykeham Arms placed fifthThe Wykeham Arms placed fifth (Image: Newsquest)

The research takes a number of aspects into consideration, including ambience, quietness, comfort, Sunday dinner reviews and the number of Google reviews, compiling all the data to create a score out of 100.

The Wykeham Arms, on Kingsgate Street, placed fifth with an overall cosiness score of 59, while The King Alfred, on Saxon Road, Hyde, placed tenth, with a score of 45.

Hampshire Chronicle: The King Alfred placed tenthThe King Alfred placed tenth (Image: Google Street View)

The data gave a short summary for the reasoning for each of the top five cosiest pubs, and this is what was said about The Wykeham Arms: "Wrapping up the list of the top five cosiest pubs in the South West is The Wykeham Arms in Winchester.

"Nestled between the Cathedral and the 14th-century college, this opulent country pub is enveloped in rich historical surroundings.

"The 18th-century pub is filled with quirky bric-a-brac, including old school desks, hats, flags and prints, and also features 14 cosy bedrooms in keeping with the pub’s historical origins."

The full top 10 list is as follows:

Top 10 cosiest pubs in the South West, according to SWR:

  1. The Swan, Cheltenham
  2. The Haunch of Venison, Salisbury
  3. The Warren House Inn, Devon
  4. The Compasses Inn, Wiltshire
  5. The Wykeham Arms, Winchester
  6. The Fountain Inn, Wells
  7. The Sheppey, Wells
  8. The Old Courthouse, Cheltenham
  9. The Beehive, Cheltenham
  10. The King Alfred, Winchester

Readers can find the full research at https://www.southwesternrailway.com/where-next/things-to-do/uks-cosiest-pubs