Taking on a building of historical significance is never an easy feat. With restrictive planning laws, it’s all the more incredible when an ambitious, but sensitive, restoration is undertaken – especially when the modernisation brings with it a change of use. And that is precisely what has happened at The Tithe Barn in Cosby, which we happened upon earlier this Summer.
A tithe barn was a type of barn used in much of northern Europe in the Middle Ages for storing rents and tithes. The
Tithe barns were usually associated with the village church or rectory and independent farmers took their tithes there. Cosby’s Tithe Barn is a grade II listed building dating back to the early 15th Century, circa 1466. More recently, the barn had fallen derelict until the 80s when it was converted into commercial offices and then, in the summer of 2016, transformed once more; this time in to The Tithe Barn Deli Café.
Situated next to the 15th Century church – the only building in this historical village that’s older than the barn – the barn sits amidst manicured gardens and offers the quintessential English village environment; it really is stunning and leaves you aching for long hot nights and chilled wine.
Inside, the barn has retained its vaulted beams and the thatched roof adds olde-worlde character – a beautiful setting for the deli (to the left) and the café/restaurant, which can seat up to 30, to the right. Despite only opening this summer, it’s already garnered rave reviews for its lazy Sunday brunch – but it’s for its new early evening menu – available Tuesday to Saturday, 5-8pm and Sunday 1-6pm – that we’re here to trial. And we can’t wait.
Priding themselves on using locally sourced produce wherever possible, hand-selected produce and foods, I plumped for
the 8oz fillet steak. Simply put, the food was delicious and the steak I had was one of the best I have ever had. The steak was served with rosemary & garlic new potatoes, side salad, field mushroom, cherry vine tomato and I opted for the Colston Basset sauce, all of which married well together and couldn’t fault anything.
My dining partner was also thrilled with her choice of classic bangers and mash. But they weren’t any old banger; these were three Ringrose award-winning sausages on a quenelle of smooth, buttery mash topped with homemade red onion marmalade. The mains menu is priced from just £9 to
£22 for the steak.
Though we were both very full after the main course, we opted for two desserts; mine being an espresso chocolate brownie with salted caramel ice cream and my friend’s being sticky toffee sponge. Both were demolished, which can only be a good sign.
Overall the experience was an exceptional one: when you marry the attentive service with the superior quality of food and place it in a setting like The Tithe Barn, you can’t help but rave about it to your friends afterwards. We will whole-heartedly return and urge you to visit, to.
The Tithe Barn, Main Street, Cosby, Leicester, LE9 1UW. Tel 0116 216 0438. www.tithebarn.com
