Des Blenkinsopp, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Eat and drink
The Chequers, Steeple Aston
The former Red Lion at Steeple Aston, reopened in July 2026 under its original name of The Chequers: a Hook Norton pub established in 1765, with seasonal British food, a terrace and Sunday roasts.
A newly relaunched Hook Norton pub that has gone back to the name it had before 1830. The cooking is generous and unfussy, with roasts on Sunday and a terrace in summer. It is still settling down: the hours differ between its own pages, so check before you drive, and look for the new name rather than the Red Lion.
- Good: Reopened in July 2026, with a fireside bar and a sunny terrace
- Good: Hook Norton cask ales, plus other independent beers and ciders
- Good: Sunday roasts, and walk-ins always welcome
- Worth knowing: Older maps and directories still call it the Red Lion
- Worth knowing: Hours vary between its own pages and may still change
- Worth knowing: The new site does not mention dogs or parking: ask
About
The Chequers is on South Side in Steeple Aston, a quarter of a mile east of the A4260 Oxford to Banbury road. It was established in 1765 as The Chequers, became the Red Lion in 1830, and went back to its first name when it reopened as a Hook Norton Brewery pub in July 2026, run by Jonathan Perritt and Paolo Cangiano.
The food is seasonal and British: the brewery calls it generous and unfussy. There are lunches, dinners and Sunday roasts, with specials such as lobster and chips, and an occasional supper club. Since November it also opens from 9am Wednesday to Sunday for coffee, pastries and a morning menu. Kitchen last orders are at 8.45pm, and at 5pm on Sundays, and walk-ins are always welcome.
The bar pours Hook Norton's cask ales and a changing range of other independent beers and ciders, with a wine list. There is fireside seating by a wood-burning stove, and outside a sunny terrace.
The old Red Lion site, which called the pub dog-friendly with a car park, is still online, but the new one says nothing on either, so ask. For a sight to pair with lunch, Banbury Cross is up the A4260 to the north.
Opening hours and season
| Monday | 17:30 to 23:00 |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 09:00 to 12:00, 16:00 to 23:00 |
| Thursday | 09:00 to 23:00 |
| Friday | 09:00 to 23:00 |
| Saturday | 09:00 to 23:00 |
| Sunday | 09:00 to 18:00 |
Closed Tuesday. From 9am Wednesday to Sunday for coffee and a morning menu until noon. The brewery's page differs on Monday and Wednesday, so ring first. Last orders 8.45pm, Sunday 5pm.
The details
- Food
- Modern British
- Serving
- Lunch · Dinner · Sunday lunch
- Features
- Open fire · Real ale · Restaurant · Bar
- History
- Established in 1765 as The Chequers; the Red Lion from 1830 until 2026
Photos
Sunday roast 
Lunch at the Chequers 
The morning menu
Location
Places to stay nearby
-
The Holt Hotel, Steeple Aston
Hotel · Steeple Aston
An independent 87-room hotel in an old coaching inn at the Hopcrofts Holt crossroads on the A4260 near Steeple Aston, with a bar, restaurant, afternoon teas and a Sunday carvery, about 15 minutes' drive from Bicester Village.
Family-friendly · Wedding venues · EV charging
Verified Nov 2026
-
Oxfordshire Narrowboats, Lower Heyford
Self-catering · Upper and Lower Heyford
Self-drive narrowboat holidays, short breaks and day boats from Heyford Wharf on the Oxford Canal at Lower Heyford, from mid March to the end of October, for 2 to 12 people, dogs included.
Dog-friendly · Family-friendly
Verified Nov 2026
-
The Unicorn Inn, Deddington
Pubs · Deddington
A Grade II listed inn of the mid 17th century on Deddington Market Place, with open fires, a garden behind, British classics and seven rooms, four of which take dogs.
Dog-friendly · Family-friendly
Verified Nov 2026
Nearby walks, places and things to do
- The Holt Hotel, Steeple Aston 0.9 km away
- Oxfordshire Narrowboats, Lower Heyford 1.7 km away
- Kizzies Bistro, Lower Heyford 1.7 km away
- The Horse and Groom, Caulcott 3.9 km away
Sights nearby
-
Rousham House and Garden
Sight · Historic building · Upper and Lower Heyford
A house of about 1635 above the Cherwell near the Heyfords, and round it William Kent's landscape garden of 1737 to 1741, still much as he left it. The garden opens every day; no children under 15, no dogs, no tea room.
-
RAF Upper Heyford Cold War sites, Heyford Park
Sight · Monument · Upper and Lower Heyford
The Cold War shelters, nuclear bomb store and command centre of RAF Upper Heyford, scheduled in 2006 and seen on guided tours from the airbase's heritage centre at Heyford Park, which opens free three days a week.