The lunchtime light spills through leaded windows onto centuries-old stone walls, illuminating a room that feels reassuringly unchanged by time. Fresh flowers sit on polished tables, conversation drifts from the bar and, in one corner, a dog dozes contentedly beside its owner.
It is the sort of scene many people imagine when they think of a traditional Devon pub, and exactly the atmosphere that owner Mark Stimpson and manager Jennie Chappell have worked tirelessly to restore at the Rose and Crown.
Standing just outside Tiverton on the road towards Calverleigh, the Rose and Crown has been welcoming customers for centuries. The 17th-century country pub, with its exposed stone walls, timber beams and cosy corners, has long been a fixture of village life. Yet only a short time ago, its future looked far from certain.
For Mark, the story began in an unlikely way.
Having retired from a career in civil engineering and settled into life on his farm, he found himself regularly passing the pub on the way home from playing squash. Over time, he watched as the once-popular local slipped into decline.
When the opportunity arose to buy it, he made a decision that would change his retirement plans entirely.
"Basically, so I could have a pint of Otter on my way home, I decided to buy the pub," he says. "That was kind of a mistake because it's very, very hard work."
The comment sums up Mark's approach perfectly. He is quick to joke about the challenges, but there is no mistaking the determination that has kept him committed to the pub ever since.
After purchasing the Rose and Crown in 2018, he leased it out the following year. However, when that arrangement came to an end, he found himself back at the helm and facing the difficult task of restoring both the building and the confidence of local customers.
The years before reopening had taken their toll.
"The locals basically abandoned the pub," Mark says. "There were no regular opening times and the ales weren't kept very well."
It was clear that simply unlocking the doors again would not be enough.
Mark knew he needed help and there was one person who immediately came to mind.
Jennie Chappell was already well known within Devon's hospitality industry. After moving to nearby Oakford in 2011, she became involved with the Red Lion before eventually taking on the lease herself and helping establish it as a successful village pub.
When Mark telephoned and asked whether she would consider returning to help revive the Rose and Crown, her answer did not take long.
"He phoned me and asked if I'd come back and build up the Rose and Crown again," she says. "So I've come on board as the manager and also the cook."
The task awaiting them was considerable.
Asked what had changed since she returned, Jennie says: "What changes haven't happened?"
The answer, it turns out, is very few.
The pair quickly set about redecorating the interior, restoring the gardens, replacing signage and tackling a long list of maintenance jobs. Beer lines that had been left full of product required extensive cleaning, while countless smaller improvements helped breathe new life into the building.
Today, visitors would struggle to imagine the state in which the pub was found.
The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, with traditional features providing a reminder of the building's long history. Rather than reinventing the Rose and Crown as a modern dining venue, Mark and Jennie have focused on preserving everything people already loved about it.
"This is a traditional village pub," says Jennie. "A lot of pubs now are going quite modern and bistro type, but this is a traditional village pub."
It is a philosophy that appears to be paying off.
When the pub officially reopened in May, the response exceeded all expectations. Mark estimates that around 150 people attended the celebrations, packing the building and spilling out into the gardens.
The reaction from customers left a lasting impression.
"Almost without fail, every local I spoke to said, 'Thank you for getting the pub back. We'll support you.'"
For Mark, those words reinforced just how important the Rose and Crown remains to the surrounding community.
"I think it means a lot to people," he says. "It is a meeting place. You get a bunch of locals in here and they're all talking to each other. People come out and meet people. Especially those who live on their own. They can come down here and join in the community."
That sense of community runs through every aspect of the business.
As a free house, the Rose and Crown has the flexibility to adapt quickly to customers' preferences. If a particular drink proves unpopular, it can be replaced. If diners suggest changes to the menu, Jennie is happy to listen.
"We've already been open a month and we're already going to change two of the products we sell because we've had feedback and people want something different," says Mark. "We're very flexible."
Traditional pub food remains at the heart of the offering, including popular Sunday roast dinners, while plans are already being developed for quiz nights, music events and community gatherings.
Jennie believes the pub's success depends on ensuring everybody feels welcome.
"The aim is that it is a pub for everybody," she says. "For families, for couples, for people with dogs. We want it to be a warm and welcoming atmosphere."
Her commitment to that idea is easy to see. On one recent afternoon, six dogs were happily settled around the pub while families enjoyed lunch nearby.
"We won't turn people away," she says. "We want people to come in after a walk, bring their dogs, sit in the garden and enjoy themselves."
The Rose and Crown has also begun attracting back groups that once considered it their regular meeting place. Among them are local young farmers who had drifted elsewhere in recent years.
"They're starting to come back now," says Mark. "They can get a bit rowdy sometimes, but they're respectful. You don't have to ban people, you just ask them to behave a bit more quietly."
Looking ahead, both Mark and Jennie are determined to ensure the pub has a sustainable future.
Local couple Vicky and John Macpherson have become increasingly involved in the business and are currently learning the many different aspects of running a successful village pub. The hope is that one day they may be ready to take on the challenge themselves.
There are other ambitions too. An old skittle alley could eventually become a function room, creating additional space for music nights, quizzes and private events. A new website is also in development and opening hours are expected to expand as trade continues to grow.
"We've guaranteed that if we say we're open, we'll be open," says Mark. "If trade picks up, we'll extend the hours, but we won't cut back on what we've promised."
For now, however, the focus remains on rebuilding steadily and giving local people a pub they can rely on once again.
And then there is Cedric.
No conversation about the Rose and Crown is complete without mention of the pub's unofficial resident ghost, a mischievous spirit who has become part of local folklore over the years.
Mark has spoken about Cedric since first taking on the pub, and recent events have done little to diminish his reputation.
After staff spent considerable time searching for a missing nozzle from behind the bar, it eventually reappeared sitting neatly inside a glass on the counter.
"We looked everywhere for it," says Mark. "Then it just appeared in a glass on the bar. I think he's happy and still playing the odd joke."
Jennie smiles and nods in agreement.
Whether Cedric is responsible or not remains open to debate, but his story feels entirely at home in a building such as this.
After all, pubs like the Rose and Crown are built on stories. Some are written into centuries-old walls, some are carried by generations of regulars and others become part of local legend. Thanks to the efforts of Mark, Jennie and a growing band of supporters, this particular story is still being written.
And in a time when so many rural pubs have disappeared forever, that is something worth celebrating.
