Heverlee 0623
Heverlee 0623

About us

Now a Free House, the Rainbow & Dove is a rural pub & restaurant. It is mentioned in the Doomesday book as a Farmhouse but was certainly a Pub by 1645 when Cromwell's soldiers stopped here. It was also a stop-over for the Post Coach travelling between Cambridge and London. The name "Rainbow" was inherited from the Pub's first known owners Mr & Mrs Rainbow who were farmers, but the "Dove" was added later on after the Rainbow was turned from a farmhouse into a Public House & there were many references to an Ornamental tree shaped as a dove at the top of the Forecourt... (yes really).

Teams of horses were stabled here for changing over the various coach teams that passed by. Over time the farmhouse became the Rainbow Inn and the Post coaches stopped here for the horse changeovers.

At some time the hedge was trimmed into the shape of a Dove and the name evolved into the Rainbow and Dove Inn. The first photograph was taken around 1850-1860s(est) - the thatched roof had recently been replaced with a clay tile roof. Notice the lack of trees around the pub and Epping Forest in the distance.

Around 1932 the Inn was rather rundown, but picked up again as the pilots and other personnel based at the airfield during world war II choose the Rainbow and Dove as a discrete alternative to the pubs based in North Weald village.

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Facilities

Beer gardenFoodOutside areaReal aleSmoking area
Pub reviews

Reviews

4.6/5

Matt Davis

3 months ago

Amazing. Didn't look very promising from the outside but it was warm and welcoming. Staff were attentive and nothing was any trouble. Special grilled Plaice was HUGE and so yummy with chips and peas and home made tartare. I felt obliged to further test the menu with a choice of ice creams, not the standard fayre. Mum loved her ham egg and chips and we will most definitely come again if not just to say hello to the lovely black lab who said hello to everyone. Marvellous.

David Llewellin

3 months ago

Family gathering of 18 - staff were pleasant helpful and efficient. Food was very tasty, great quality from curry to fish and chips to all various roast dinner dishes. Thank you !

Vanessa Fawcett

5 months ago

Fabulous lunch for five. Grilled Sea Bass was perfection and my Slow Cooked Belly Pork was melt in the mouth and absolutely scrumptious, crackling crispy and a real delight, beautiful cider gravy and fresh green beans, carrots and new potatoes. All the chips were crunchy on the outside and molten in the middle. Wine fresh and crisp, the Pacific? IPA excellent. Our hosts were loveliness itself, kind and considerate specially as two of us can hardly walk! All in all a 92nd Birthday lunch we’ll remember forever. Thanks to everyone at the Rainbow and Dove.

Mark Isherwood

11 months ago

Dropped in here for lunch after visiting garden centre just down the road and seeing M11 was stopped with traffic. Smallish pub but with outside space also with lots of character serving amazing food, got a warm welcome when stepping through the door and seated quickly. Interesting menu and also a specials board with some great options. I had steak and kidney pie which was lovely with large pieces of beef and a rich gravy. The chips were lovely and crispy on the outside but soft on the inside and the peas still had great flavour and colour so not standing in water for ages. Shame it is not really local for us but would visit again if we are in the area and looking for grub.

Joe

1 year ago

Nice old pub with a real wood fireplace, making it very atmospheric in winter. It also has outdoor seatings during summer. Food is decent and reasonably priced, service friendly. We have been using it regularly. Collection of photos from multiple visits

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Opening Times

Mon11:30 – 15:00
Tue11:30 – 15:00 18:00 – 23:00
Wed11:30 – 15:00 18:00 – 23:00
Thur11:30 – 15:00 18:00 – 23:00
Fri11:30 – 15:00 18:00 – 23:00
Sat11:30 – 15:00 18:00 – 23:00
Sun12:00 – 17:00
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Heverlee 0623
Heverlee 0623