Pub columnist GAVIN AITCHISON sings the praises of the ploughman’s lunch - and finds an impressive serving at a pub in Sledmere.

WISHFUL historians would tell you the ploughman’s lunch dates back hundreds of years.

Those in the know would cite Pierce The Ploughman’s Crede, a 14th-century poem that refers to its ingredients, or tell you about the Scottish ploughmen who sued their landlord in 1891 for daring to give them a lunch other than the obligatory cheese, bread and beer to which they were accustomed.

Supercilious foodies would tell you otherwise, saying that its presentation as a timeless meal is a piece of marketing jiggery-pokery, and that it is a mediocre relic from the 1960s and 70s.

What appears the simplest of meals is, in sum, nothing of the sort. But it remains a mainstay in country pubs.

The plough teams that Anthony Baldwin called the eternal sight of England have long since passed over the brow of most hills. But their lunch lives on. Thanks, it must be said, to pubs like The Triton Inn, whose version was inspired where others are insipid.

I chose it only because my wandering eye had caused me to waver on my first choice.

A group of four at the neighbouring table had all plumped for the fish and chips, but the chips looked needlessly rationed to me, so I changed my mind at the last minute and I’m glad I did. The ploughman’s was a thing of beauty in an altogether elegant pub.

The Triton is an 18th-century inn and is part of the village Estate of Sledmere, where roads from York, Malton, Driffield, Bridlington and Weaverthorpe meet, a stone’s throw from Sledmere House. Its quality and location make it an ideal destination for those seeking a day trip with the in-laws or older relatives, the House offering refined surroundings and The Triton offering a warm welcome, a large menu and a roaring fire if required.

Tetley’s Cask and Wold Top’s Angler’s Reward were on the bar when I visited, the latter always an appealing choice. Wold Top has grown rapidly in recent years, picking up a number of business awards along the way, and Angler’s Reward is one of their better beers. It’s a refreshing pale ale with a crisp but not excessive bitterness, but I was hungrier than I was thirsty so lunch was my priority.

Which takes me back to the thread. There were more compelling options, not least a lamb shank with minted gravy; char-grilled chicken with bacon, mushroom and garlic sauce; and the aforementioned fish and chips. But I opted instead for the ploughman’s, knowing that it would be easier to prolong, helping me while away the afternoon, accompanied only by a John Buchan novel and a dearth of any competing demands.

Battles have been won and lost in less time than it took me to eat that lunch, a miniature banquet consisting, of course, of a warm crusty roll, a slab of cheese, a sliced apple, ale chutney, a small salad and tomato. And elevated to excellence by three slices each of home-cooked beef and boiled ham.

This was my first visit to The Triton but by all accounts it has a noteworthy history.

It dates back, as I say, to the 18th century but it has undergone several redevelopments over the years, most recently around eight years ago.

The journey from York is a long one if you’re coming only for the pub, but Sledmere House reopened on Good Friday after its long winter break, and has various events next Friday to coincide with the Tour de Yorkshire, so if you can make a day of it or are in the region in any case, then The Triton’s well worth trying.