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Driving on the A259 from the entrancing hilltop town of Winchelsea, the pub's painted roof sign stands proud on the horizon.
The pub is down a cul-de-sac and offers magnificent views across the Brede valley to the Cinque Port of Rye and beyond.
The interior of the pub has vaulted ceilings, split level floors, three bars constructed in one area from church pews and in two others from walnut and mahogany bank counters. A huge inglenook fireplace with a fireback dating from the reign of Charles I, with plenty of space for drinkers to stand around, together with two wood-burning stoves, keeps everyone warm on colder days.
The Queen's is a cathedral of beer, with a clutter of curiosities, including antique bicycles and bottles from sadly closed breweries decorating the walls and ceilings.
No children are allowed inside the pub after 8.30pm, and there is a stern warning to parents that troublesome offspring will be sold for slavery.
But there is plenty of space outside with children enjoying the Wendy house in one garden and a climbing frame in the other, while there is a boule pitch for the grown ups to enjoy.
With five real ales served, from an ever-changing list one customer said it like having a permanent beer festival in your local.
And the pub's staff certainly understand how to look after beer, for it has been included in CAMRA Good Beer Guide for over 20 years.
The choice of beers from brewers small and large is ever changing and wonderfully reflects the rich and burgeoning tapestry of tastes and styles of British beers.
The food is wholesome and definitely home cooked with lasagnes, soups and fish dishes predominating. The fresh sardines are highly recommended.
At the Queen's they understand the aromatic notes that hops can bring to beer. Every September hundreds of beer lovers descend on the pub to drink beers made with freshly harvested hops whilst enjoying the subtle scent of the bines hanging all over the pub.
The Queen's a rural classic, which caters for everyone, perhaps family ownership for over 20 years is a key to its success.
Queen's Head Inn,
Parsonage Lane,
Ickelsham,
East Sussex,
TN36 4BL.
Tel: 01424 814552
Tourist information: www.visitsussex.org
"The nearby towns of Rye and Winchelsea and the sandy beaches at Camber makes this area ideal for visitors. Once a seaport, today Rye is a thriving market town, beautifully preserved, with a maze of cobbled streets, including the famous Mermaid Street, crammed with tiny mediaeval houses and elegant Georgian buildings."
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Regional Winners 2006
Overall Winners 2005
Regional Winners 2005
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