Set in the picturesque Cheshire countryside, neighbouring Cholmondeley Castle and Gardens, lies a beautiful pub.

Drive just an hour south west of Manchester, and head through villages like Tarporley and Little Budworth - where you’ll pass everything from farm shops and reclamation yards to fisheries and shire horse centres - and you’ll find The Cholmondeley Arms, or The ‘Chum’ as it’s referred to by regulars.

Sitting inside a former Victorian village schoolhouse, it was converted into a pub - the first public house on the estate for over a century - in 1988 and was later restored by Cheshire pub entrepreneurs Tim Bird and Mary Mclaughli in 2011. The pair also operate six other award-winning pubs in the county, including The Church Inn and The Bull’s Head in Mobberley.

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Just a few weeks ago, the country watering hole, which at one time was described as a ‘lost cause’, was named the best in Britain at the Great British Pub Awards. Beating off stiff competition from across the British Isles it took home not only Pub of the Year but also the Country Pub crown too.

And while we have an impressive selection of public houses here in Greater Manchester, a pilgrimage felt necessary given its double victory. Similarly, at this time of year, as the nights draw in and we start to look for autumnal days out, a trip down the road - with the added enticement of a Sunday roast - seemed like a good idea.

It may sit on a busy intersection, but once you step inside you’re quickly transported back to a Victorian school house - a feeling that must be deeply nostalgic to anyone who was taught in similar surroundings.

With its imposing ceilings, huge windows and open fireplaces, the ‘Chum’ really is quite impressive. Retaining many of its original features, and incorporating nods to its former incarnation - think blackboards with forthcoming events scribbled onto them and old tennis rackets bolted to the walls - alongside large mirrors, fresh flowers and candles, there’s a palpable sense of atmosphere.

Even before perusing the menu, many will be aware of the pub's impressive gin selection too, which boasts more than 300 varieties including its own Cholmondeley Arms Gin, which was distilled to celebrate 10 years of operation. You can also take a look at its distilling equipment locked away in a glass cabinet in the centre of the room, or grab a bottle of their gin, alongside other gifts, to take home as a memento.

As well as hundreds of gins stacked high onto shelves, behind its apothecary-styled bar you’ll also find local ales including four cask ales including their own bitter. And if you want to enjoy a few without having to have the discussion as to who will be designated driver, the pub also features six guest bedrooms situated in what was the Headmaster's House opposite.

It’s a Sunday afternoon when we visit and I’m told on the phone they accept walk-ins for small groups. Just missing the Sunday afternoon rush, we plonk ourselves down near the fireplace. Sun pouring through the church-like windows and a non-alcoholic gin and tonic brought over, things are off to a strong start.

I have a quick scan of the menu. It’s quintessentially English, and spans everything from devilled lamb kidneys pan-fried with wholegrain mustard and Worcester sauce and spread over toast, to a pint - or just a half if you fancy - of large prawns in Marie-Rose cocktail sauce, as well as ‘nibbles with your tipple’ - the latter wordplay scintillating enough for me to oblige.

We try the Chum’s ‘famous’ little porkies (£5.95) while we decide on what roast to have. Glazed with maple syrup and wholegrain mustard, these compact sausages turn out to be wholly unnecessary once you see the size of the roast, but in that moment, with a gin and hand, and the light slowly fading, they hit the spot perfectly. Dabbing our Yorkshire halloumi fries (£5.95) into the remnants of hot and sticky glaze - yes we did have a second ‘nibble’ - it’s time for the main event.

For an accomplished place like the ‘Chum’ that prides itself on its seasonal cooking and its work with local farmers, suppliers and brewers, there’s plenty more on offer than just roasts. From the broccoli, leek and Cropwell Bishop blue cheese filo pie with sweet shallot jam (£14.95) - that sounds divine - to the Cholmondeley Wagyu beef burger dressed with Emmental cheese, streaky bacon, crispy onions and caramelised onion chutney (£16.95) that I imagine is a totally joyous experience to taste, the menu covers all bases.

It’s Sunday though, so it’s a roasted prime sirloin of 28-aged red rose beef served with all the trimmings (£17.95) and the daily special of ‘Helen’s Chorley Lamb’ (£19.95) that gets ordered. Arriving as golden hour hits the table, steam gently rises from the dishes and I can’t help thinking that I’ve never seen such a glorious looking roast dinner.

There’s generous amounts of meat, both of which our knives glide through, a useful vehicle for the bountiful amount of red wine gravy that’s taken over the plate - not that I mind. The honey-glazed carrots are a shining light, cooked perfectly with a bit of crunch, and pair well with the seasonal greens.

Cauliflower cheese is a must as far as roasts are concerned. I was burnt by a lacklustre one a few weeks previously, so approached this one with caution, but with one bite, and all faith was restored. It was only a small portion but sometimes it’s best to leave people wanting more.

That, and the fact that there was still a rather large Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes to tackle. Sitting majestically atop the assembly of meat and veg, the perfectly crisp pudding is cooked to perfection and used to mop up what’s left of the gravy.

Now, I don’t like to nit-pick when the vast majority of the roast has been a winner, however I was slightly let down by the roast potatoes. Cooked in duck fat and rosemary I had high hopes. Now, the seasoning was spot on and the crispness just right, but it felt like they perhaps could have been parboiled for a little longer as the potato was a little hard. All things considered though, this was one of the best roasts I’ve had in a long time, and I only wish I could have paired it with a nice glass of red to round it all off.

Puddings probably weren’t necessary, but we had come this far, so why not. Sadly the old school jam roly-poly with homemade raspberry jam and vanilla custard had sold out - understandably - so it was our second choice of sticky toffee pudding that wrapped things up. A moat of thick, rich toffee sauce surrounded it, and with a dollop of Cheshire Farm honeycomb ice-cream to accompany it, I can’t think of a better end to a glorious Sunday lunch.