Also on the menu that evening were Tribute to Yorkshire Lamb, confit of shoulder, lamb rump, dauphonoise potatoes, textures of onions and minted jus; Study of Pork, confit of pork belly, fillet of Parma ham with sage mash and black pudding fritter, finished with calvados jus; Duck D’Orange, female duck breast served with fondant potato, carrot and orange puree with a duck croquette and finished with orange jus.

Ready to order from the grill were the 8oz sirloin, 10oz rump, 7oz chicken and the 12oz gammon all served with homemade chips, flat mushrooms, plum tomatoes and onion rings with a selection of butters and sauces and extras such as homemade chunky chips, beer battered onion rings, garlic ciabatta and the house salad.

The dessert choices included Dark Chocolate and Caramel Tart, served with fruit coulis finished with orange sorbet; Warm Sticky Toffee Pudding, toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream; The Bagden Hall Cheese Plate (with a glass of port as an optional extra); Mango Pannacotta, with a blood orange jelly, finished with berries – and Upside Down Cheese Cake.

They all sounded so tempting, but we had been tastefully and most adequately fed to a very high standard and were sated, so we reluctantly passed on the puddings.

Food of this quality, eaten in such luxurious surroundings does not come cheap, but we agreed that Bagden Hall represented remarkably competitive value for money. Our crab cake starter courses were priced at £5.25, Carol’s Herb Gnocchi was £11.95 and my Sea Bass was £14.95.

The head chef at Bagden Hall is Steve Phillips, but Steve’s sous chef Daniel Thawley was running the dinner service when we dined with them.

Our compliments to Daniel and thanks to the friendly, attentive staff on duty that evening.

I’m sure our friends from the south will approve when we take them there – as we intend to do.