IRON Age man was here, and the Romans came this way too, not to mention enough medieval skirmishes to warrant a castle.

Walterstone may be some way off the beaten track, but it’s a place where people have been putting down roots for thousands of years.

Even Elizabeth I’s right hand man sojourned in this parish, and it’s just possible the Queen herself might even have come to the tiny church of St Mary’s.

So it’s no great surprise that 81-year-old Vera Watkins’ family has run the 300-year-old local pub, the Carpenters Arms, for nearly a century.

Last year Vera’s pub was awarded Herefordshire CAMRA’s summer pub of the season, and it has been included in a national newspaper’s list of the country’s 50 best country pubs.

Set in the Black Mountains, close to the ancient parish church, the pub simply spells antiquity.

Outside, an arrangement of huge stones continues to collect rainwater as they have for hundreds of years.

Inside, the focal point has to be the handsome, black leaded range, warming customers as it has for generations.

From here there’s a spectacular view of the Skirrid with its instantly recognisable contours – described by Herefordshire author, Phil Rickman, as the holy mountain with a broken nose – and across the way a broad flank of the Black Mountains.

Of course, a visit to the Carpenters Arms is sure to include a conversation with Vera, who can very often be found sitting beside the vigorously polished fireplace.

“My mother used to do all the cooking on this,” she explains. Apart from the few years when she lived with her husband and growing family near Abergavenny, this has always been home for Vera.

She knows the lie of the land better than most: for many years she has driven children to school on either side of the Welsh border in her 12-seater bus. Her sons Alex and William have expanded the Watkins’ transport service.

“Alex drives a 56-seater and William a 33-seater,”.

“I’ve given up the school runs now, but I used to do a couple and come back to run the pub,” says Vera, her voice soft with a perceptible Welsh inflection. “We’re only a mile from the border, but we are in Herefordshire,” she says.

“It’s funny, the children we were once driving to school are now sending their children on our buses!”

Continuing the Watkins’ long line of connections with the pub is William’s 10-year-old son, Harry, who makes a very dapper ‘mine host’ welcoming customers at weekends.

On the subject of generations, Vera’s mother, Nellie Greenow took over the pub licence from her uncle.

“He was from Govilon, and he married the daughter from here, and ran the pub for nine years,” she says. “My mother ran the pub for 50 years and then I took over 35 years ago.”

However, Vera clings to the firm rules her mother held.

“We have no bad language here, ladies don’t like it,” she explains.

“My mother would say, we have never had a row in this house, and we are not going to have one now.”

With good food, ale and company, Vera and her family have managed to make it a home from home, and customers view it with enormous affection and reverence.

There are those who spent their courting days here, who now return faithfully with their own families. “We used to call it the Honeypot,” says one woman. “You’d come here, and you wouldn’t want to leave!”

Back In Elizabethan times, Walterstone was a destination for royal visitors. A cousin of Elizabeth’s chief minister, Sir William Cecil, Lord Burgley, lived at Allt-yr-Ynys, a 16th century Grade II listed manor in the parish, now a country hotel.

In 1598, Walterstone church and churchyard were overflowing with mourners for the funeral of Sir William’s cousin. It was said to have been an “extremely grand ceremony”, maybe the queen came too?

Further back in time, an Iron Age hillfort was established at Walterstone, there are reports of Roman remains, while a motte and bailey castle was raised here too.

Now Vera and her family are adding to Walterstone’s historic appeal, ancient and modern.

“I’m very proud,” she says. “We have nice people coming here, and I hope they enjoy themselves.”

No room for doubt on that score, as evidenced by a string of awards and an increasing stream of satisfied customers.