THE DECISION to sell a popular countryside pub dating back to the 15th century has caused its owner a lot of "tears and heartache".

Landlady Annie Clift spoke of her sadness at putting The Talbot Inn at Knightwick on the market after 40 years of her family running the pub. 

The traditional inn with roots stretching back to the 15th century has been owned and operated by Annie Clift, and her late mother Jean Clift, for the last 40 years - and the decision to sell the pub was incredibly difficult.

It is on the market for offers in the region of £1.1m.

Ms Clift said: "I decided that it was time for me to sell the pub, but the decision resulted in a lot of tears and heartache.

Worcester News: Wiz and Annie Clift finish their donkey trek at the Talbot pub in Knightwick

"I did not have anyone around me that wished to carry on with the pub and as I have reached 40 years here I thought to myself  'Do I really want to be here at 50 years?'

"The place is just too big to manage on my own and I am in my 70s now so the time is right for me."

She said she does not have any specific criteria for who will take on the pub after her but said that whoever buys it would need to "make it their own".

Ms Clift said: "I ran the pub in my own quirky way and although whoever buys the pub is technically replacing me, it will not be a case of trying to replicate what I have done here.

"They need to have their own views and goals for the pub."

The Talbot will be hosting a celebration event on Sunday, December 3, marking 40 years at the pub.

Game of Thrones star Kit Harington is one of the well known fans of the pub, having grown up nearby, and it also found favour with Guardian food critic Jay Rayner.

In 2015, he reviewed the pub, heaping praise on it and stating "You’d have to be a ‘hard-hearted, self-regarding, po-faced schmuck’ not to like the Talbot".

The pub is on the market with John Goodwin, and boasts two large public bar areas, a dining room and a function room.

There are also ten en-suite letting rooms at the pub, a staff cottage and a microbrewery and former bakery on the site.

The pub also has about 2.78 acres of beer garden space, as well as a kitchen garden and an extensive beer garden overlooking the river.