Take a closer look at what makes up a traditional afternoon tea. Read about the history of the sandwich, or look at patisserie. Who doesn't love a scone with cream and jam.
And what about the tea itself. Do you know where tea originates?
A HISTORY OF AFTERNOON TEA
Did you know that afternoon tea was once a very big occasion? As many as 200 guests were invited to an open invitation to visit the home between 4pm and 7pm. Popping in and out as they pleased, to mingle and enjoy the lavish spread.
Whilst afternoon tea is thought of as quintessentially English, the art of drinking tea originated in China, in the 3rd millenium BC. It didn't become popular here until the 1660's.
In 1840, Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, got hungry at around 4pm. Her dinner wasn't until 8pm, and so she asked for a tray of tea, bread, butter and cake. It became a habit of hers and she began to invite friends over to enjoy this snack with her.
This soon became a fashionable social event! Let us bring you back to the days of the Duchess of Bedford and those fashionable open afternoons at home.
Crinolines optional!
We need your consent to load the translations
We use a third-party service to translate the website content that may collect data about your activity. Please review the details in the privacy policy and accept the service to view the translations.