late afternoon. The answer to the problem of her rumbling tummy? A selection of light nibbles and a pot of tea around three or 4pm. Friends would join her for this small afternoon meal in her rooms at Belvoir Castle. Over time, the menu evolved to include fancy cakes, bread and butter sandwiches and plates of assorted sweets.
When Anna returned to London, she invited her well-to-do friends to Woburn Abbey for a sophisticated afternoon of “tea and a walking the fields”.
So, the ritual that begun as a private occupation spread quickly across all of high society. It became normal for the upper classes to have a little afternoon tea before their daily promenade in Hyde Park.
You may enjoy the ritual of afternoon tea from time to time – it’s your chance to relax, spend time with friends and leave the madness and mayhem of everyday life behind for one sweet hour… Bliss!
Here at Pretty Vintage, we’d love to know your tea habits. Are your afternoon tea sessions reserved for special occasions? Or you get your fancy china out on a daily basis? And will it be a cucumber sandwich or strawberries and cream with your Earl Grey?
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History of Afternoon Tea
The Norfolk Magazine Article March 2010
