Afternoon Tea was once the realm of Victorian socialites, but it is recently enjoying a dazzling revival. 

In the UK a staggering 165 million cups of good old tea are consumed every day. And we don’t stop at just tea for Britain is the home of the traditional Afternoon Tea, a delicious custom that dates back almost 200 years.

It’s thought that Afternoon Tea was first devised in the 1840s by Anna Maria, the Duchess of Bedford. In high-society circles, lunch was eaten in the early afternoon and dinner wasn’t served until after 7pm, so the Duchess requested some tea and bread to quell the tide of her hunger until dinner. It soon turned into a celebrated social occasion, and the Duchesses friends and local ladies were invited to join her. Of course the teas were elegant affairs; the best china and crockery were brought out and dainty finger foods like small cakes, tiny sandwiches and slices of bread and jam were presented to the guests.

As the popularity of this new social event began to spread, strict rules on serving and eating etiquette appeared, as was the custom in Victorian society. It was always the role of the hostess to pour the tea, but it was her husband or her daughter’s job to pass the cups to guests. There even began a fashion for tea-gowns to wear especially for Afternoon Tea. They were lighter and softer than evening gowns, but just as elegant and allusive to the vogues of the day.

The fashion for these genteel gatherings continued to grow right up to the early twentieth century. However, it was sometime during the Second World War that the practice began to fall out of favour. Resources were stretched and tea was rationed as the nation united for the war effort.

Tea Revival

In recent years however, a revival in Afternoon Tea has rumbled its way across the teashops, cafes and hotels of Britain, as tea drinkers look for unique and social experiences once more.

Afternoon Tea now suits every occasion, and it’s certainly moved on from being a social event that’s just for young women.  Men now enjoy it too as well as families, and recently we’ve seen a huge expansion in the kind of celebrations people go for Afternoon Tea like office parties, children’s parties, business meetings, hen parties, marriage proposals, anniversaries and Christmas teas to name a few. There are a whole host of occasions that are just perfectly suited to Afternoon Tea, and it has become hugely popular again.

There’s no doubt that the trend for Afternoon Tea has flourished with ever-demanding customers. Why not try a delicious Afternoon Tea right here in North Wales with our pick of the best……

• Afternoon Tea with a difference on board a steam locomotive with the Ffestiniog Railway!
• Ruthin Castle for a historic Afternoon Tea
• Chateau Rhianfa for Afternoon Tea with a view
• Seiont Manor for Afternoon Tea with distinction
• Afternoon Tea at Lake Vyrnwy for dining with a view!