
It is no surprise there is a lot of confusion surrounding the British tradition of afternoon tea. Whether it’s a cup of tea and biscuits or a full blown extravaganza, afternoon tea is a cherished tradition. You may see advertising and menus for afternoon tea, Devon cream tea, Cornwall cream tea, high tea, and just plain tea… so what is afternoon tea really? Here’s the scoop – and there’s a glossary of Afternoon Tea terms too.
The History of Afternoon Tea
Anna, 7th Duchess of Bedford, unwittingly invented afternoon tea in the early 19th century. Dinner was – and is – served much later in England, generally between 7.30 and 9 pm. The Duchess often felt hungry between lunch and dinner, so she would order tea, bread and cakes to fill the hungry gap. When she invited friends to join her in this afternoon treat everyone enjoyed it so much, afternoon tea became a well-loved tradition.
In days gone by, British folk would regularly enjoy breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and then dinner or supper. This is much less common now. Modern life does not really allow us to pause for afternoon tea on a regular basis, and if it did, we would definitely need to schedule extra visits to the gym!!
High Tea versus Afternoon Tea
Afternoon tea originally referred to the tradition enjoyed by the upper classes, people like the Duchess of Bedford and her friends. Conversely, High Tea was a meal eaten between 5 and 7pm by the lower classes. A heavier meal designed to refresh and sustain after a day of hard work, it usually consisted of meat pies or a stew. Tea itself, as in the drink, was an expensive luxury so in many cases, people were more likely to enjoy a beer with their high tea back in the day.
I was once invited to high tea at a farm in Wales. It was a chilly autumn day and the family and farm hands had been in the fields all day, so they needed a hearty meal. The table was laden with meat pies, stews, and other hearty main course choices as well as several whole apple pies, cakes, and biscuits (cookies). Everyone tucked into all the delicious choices on offer alongside warming cups of tea. I have never been so comfortably full in my life.
So although High Tea sounds like it is more luxurious than Afternoon Tea, the opposite is actually true. As a result of this confusion, you may notice that sometimes restaurants in other countries refer to serving ‘high tea’ when what they actually have on offer is what the British would call ‘afternoon tea’.
What is ‘Tea’ Then (Aside from a Drink)?!
The meal eaten by British families early in the evening (what would be called supper in North America) is often referred to as ‘tea’, even though no tea may be drunk at all. Not everyone refers to this meal as ‘tea’ though – it really depends on your family history and where you live. Many people refer to this meal as ‘dinner’.
In some homes, children are still occasionally served a meal around 4 or 5 pm instead of eating dinner later on with their parents, and this is referred to as ‘tea’ as well.
‘Supper’ is generally a lighter meal served if you are eating much later in the evening, say, after you have been to the theatre or a concert.
So, What is Afternoon Tea Today?
Afternoon tea is the well-loved tradition of serving sandwiches, scones and cakes with cups of tea as a meal or snack in the afternoon. It is very much a treat and not a regular meal served on a daily basis any more.
Afternoon tea generally consists of a first course of finger sandwiches, such as cucumber, Coronation chicken, smoked salmon, ham or egg. The fillings and bread vary and can be quite inventive. Traditionally, the crusts are cut off the bread and the sandwiches are then sliced in rectangles, or ‘fingers’, hence the name ‘finger sandwiches’.
The second course is scones with jam and cream, and the third course consists of small cakes and pastries.
Scroll down for a Glossary of Afternoon Tea Terms.
The courses may be served on a three tiered tea tray, or they may be brought to you course by course on individual serving plates. In the UK, if a three-tiered tea plate is used, you will generally find the sandwiches on the bottom plate, the scones in the middle, and the cakes and pastries on the top. Traditionally you start at the bottom with the sandwiches and then make your way up the tiers.
However, afternoon tea can also be a much simpler affair.
The tea tray in the photo above one that arrived we ordered tea to our room on one of our stays at The Ritz Hotel. (The shortbread cookies in the background are my favourite shortbread cookies in the whole world.) Afternoon tea at their Palm Court Restaurant is much more lavish but I love this simple tea tray too.
What Goes on The Scone First – Jam or Clotted Cream?
Scones are normally served with clotted cream and jam – but which goes on the scone first?
This is a hotly debated topic, with two equally impassioned sides to the debate. There is the tradition from Devon of splitting the scone in half and then spreading it first with with cream and then topping the cream with jam and the tradition from Cornwall of spreading the split scone with jam first and then topping the jam with cream.
I suggest you adopt whichever method you please because in my experience, the resulting scones taste exactly the same. I personally find it easier from a logistical perspective to spread the split scone with cream first – as if it were butter – and then top the cream with jam.
Glossary of Afternoon Tea Terms
Afternoon Tea – a three to four course meal consisting of finger sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, pastries and cakes served with copious amounts of tea.
That said, you can absolutely invite someone to afternoon tea and just serve tea and scones with jam and cream, but if you are in the UK it is best to clarify this, otherwise your guest may skip a meal to leave room for a full afternoon tea and then be quietly disappointed.
Champagne Afternoon Tea – a full afternoon tea as described above, but with a glass (or two) of champagne as well as tea. You can also serve champagne alongside a simpler afternoon tea as well.
Tea – either a cup of tea, or a casual main evening meal served between 5 and 7pm, comparable to ‘supper’ in North America.
Nursery Tea – a light evening meal served to children in the nursery before they go to bed. This meal was often prepared by a nanny. This is less common today, although it does still happen in some families.
High Tea – A casual, hearty meal – generally meat pie, casserole or stew served alongside a pot of tea. There may also be desserts.
Cream Tea – a pot of tea served with scones, jam and clotted cream. There are generally no sandwiches or cakes.
Devon Cream Tea – As above, but the scone is split in half and then spread first with clotted cream, and then with a spoonful of jam.
Cornish Cream Tea – As per Cream Tea, the scone is split in half and spread it first with a spoonful of jam, and then clotted cream.
Scones – Scones in England are generally round, not triangular like the scones you get in Ireland, Scotland or North America. British scones may be plain, studded with raisins, or (very occasionally) dried fruit such as apricots. They are rarely, if ever, iced, frosted or glazed.
Cheese Scones – These are served warm with butter. Although very delicious, they are less often seen at a traditional afternoon tea. I am working on changing this! You can also serve cheese scones alongside a bowl of soup for lunch.
Clotted Cream – Full cream milk or cream (whole milk/heavy cream) is heated with steam or over an indirect heat. The hot milk is left to cool in shallow plates and clots (also known as clouts) form. The resulting clotted cream is stored in a refrigerator and served cold. It tastes much better than it sounds! In the UK, it is easy to find commercially prepared clotted cream in most supermarkets.
Cuppa – Cuppa is a colloquialism for ‘cup of tea’ used in informal settings, usually with family or friends. So if someone asks, “Fancy a cuppa?” they are asking if you want a cup of tea in a friendly, conversational way.
Builders – This is slang for strong, well-steeped tea, usually made from a brand of tea you would buy in the grocery store (as opposed to a speciality shop). “Make mine a builders” (not generally a phrase you would hear at a formal afternoon tea) means “I would like a cup of good, strong tea.”
How Do You Pronounce Scone?
Again, this is hotly debated. Is it ‘scone’ as in ‘bone’, or ‘scone’ as in ‘gone’?
Pronunciation tends to vary by geography. According to The Telegraph newspaper, those in the Scotland and the North of England tend to say scone as in gone, and the Midlands and London stick with scone as in bone. I use both pronunciations and it always seems whichever I choose is considered incorrect at the time!
That said, there is no wrong way, except in some very stubborn peoples’ opinions. Again, don’t fret about it.
So, Can It Get Any More Confusing?
It sure can! There is also a village in Scotland called Scone which is pronounced ‘Skoon’!
When Is Afternoon Tea Served?
Until recently afternoon tea was only served between 4 and 6pm . However, many top hotels now serve afternoon tea anytime between noon and 8.30pm. This is because afternoon tea is very popular and also because many people prefer to substitute it for lunch or dinner.
Do You Have to Reserve a Table For Afternoon Tea In Advance?
Smaller tea rooms may allow walk ins, but if there is somewhere you really want to have afternoon tea, be sure to make a reservation. For example, The Ritz Hotel in London, Fortnum and Mason and most major hotels book up months in advance. Be sure to book early to avoid disappointment.
Do I Have To Dress Up?
It depends on where you go. Most small restaurants or tea rooms are very casual. High end hotels sometimes expect you to dress up for afternoon tea, but not always. It is worth checking if you are unsure. For example, The Ritz Hotel has a very strict dress code and you will not be admitted if you are not dressed accordingly.
Where are the Best Places to Have Afternoon Tea?
These are my favourite places for afternoon tea in London. I’m always discovering new favourites so the post is updated regularly. I also love afternoon tea at Sally Lunn’s in Bath and at Betty’s of Harrogate.
Recipes for Afternoon Tea
Check out these posts for inspiration and recipes to help you recreate a delicious afternoon tea at home.
Afternoon Tea Recipes and Ideas
Raspberry Bakewell Tart Squares
Homemade Clotted Cream – A Tutorial
First photo at the top of post of my friend and stylist Sarah van Dort and I enjoying a cup of tea and some cookies.
Comments & Reviews
Absolutely love this. Have to save the article to reference back because there is no way I am remembering all that now. I always thought high tea was the fancy, having a cup with the Queen, like tea….happy to learn it’s the reverse. I’ve never been much of a tea drinker, preferring coffee, but after a trip to Prague last fall, I have found myself wanting tea more frequently, in fact, I just bought an electric kettle to start enjoying tea at home more often.
Thank you so much, Michelle! 🙂 I drink both tea and coffee too, usually coffee in the morning, but tea in the afternoon.
April, as you know, I love afternoon tea–hosting them, attending them, going out for them to quaint tea rooms or posh hotels. And I hate it when people who know better, such as tea room proprietors, say “high tea” instead of “afternoon tea.” (And I’m “cream first.”)
Jean, I am reminded of the great scone shape debate guest post you kindly wrote for me! It seems the round vs wedge issue might be regional, much like the pronunciation of “scone” itself:
https://www.paulinewiles.com/scone-shape-debate/
I enjoyed Jean’s guest post on your blog too, Pauline 🙂 I definitely think it is regional, as I had triangular scones in Ireland. We are off to Scotland soon, and I understand their scones are often triangular, so I will have to report back. It’s a hard job but somebody’s got to do it 😉
I think our love of afternoon tea is just one of the things we have in common, Jean! I linked to your clotted cream post in the references at the bottom of the post as I had some people message me about wanting to make their own clotted cream as it can be hard to buy in the US. (And also, homemade is often better than store bought!)
April, what a lovely post. And to think of the horror of an iced scone, goodness me, no! Even the texture, I think, is a bit different in the USA from the scones I love in the UK.
My all-time favourite scones used to be served in the riverside restaurant of John Lewis in Kingston. I don’t know where they got them from, but they were that perfect squishiness that I associate with the ideal afternoon pit-stop.
For formal afternoon tea, I love the look of the tiered stand, but always find it odd when the scones there are served warm. Since I want to eat the sandwiches first, this seems to me to miss the point a bit.
Nonetheless, I agree, a good tea basically means one doesn’t need dinner. My ideal day, in fact, would probably consist of brunch then afternoon tea, then an early night! I’m hoping to pull this off when I’m in London in July 😉
Thank you so much, Pauline!
I don’t mind an iced scone, but I only think of it as a breakfast treat in the US, not part of afternoon tea in the UK. I was so relieved to read your comment about the warm scones too, as I always thought I was the only person to think that. By the time I get to the scones, they are just tepid!
I love your description of the idea day. Brunch, afternoon tea and an early night with a good book sounds idyllic 🙂
Congratulations your post is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Thanks so much for sharing it with us and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
I was so thrilled to be featured, Miz Helen. Thank you so much! I’ve shared another post perfect for Afternoon Tea again 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!
This is so interesting, I had no idea there are so many “tea” variations. Several years ago I went to tea in Gaiman Argentina, an area that was colonized by Welsh settlers. They had a teacup on display-one used by the late Princess Diana when she visited there. They were quite proud of that distinction. Where I live, Oklahoma, most tea is served cold, over ice, but in winter I prefer it hot. Thanks for the chance to share a post on your link up.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the post, Aletha! How interesting to visit Argentina, and no wonder the folks in Gaiman were proud of that teacup! My husband and I love a glass of ice tea in the warm weather too. It isn’t as popular here in the UK yet, but it’s slowly catching on. I often make my own ice tea to enjoy during the summer months. 🙂 Thank you for visiting and sharing.
I’m an American living in Cornwall and I can testify that you’ve got the Devon/Cornwall cream tea thing right. I often hear people talk about eating their tea. After 13 years, I still do a mild (and I hope not visible) double take. What I can add is that if you drop in on someone, the offer of a cup of tea is also an invitation to stick around a while.
I used to do a double take on hearing that when I first arrived in England from Canada 30 years ago too, Ellen 🙂 It also confused me when people used to say “Would you like a drink?” instead of “Would you like a cup of tea?” In Canada drinks were usually offered by name – as in “Would you like a tea/coffee/pop/glass of water?” and “a drink” used in a general way usually meant something alcoholic. This was especially disconcerting for me when it was early in the day! 🙂
This is so helpful, but I’m still a little confused and that’s after living in England for three years! There are so many types, but it sounds like the most typical one is the afternoon tea from 5-7pm. This reminds me of our honeymoon in Germany last year. I took my husband for a British tea service at Cafe Konig and we both LOVED it. I think I could do that every day…
I can totally understand still being confused, Rachael. I feel that way sometimes too! Honestly, afternoon tea is probably not a part of most people’s lives on a day to day basis anymore. Particularly in the Midlands and other regions of England, people may say they are having ‘tea’ but it actually means supper or dinner. I think afternoon tea is becoming more and more of a treat, as opposed to a day to day thing. Plus, there is so much to it that many people are trying to enjoy it nearer a meal time, hence having it at lunchtime. I struggle if I have ‘afternoon tea’ at 5 or 6pm as I get so full then, but at about 9 or 10pm I’m hungry for my supper and that’s really quite late! I’m so glad you enjoyed the tea at Cafe Konig. It sounds lovely!
This is such a great reference for anyone planning a trip to the UK. Cornish cream tea is my fave too although, I would never turn it down wherever it came from 😉 Tea at the Ritz is a whole other experience which every tea lover should enjoy at least once in their lives.
Thank you, Jayne. I do love a Cornish cream tea and I agree, tea at the Ritz is definitely an experience you won’t forget 🙂
This was so informative, April! I pinned it to me “Tea Time Treats: Pinterest board for future reference. I love coffee in the morning but I prefer tea at all other times of the day. I often wished that we had a tea time tradition in the states, just to make people slow down and relax. I think I’ll begin my own! I’ll be looking at your recipes next. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the post, Pat. Thank you for pinning! I think I am following you on Pinterest, but I will double check. I wish we celebrated afternoon tea more often here too, although perhaps not with all that food every time 😉 Taking the time out for a cup of tea and a small treat (or even just the tea!) is a wonderful tradition to establish, especially in these challenging times.
Nice post. I’ve had afternoon teas stateside, and have loved them!
Thank you so much, Jeanne!
This was so much fun to read, April. And now something makes a lot of sense. There is a tea parlor in Pinehurst, North Carolina that serves afternoon tea. Interestingly, the name is Lady Bedford’s but it never occurred to me why the name. Now I know. 🙂
Thank you so much, Angie! And what a fabulous name for a tea parlour!
Fun to see a post from Pinehurst here, I also live in NC (Durham) and there are several places here and in Chapel Hill that have lovely afternoon teas. The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill has an amazing afternoon tea menu, do check it out if you’re ever up this way!
The Carolina Inn sounds lovely! 🙂 Maybe you could meet up! I have really enjoyed meeting some of my blogging friends in real life over the years 🙂
So very interesting! I had no idea, but I enjoyed reading about it all. My husband says he thinks he likes the idea of high tea.
Thank you, Alexandra. High tea is definitely more hearty food than afternoon tea – and very delicious in its own right! I always find it funny thought that “high tea” is actually not “posh” at all – yet plain sounding “afternoon tea” is considered “posh” and nothing but plain! 😂
APRIL,
I love this post! I have visited Scotland and England many times but I never knew this about tea. I always thought High Tea was the multiple tiered tea with the sweets, scones, etc.
I have to be honest, I have never warmed to clotted cream.The sandwich fingers and the sweets are my favorite.
Have a wonderful week April!
Thank you so much, Elizabeth! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post.
Clotted cream is definitely an acquired taste. It took me a while to become accustomed to it but now I love it.
However, for those who do not enjoy clotted cream, I have been known to serve just a little dollop of from scratch (made with whipping or heavy/double cream) whipped cream with the scones instead. You can spread it on the scones first and then put jam on top, or spread jam on the scones and then put a little dollop of whipped cream on top. The flavour is a little lighter than clotted cream. It’s not traditional or authentic but it really does work well. 😂
I hope you are having a wonderful week too, Elizabeth!
Hello from the other side of the pond. I am so happy to find your web site and especially enjoyed saving your traditional recipes to add to my collection – and make soon!
I have been scouring the Internet for years to collect old fashioned Victoria Sponge and heirloom chutney / jam recipes. Did either of your grandmothers have a recipe? Is it too greedy to request a post?
Thanks very much for helping me off to a good start. I am very much looking forward to more great recipes! Julie @ Upstate NY
Hello Julie,
Thank you so much for reaching out! I’m so glad you are enjoying my recipes.
I have yet to post my Grandma’s Victoria Sponge recipe and I am just starting to delve more deeply into the chutney and jam recipes in my family collection but I will be sharing more soon. I will prioritise the Victoria Sponge!
It is definitely not greedy to request a post. It really helps me to plan content when I know what readers are looking for. Thank you!
With very best wishes,
April