Join Us For Afternoon Tea at the Williamsburg Inn!

“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.” ― Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

As a self-professed “coffee addict,” I knew very little about tea, and much less of celebrating the event, and the art, of afternoon tea. That is, until I was introduced to it at the Williamsburg Inn.

Long before Downton Abbey made teatime all formal and fashionable, sipping a cup of afternoon tea was quite the pop culture back in the day.

Tea had long been known and used in Asia before it was introduced into Europe in the early part of the 17th century. For a time, it was esteemed mainly for its therapeutic powers as a means of improving and maintaining health through diet.

By the end of the 17th century, however, tea’s healing qualities had become secondary to its popularity as a unique drink. Tea, along with the other exotic imports from Asia, such as porcelains, silks and painted wallpapers, had captured the European imagination.

Though the beverage was served in coffee houses, social afternoon tea drinking in the home was gradually coming into favor.

Tea drinking would take place in the hall, the center of the Victorian home. Invitations to tea were issued verbally or by a small informal note or card. As far as the appropriate time to serve afternoon tea, in 1884, Marie Bayard advised in Hints on Etiquette that “the proper time….is from four to seven.” Guests were not expected to stay for the entire time that tea was going on, but to come and go as they pleased during the allotted hours.

Afternoon tea, according to Marie Bayard, was “not supposed to be a substantial meal, merely a light refreshment. Cakes, thin bread and butter, and hot buttered scones, muffins or toast are all the accompaniments strictly necessary.” Neat, crustless sandwiches were a particularly useful teatime food because they could be eaten without the risk of soiling gloves and other articles of clothing.

The Williamsburg Inn is proud to continue the practice by offering elegant afternoon teas, which began April 7, and will continue every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 3:00 p.m. (Afternoon teas will take place daily during the month of December.)

The Inn uses the finest, all-natural loose leaf teas from Mighty Leaf, with eight to nine varieties of teas to choose from, such as Chamomile Citron and Leaves of Provence, both of which produce a heavenly scent!

Loose tea is not ground as fine as the tea in tea bags, as it has more room to circulate in the pot. The finer the tea is ground, the more bitter the tannin that is released. The Inn uses a tea strainer to avoid getting tea leaves in your cup.

Other beverages offered with tea are a glass of champagne or sparkling apple cider.

Prepare to sample a delicious array of freshly baked blueberry scones, classic tea sandwiches and Chef’s pastry selection, including their famous chocolate truffles.

I can’t think of a better way to spend a relaxing afternoon after touring all that Colonial Williamsburg has to offer.

I am now prepared to put my coffee cup down.

Reservations for Afternoon Tea at the Williamsburg Inn are currently being accepted through Open Table. The price is $39.99 per person.

Thank you to Lael White for the great photos.

New Blogger: Sheri Wood

Sheri Wood is the Communications Coordinator for the social media team. She has been with the Foundation since 2015 and began working at Colonial Williamsburg as a Conference Concierge. Sheri is very excited in her new role where she says she is learning something new every day.

Sheri and her husband Jeff live in Sandston, Virginia with their two cats, Sophie and Cali. They have two grown children (Jessica and Brandon), plus two granddaughters, Lilyann and Gracelyn.

Suggested Readings

Roth, Rodris (1961). Tea Drinking in the 18^th-century America: Its Etiquette and Equipage. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution.

Pettigrew, Jane (2001). A Social History of Tea. First published in Great Britain in 2001 by National Trust Enterprises, Ltd., London, England.

Hohenegger, Beatrice (2009). Steeped in History. The Art of Tea., Los Angeles, CA: Fowler Museum of UCLA.