English Breakfast or Darjeeling? Warm scone or slice of lemon drizzle?
 
England is home to some wonderful venues serving exquisite Afternoon Teas for spontaneous or special occasions.
 
To help you find that perfect Afternoon Tea, and to celebrate National Afternoon Tea Week, which takes place 14 – 20 August 2017, we’ve handpicked 10 tempting tea rooms close to our holiday cottages.
 
So sit back with a cup of your favourite brew as we recommend the places that do best what Brits do best – tea and cake.
 
Note: Some places require that you book ahead for Afternoon Tea, so do make sure to check beforehand.
 
Happy tea drinking!

1 Bumble and Bee, Exmouth, Devon

© Bumble and Bee

You’ll find tempting tea rooms all over the South West but Devon has some of the finest. Nestling in the beautiful Manor Gardens, and just off the beach, Bumble and Bee is a welcoming gem of naughtiness – boasting a huge selection of cakes. Get stuck into creme egg brownies, homemade fluffy pancakes and award-winning scones with exactly the right amount of crumble, flavour and Devonshire clotted cream. With a quirky interior, arty sketches on the walls and great proper coffee to boot, Bumble and Bee also serves beautiful breakfasts and delicious lunches.
Find out more: Manor Gardens, Exmouth EX8 1BB; bumbleandbee.co.uk
Where to stay nearby: Our East Devon cottages are within a 10 to 16 mile drive.

2 badgers @ The Old Village Bakery, Alfriston, East Sussex

 
With an attractive flower-filled walled garden, stylish layout, mouthwatering cakes, old style crockery and friendly service, badgers @ The Old Village Bakery certainly has the essence of a proper tearoom. The building itself is over 500 years old and has been transformed from a bakery that served the village for over 200 years. Their traditional Afternoon Tea is a treat for any occasion: finger sandwiches, a fresh scone with Devon clotted cream and strawberry jam, a slice of homemade cake and a pot of tea served in a silver plate tea pot and Royal Albert bone china teacup. Priced at £13.95 per head.
Find out more: North St, Alfriston, BN26 5UG; www.badgersteahouse.com
Where to stay nearby: 20 minutes’ drive from our Beechcroft cottages.

3 The Polly Tea Rooms, Marlborough, Wilts

Opened in 1912 by one of the original suffragettes, The Polly Tea Rooms have been a favourite of many, including Sir John Betjeman on his annual visit to Cornwall. One can still enjoy the same blueberry muffins as those Kate Middleton looked forward to every Wednesday afternoon with her friends at Marlborough College. The fine cakes are still handmade using traditional skills without machines. Enjoy a simple toasted teacake for £2.75, afternoon tea with Prosecco for £8.25, or the sumptuous Prosecco High Tea for two for £47.95.
Find out more: 27 High St, Marlborough SN8 1LW; thepollytearooms.co.uk
Where to stay nearby: Discover these tempting tea rooms with a stay Stable Cottage and The Old Chapel both within a 15-30 minute drive.

4 Old Station Tea Rooms, Holmsley, Hants

 
Discover this delightful sympathetically restored train station during a busy day’s cycling or walking in the New Forest. Sit outside on the restored platform looking over the beautiful forest while enjoying some delectable treats, ranging from a healthy lunch menu to an irresistible Afternoon Tea – their cake counter is a joy to behold. There is also a delicious supper menu. Well-known for its cream teas from £5.50 per head, or plump for a full Afternoon Tea at £13.75.
Find out more: Station Rd, Holmsley BH24 4HY; stationhouseholmsley.com
Where to stay nearby: Phoebe’s Cottage and Longhouse Cottage are ideal for discovering tempting tea rooms AND exploring the New Forest.

5 Kelmscott Manor, Lechlade, Cotswolds

 
You can delight in a cream tea or sip a delicate speciality blend in virtually every town and village in the Cotswolds. Sixteenth-century Kelmscott Manor lies just around the corner from the Thames, and is a perfect place to take tea. The manor’s tearoom is located in an attractive old barn, accessible at ground-floor level, and offers a full Afternoon Tea service. Their cream teas are rated highly recommended by independent CreamTeaReview.com. If the weather is good, enjoy your tea on the tranquil tea lawn alongside the picturesque stream that runs throughout the grounds.
Find out more: Kelmscott, Lechlade, Gloucestershire GL7 3HJ; sal.org.uk/kelmscott-manor
Where to stay nearby: Approximately half an hour’s drive from our Cotswolds Holiday Cottages.

6 Tiny Tim’s Tearoom, Canterbury, Kent

 
A bit of a Canterbury institution, Tiny Tim’s is a charming English tearoom, with palm-court style décor and occasional live piano music. Highly recommended by CreamTeaReview.com, try the cream tea (£7.95) with two enormous warm home-baked scones and lashings of clotted cream and jam or indulge in their traditional Afternoon Tea (£18.50) with freshly prepared sandwiches, scones and handmade pastries. They also serve delicious breakfasts and light lunches. It’s a great place to rest your feet after a day of poking around the old city haunts.
Find out more: 34 St Margaret’s Street, Canterbury, Kent CT1 2TG; tinytimstearoom.co.uk
Where to stay nearby: Manor Farmhouse and Yew Tree are well positioned for exploring the delights of Canterbury and its tempting tea rooms.

7 the tenth hole, Southsea, Hants

 
Opened in 1914 this buzzing little tearoom, a stone’s throw from Southsea seafront, adjoins a 9-hole golf course. It offers great breakfasts and a mouthwatering range of cakes both large and small. There are high chairs for kids and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating – they even provide blankets and hot water bottles for those sunny but chilly days. Great staff make the tenth hole a Southsea institution. Why not tuck into a High Tea (£12 per person), served from 2pm every day?
Find out more: Eastern Parade, Southsea PO4 9RF; thetenthhole.co.uk
Where to stay nearby: Coach House, Gosport.

8 The Dwelling House, Fowey, Cornwall

 
With eclectic décor, wonderful service and fantastic food, The Dwelling House is a little slice of bygone Britain. Perfect for Afternoon Tea, the amazing array of cakes, teacakes and scones are freshly cooked in the homely kitchen and served on vintage crockery in the quirky tearooms. The hardest part is deciding what to choose…
Find out more: 6 Fore Street, Fowey PL23 1AQ; thedwellinghouse.co.uk
Where to stay nearby: Just 30 minutes’ drive from our farm cottages near Liskeard.

9 Grand Café, Southampton

 
Embrace Southampton’s history at its grandest hotel and ballroom, used by first class passengers of the Titanic (while keeping your feet firmly on terra firma). Grand Café mixes a décor of French Renaissance and the 21st century. Their Afternoon Tea boasts a range of teas from all around the world, with freshly cut sandwiches, scones, cupcakes, seasonal fruit and the chef’s petit fours of the day. Priced at £17.50 per head, or £24.50 if you fancy a glass of Champagne to wash it all down with.
Find out more: South Western House, Southampton SO14 3AS; grandcafe.co.uk
Where to stay nearby: Just 20 minutes’ drive from Phoebe’s Cottage.

10 Lady Berwick’s, Attingham Park, Shrops

 
Based on the upper floors of the National Trust mansion house, this is the only tearoom in Shropshire devoted purely to Afternoon Teas. Relive the opulence of the 1920s and indulge in sandwiches, scones and cakes, all made in-house, often using produce from the kitchen garden. Sip their loose-leaf teas or coffee in beautiful relaxed surroundings more Hercule Poirot Art Deco than Miss Marple, whilst enjoying magnificent views over the park.
Find out more: Mile Walk, Shrewsbury SY4 4TW; nationaltrust.org.uk/features/lady-berwicks-attingham-park
Where to stay nearby: Just 20-30 minutes’ drive from our Shropshire holiday cottages.

Fruit Scones Recipe

 
Fruit scones are easy to make and delicious when cut in half and served with rich clotted cream and jam.
 
Ingredients
225g self-raising flour (add 15ml baking powder if plain flour is used)
50g sultanas
15 ml caster sugar
2.5ml salt
25-50g butter
1 egg
15-30ml fresh milk
(Makes 10-12 scones)
 
Method
Sift flour, sugar and salt into a bowl, add sultanas, and rub in the butter. Create a well in the centre and slowly stir in the beaten egg and sufficient milk to achieve a soft dough. Turn this onto a floured board and knead lightly to get rid of any cracks. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 2cm. Cut into rounds with a pastry shape cutter (or use a knife to make triangles).
 
Place on a greased baking tray. Glaze the tops of the scones with milk, if desired. Bake on the top shelf of the oven at 230 C / gas mark 8 until brown and risen (approx 8-10 minutes). Leave to cool on a rack. Serve with jam, clotted cream and tea.