Afternoon tea: most quintessential of English customs

Afternoon tea is widely thought to have been introduced by Anna Russell (7th duchess of Bedford) c.1840. Tea rooms became all the rage in the late 1800s, rapidly becoming the hottest place in town for meeting friends and sharing the latest gossip. This was not least because they were considered one of the few respectable places for ladies to meet without a chaperone.

It’s incredible to think that today’s afternoon tea experiences can be traced back centuries. Early cake stands have been found dating back to as early as 1620 in Britain, and appear in 17th century paintings.

Heritage has designed and manufactured a huge range of beautifully crafted 3 tier cake stands over the past 40 years. One of the most iconic pieces of silverware, the afternoon tea stand provides a dramatic centre-piece to the great British ritual of afternoon tea. Whether modern, minimalist, romantic or ornate, these striking tea stands have the capacity to titillate and excite any diner as they near the table, loaded with delicious treats!

Heritage is privileged to supply some of the top establishments with afternoon tea tablewareincluding The Ritz, The Dorchester, Firmdale and many others. We are specialists in the manufacture of afternoon tea stands in silver plate and stainless steel.

One of the newest iconic luxury hotels we are proud to work with is the Tamburlaine hotel in Cambridge. The Tamburlaine has a beautiful Garden Room where the food is delicious and the afternoon tea a delight. Tamburlaine were kind enough to mention us on their blog recently: They said of Heritage: “we get a lot of comments on is our absolutely stunning tableware. From plates, to cups and saucers, to cutlery and afternoon tea stands, our wonderful supplier, Heritage Collection, ensure that we have nothing but the best to suit our lovely guests.”

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