Afternoon Tea at Inglewood Manor

What I most love about afternoon tea about how such a quintessentially British tradition is basically an excuse to stuff our faces with tasty cakes. The sandwiches are cut so daintily that it feels instantly acceptable to eat six without taking a breath and when else can you have a bite out of all your favourite desserts at once?Set in the Cheshire countryside, Inglewood Manor is a beautiful Edwardian country house and the location of my sixth form Leaver’s Ball so going back years later was a little surreal to say the least. It would be a stunning place to enjoy afternoon tea in the summer – on warm days, sitting outside to enjoy the grounds is highly recommended – but on this occasion, we took our seats in the elegant dining room after enjoying a drink in the lounge.The sandwich selection was classic and delicious: smoked salmon with cucumber, cheese with red onion relish, ham with tomato and egg mayonnaise with cress. On a choice of soft white or malted brown bread, we tucked in with gusto. However, the cake selection was too tempting to ignore for long.

Opting for classic strawberry jam on my scone, I sliced it open to reveal the gently warm centre – spread with both jam and cream, it was such a treat! From then on, it was a slippery slope towards the chocolate eclairs, flavoured macaroons, shortbread and a mini Victoria sandwich – with the other girls picking a tempting looking lemon drizzle alternative.
Within a couple of hours, we were all completely satisfied – although stuffed may be a more appropriate word. All in all, for £14.95 afternoon tea at Inglewood Manor was a really lovely experience and one that I’d definitely recommend if you’re looking for a treat.

Where are your favourite places to visit for afternoon tea?

Laura x