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'Tea?'
'Yes, your lordship'
'Oh?'said Lord Emsworth. 'Ah? Tea, eh? Tea? Yes. Tea. Quite so. To be sure, tea. Capital.'
One gathered from his remarks that he realized that the tea-hour had arrived and was glad of it.
Summer Lightening - P.G.Wodehouse
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Chiddingstone Castle, Kent - Sunday, 23rd June 2013
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Tea Takers
Sarah Ryan
Sarah Taylor
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Chiddingstone Castle near Edenbridge, in Kent, is only half an hour's drive away from Mayfield, but is one of the many local places of interest that we have thus far failed to visit in our time living here. It turned out to be a fabulous find, when I finally got here today, joined for this tea by the lovely Sarah Taylor, of whom more anon.
Situated in idyllic rolling countryside in the upper valley of the Medway, the castle has a very English quirky history, where little turns out quite as planned. Older tudor buildings were replaced by a Seventeeth Century mansion, and then in turn a Nineteenth Century owner decreed that he would rebuild it in the style of a Medieval castle. The ambitious project was never entirely completed due to lack of funds, but it is a glorious example of retrospective styling, and an extremely charming house.
After stints as a military base and a school (no doubt very similar establishments) it was bought in the 1950s by an intriguing antiquarian bank clerk, Denys Eyre Bower, who housed his varied and unusual collections here. He led an unusual life and after two divorces fell for the daughter of a Peckham bus driver who deceived him into thinking she was a Comptesse. In true melodramatic style he ended up shooting both her and himself (neither fatally) and then was imprisoned for attempted murder and attempted suicide. He was eventually cleared of the charges and left the castle and his collections 'to the nation', although, with seemingly inevitable pathos, the National Trust declined to take it on citing lack of sufficient funds.
Now it is a popular local attraction but still has a very attractive eccentricity, and is a very fine place for a stroll and tea.
Sarah highlights a sign that asks a very important question for us all...
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Tea with Mrs T
Sarah has been a fabulous colleague during my time at Mayfield. Excitingly for her, she is moving on to new opportunities in London, but we shall miss her terribly. She has been the most efficient, thoughtful, imaginative, sane and funny of colleagues, so it was lovely to have the chance to have tea with her to celebrate, albeit belatedly, her birthday, to say goodbye and also thank you.
She is exceedingly good company and proved a very astute co-tea-critic.
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We both loved the setting, the house itself and the attractive eclectically furnished tea room. Waitress service was unobtrusive, to the point of having to stick my head through the curtain to the kitchen to get the teapot refilled, but was friendly with quick provision of the comestibles.
Especially to our liking was the fact that all the scones were plain. The china was charming, the cream copious and the conserve commendable. The only flaw was the butter being in little catering wrapped pats, but we will brush over that and try not to think too ill of them.
Simply, all very enjoyable.
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Thirteenth Tea - Thirteenth Year
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Sarah eyed-up the dog statues on either side of the door, but I think that slipping them into her handbag was a project unlikely to succeed.
It was a very British summer Sunday afternoon. The sun tried to shine from time to time, but without obvious success. We set off for a wander in the gardens and found the old Orangery (now often use as a setting for plays and other performances), but then the drizzle descended again and we headed for the car park, with its very pleasing payment system
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