I’ve had many a memorable afternoon tea over the years, but none as entertaining and educational as a recent tea at Cliveden House, thanks to an invite from Iconic Hotels Collection’s Lisa Lernoux-Dock.

Did you know that the 7^th Duchess of Bedford is widely thought to have invented the afternoon tea back in the 1800s? Feeling a bit peckish in the afternoon, she ordered a pot of tea and some bread and butter to sustain her until the evening meal, thus the very British tradition of afternoon tea was born. Although it’s become a much more elaborate affair since then.

This was just one of the fascinating nuggets of information I picked up during tea at Cliveden, thanks to our hostess Lynne Hanley at Beyond the Palette, an art historian with a love of stories and drama.

Our small group, featuring several event agency buyers and media, were the guinea pigs for a potentially budding new partnership between Lynne and Cliveden, with Lynne working closely with the chef to create a fun and delicious afternoon sipping Champagne accompanied treats and stories, with artistic touches, hidden portraits and a surprise visitor.

After setting the scene on the terrace on a beautiful sunny day overlooking Cliveden’s glorious grounds, Lisa handed over to Lynne who led us to the property’s stunning French Dining Room to take a seat at the actual table where iconic figures from John F Kennedy to Churchill and many royal and famous figures have previously dined.

We learned how William Waldorf Astor remodelled many of the rooms within the house when he bought it, and that while in 1897 when in Paris, he purchased the French Dining Room from the Chateau d’Asnieres, which exactly matched the size of the dining room at Cliveden. Rather than simply copy the design, he moved it panel by panel to Cliveden and rebuilt the room.

I knew that the sandwich was something to do with the Earl of Sandwich, but that was as far as my knowledge extended. Lynne shared that the story goes that he was playing cards and did not want to leave the gaming table so asked for a serving of roast beef to be placed between two slices of bread so he could eat with his hands.

We enjoyed roast beef sandwiches, and of course the iconic cucumber sandwich (popular with the upper classes as cucumbers were a sign of wealth back then and featured in many great works of art), along with a mocktail dedicated to the earl, and biscuits decorated with some of Cliveden’s famous figures over the years.

Of course, scones were on the menu (I was thrilled that the chef agreed that it should be cream first then jam, despite most of the guests insisting on jam first), along with some sweet treats, and while learning about Nancy Astor, the first woman seated as a member of British Parliament, we received a surprise visit and speech from Winston Churchill (an actor of course, but very convincing nonetheless).

It was a wonderful, whimsical afternoon, and would work perfectly for team rewards or treats, and especially international groups, with plenty of opportunities to weave in more famous figures to join guests in the afternoon tea ritual.