Where better to hold Cream Tea
Day than in the idyllic village
of Cockington
on
the outskirts of Torquay.
Commonly described as the
'prettiest village in England,'
it is without doubt one of the
photographed places in Devon.
The pink cottages, thatched
roofs and horse-drawn carriages
will transport you back through
the centuries, while the walk up
to the manor house through the
sweeping lawns is truly
inspirational.
Cream Tea Day
will take place in the grounds
of the estate, with the 14th
century manor house as a
stunning backdrop. Stalls will
be selling locally sourced
produce, as well as crafts and
gifts typical to the area, while
why not try your hand at some
quirky games associated with
traditional village fetes, many
with a cream tea flavoured
twist. Can you hook a scone or
indeed guess the weight of the
world's largest scone, baked
especially for the day?
Wander up
through the stalls and pause at
the food demonstration area and
learn how to make traditional
English fruit jams, before
tasting a range of delicious
flavoured teas. Of course, most
people will be heading for the
Cream Tea Tent to sample the
perfect cream tea provided by a
selection of local businesses.
The local
brass band will be providing the
soundtrack to the day, although
those with good hearing will be
drawn to the sound of mallets
striking wooden balls on the
traditional croquet lawn. Why
not try your hand at this most
English of pastimes, before
wandering into Cockington Court
itself and exploring the many
craft studies inside. Skilled
experts will be demonstrating
everything from pottery to
aromatherapy and woodwork to
calligraphy.
Behind the
Court House you will discover
the Rose Garden, further craft
studios including glass blowing,
an organic garden and a
children's play area. The nearby
Drum Inn serves a fantastic pint
of real ale, while no visit to
the 460 acre country park of
Cockington would be complete
without a visit to the
Blacksmith's forge, which dates
back to 14th century.
Aviva
Pearson, Director Of Tourism
said: "The whole ethos of Cream
Tea Day is to celebrate
traditions unique to the south
west. It is widely accepted that
cream teas originated in Devon
exactly 1000 years ago, so it's
certainly worth raising a cuppa
to that! It's also about local
heritage and showcasing quirky
English customs taking place in
the aptly named English Riviera.
"Devonshire
cream teas are famous across the
globe, although I know from
experience that nowhere has
successfully managed to
replicate this delicious local
delicacy. We want to invite
people from across the UK and
further afield to join locals in
celebration of the icon of
Englishness and best of all,
they are also very healthy.
Honestly!"
Cream Tea Day
is the flagship event of the
Cream Tea festival, which begins
with Fish and Chip Day on Friday
18 April. Saturday is Morris Day
in Paignton and a chance to
enjoy displays of traditional
Morris Dancing to a soundtrack
of folk music.
A rally of
Morris Minor cars will also be
held on Paignton Green.
This icon of
Englishness is celebrating its
60th birthday this year.
Coinciding with the Queen's Birthday and St. George's
Day, the Cream Tea Festival is a celebration of all
things English. From cricket to fish and chips and real
ale to Morris Dancing, the festival promises six days of
traditional merriment, all with a healthy dollop of
clotted cream on top!
having a
huge meeting of Morris Dancers, demonstrating this
traditional form of folk dancing. We will also be having
a huge rally of Morris Minor cars. This year, the Morris
Minor was voted as being the car that most sums up "what
it is to be British."