Before leaving for the UK for Easter I booked Afternoon Tea for my parents and me at an English country hotel. I was curious to revisit this hall, which had been a ruin on a favourite spring walk in my childhood. Some years ago it was renovated and transformed into a luxury hotel and spa centre.
When we were shown into the Hall I gasped…
This was the view from my sofa, while my parents had two large armchairs next to me by the fireplace.
For fear of disturbing other guests I didn’t take many photos. But the memory will stay. It was amazing!
Kings and Queens looked on as we were served with our afternoon tea.
And that was amazing too…
… tiny sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream, miniature cakes, and delicate pastries…
… and the surrounding countryside is so English too. The word pastoral comes to mind.
(Note the croquet lawn in the foreground!)
I felt like a foreign tourist!
Words and Herbs 
These photos are stunning..thanks for sharing 🙂
It was a remarkable afternoon! Thanks for stopping by Lenise.
Rich in character. Thanks for sharing this!
It certainly was an impressive place!
How beautiful! It is a dream of mine to visit England and stay in a place like this! Thanks for posting!
Hope you get there one day! 😉
How beautiful! A wonderful restoration effort. The lunch looks delightful.
I’m not sure what was the best part – the building or the tea! 🙂
That looks utterly delightful!
Absolutely! 🙂
An impressive setting. We must have had the same thought: it’s definitely high time we made more a thing of tea-time!
I was thinking the same when I read your post! LOL!
Great minds think alike! (Fools would never think of delicate little raspberry tarts, after all.)
How wonderful to see the Mysterious Ruin from your childhood transformed like this…
We’ve no tradition of Tea here in the States (sadly) and it’s always fascinated me.
It is a tradition that I’m happy to see is coming back into fashion. Perhaps it will reach the States soon! (Or try it at home! 🙂 )
Intrigued to know where you were Cathy ~ an absolutely beautiful view.
The hall is called Fawsley Hall: http://www.fawsleyhall.com/
I think the Northamptonshire countryside is so pretty, and so typically English. This area is lovely, especially at bluebell time! 😀
Thanks Cathy. Will look out for it if we are ever that way.
This looks fascinating! Like a place from out of time and soooo English. I like the idea of having Tea in this hall and the cakes look so delicious!
It was a little surreal at first, but so welcoming and cosy, and professional too. Great pastries! 😉
Faszinierend. Der Blick wandert hoch die Wände, zur Decke, kommt zurück, verweilt bei den süssen und herzhaften Kleinigkeiten … und braucht eine Weile, um zum Boden des Croquetfeldes zu finden. Selbst dort sind die Tore höher als mir vom deutschen Kinderspiel her bekannt. Alles erhebend – erhaben – eben pastoral.
Thanks for your lovely words Herbstbaum. 🙂
There’s nothing like being a tourist in the land you grew up in, which deep down always remains “home”.
Yes, an odd feeling. Yet somehow liberating. Sounds like you are talking from experience…?
I’ve lived in Texas a lot longer than the New York that I grew up in, and though I don’t often visit New York, when I do there’s always some element of “home” about it. The place where we were formed remains special.
It certainly does Steve.