Tea at Downton Abbey

Have you noticed that they never show anyone having afternoon tea at Downton Abbey?  You see one of the Crawley's asking Carter to bring tea when a guest arrives, and there are some afternoon visits with Violet where tea is served, but you don't get the impression that food is included. 

Lunch on the lawn at the back up estate.

But then again, we get very little story line that is about their day to day activities. When someone asks Mary what she will do if she goes to America to escape the scandal with the Turkish diplomat, she replies, "The same as I do here, pay calls and receive guests", or something to that effect. You get the impression that before and after the war the Crawleys live basically useless lives.  It's only through the downstairs staff that you get the impression of any one's day to day activities.

In England, afternoon tea was meant to stave off hunger between lunch and dinner. Dinner was served about 8:00 pm and lunch anytime from noon through 1:00 pm so afternoon tea developed in the 1840's as a snack between meals.  At first it was just tea and bread and butter. I would liken it to the after school snack mother's feed their children today.

  "The difference between a formal and an informal tea are the number of guests invited, the seating arrangements, and the menu", says Suzanne von Drachenfels.

Formal teas are given for large groups of people who are expected to stand while they consume tea and little nibbles that fit on the tea saucer. On occasion a formal tea may have an elaborate menu and then tea plates and forks are provided.  Formal teas are served at 4:00 pm and guests may stay until 6:00 pm but really are expected to stay just an hour. 

Informal teas are served between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm, meant for small intimate groups in comfortable settings. The food is similar to a formal tea, light nibbles.

High tea is not, as Americans like to stage it, a fancy formal meal.  In England high tea is served at 6:00 pm, is more like our cocktail hour with liquor being served as the main drink. The term high tea comes from the meal being served at a time " high" in the day. High tea includes cold meats, breads and other leftovers.  It is a meal for shopkeepers and laborers from England's industrial midlands who worked until 8:00 pm and then had supper.