A storytelling tea party where storytellers trace tea's journey from its global origins to its place at the heart of British identity.
A History of Tea is a storytelling tea party at Gladstone's Land on Sunday 1 November, starting at 2pm. The premise is simple: storytellers trace the history of tea while you drink several cups of it and eat sweet treats. It's one of those events that works because the thing you're talking about is the thing you're doing.
The storytelling follows tea's journey from its global origins to its place at the heart of British identity. The session leans on George Orwell's 1946 remark that 'Tea is one of the mainstays of civilisation in this country', and the conversation builds around that. It's not a lecture; it's a tea party where the stories happen over the cups.
The setting is part of the draw. Gladstone's Land is the house of the wealthy merchant and landlord Thomas Gledstanes, and it's one of the oldest buildings on the Royal Mile. It's a 17th-century high-rise that's been a commercial and social hub for more than 500 years, and it still holds hand-painted ceilings from 1620. The tea party sits among the specialist tours written and researched by experts in Scottish social history, so it's in good company.
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One practical thing to keep in mind: the tea party is held outside the house's general opening hours, which means National Trust for Scotland members don't get free admission for this one. Tickets are £10 to £15, and it kicks off at 2pm on 1 November at 477b Lawnmarket in the Old Town.
