Gorgeous stately home's new luxury afternoon tea is a real treat

Inspired by Edward Lear’s poem The Owl and the Pussycat, which was famously penned and illustrated by the writer while he was staying at the iconic stately home in the 1860s, the signature afternoon tea features the charming characters and whimsical adventures from the children’s poem.

There are runcible scones brushed with honey from the grounds and cocktails that take their names from some of Edward Lear’s creations – The Light of the Moon, The Jumblies and Nonsense Negroni.

The afternoon tea was inspired by Edward Lear's The Owl and the Pussy Cat

All the ingredients for the afternoon tea are sourced from Knowsley Estate’s farms and private gardens with guests enjoying live music before being taken to their table.

They’ve been curated by in-house chef Alex Makin and he’s worked some magic with the menu.

Every element of every part of the afternoon tea was exceptional – from the light and crisp pastry of the cheese and caramelised onion tart served with Parma ham to the lemon and raspberry macaron trifle to the sweet and savoury scones – light and fluffy and moorish - that come with a choice of three jams and compotes, two types of cream and the estate honey.

Before the arrival of the afternoon tea, which is a wow moment in itself, guests are invited to create their own personal cocktail or mocktail using Knowsley’s Hall Walled Garden Gin as a base and add their own tea-based tincture with strawberry and watermelon, sour cherry, lychee and rose, and honey, apricot and vanilla to choose from.

Guests can create their own gins and cocktails

The savoury items on the menu include rare roast beef, creamy horseradish sauce and heritage tomato on a mini brioche bun and smoked salmon and dill crème fraiche with tomato ice cream cone with the sweet pastries and cakes – caramel doughnuts, mini tea loaf and white chocolate blondie – providing the perfect way to round off the experience.

And it all takes place in the opulent stucco ballroom in the heart of Knowsley Hall.

Michael Hamilton, general manager at Knowsley Hall, said: “We are delighted to be introducing our Luxury Signature Afternoon Tea of which we are incredibly proud.

“We wanted to create a unique experience that pays homage to our incredible history, in a beautifully whimsical manner that would leave guests truly wowed.

“We promise guests a beautifully thought-out, deliciously fresh menu to be enjoyed amidst the grandeur of Knowsley Hall.

“Here, they will be transported to a world of elegance and refinement and can look forward to the warm hospitality and impeccable service expected of one of the region’s finest stately homes.”

The luxury signature afternoon tea takes place in the stucco ballroom

Knowsley Hall has been in the Stanley family - the Earls of Derby - since 1385 and it is currently home to the 19th Earl and Countess of Derby.

The building was open briefly after the Second World War and one half of the hall was rented to Merseyside Police for 30 years until 1997.

Since then, the present Earl and Countess of Derby have made it their home and their life’s work to restore the hall to its former glory, with the first phase of restoration being completed in 1999.

Knowsley Hal , which hosts weddings, award ceremonies and conferences as well as masquerade balls and murder mystery nights, has appeared in television shows such as Peaky Blinders, Coronation Street and the Ipcress Files.

The new luxury signature afternoon tea, which costs £60 per person, is available from October 19.

Click here for more information.