Afternoon Tea at The Governor's Mansion

The Governor's 1893 Mansion in Vermont

This is the fourth post in my series of touring Vermont.  (Please click on any picture to make them larger.)  I have lived in this state for 16 years and rarely stopped to look at the sights.  Starting in 2017, I made the effort to stop and visit some of the places that I see on my travels. This does not mean that I would need to spend money, but that I would take a few moments of rest and visit some of these places, instead of just rushing through life and never taking a scenic break.

The tour:  Afternoon Tea at The Governor's Mansion 

I had a great many appointments and meetings to attend all throughout last summer.  These were stressful at times and certainly tiring.  But we did our best to enjoy the drives and try to see the scenery along the way.

Sign for Afternoon Tea on the grounds of the Mansion in Vermont

One day I noticed an advertisement for Afternoon Tea at a lovely, historic bed- and- breakfast.  It was only 10 minutes away from a meeting we were to attend in that area.  I called to ask a few questions and then made a reservation to have a formal tea for two.  One of my grown daughters would be with me. I was told a simple tea with scone would cost $8.50 each.  This was an affordable treat that would be such a rare blessing!

Entryway with Coat-rack and umbrella stand

The grounds and the mansion were lovely and old fashioned. The architecture of the building was stunning.

The main entryway with fireplace

Once we stepped inside, the main entryway was very large and elegant. It had a formal fireplace and beautiful seating.  One could sit by the fire to get warm in winter.  Off to the side of this area were two large parlours.

The Cozy Tea Room

The hostess of the establishment led us into one of the main parlours. It is the tea room.  She let us look around and just enjoy the peaceful room as she went off to do her work. She told us to, "Stay as long as you would like."  It felt like all the stress of the day just went away as we enjoyed this restful place.

A Piano in the Parlour

There was a piano, with sheet music, in the room. An enormous library of assorted books was on the back wall.  There were cozy chairs with little tables of books, games of chess, and little dishes of wrapped candies.  It was the perfect room to visit and enjoy the company of others.  We happened to be there during the slow season, we were told, so there was only one other small party of two with us for afternoon tea that day. Each group at our own tables.  It made it extra quiet and restful for us.

The Tea Cart

A beautiful tea cart was already set up when we arrived.  This is where the hostess served from. I would love to have my own tea cart here at our home!

The ceremony of her serving and setting up the tea was lovely and such a treat.

She brought in a block of some kind of wood and placed the teapot on it, at our cozy little table.  She asked if we would like milk or lemon with our tea?  One of the party smiled and said, "I would like both."  The hostess was taken aback and gently chided with, "Oh, no. You never have both.  You have lemon or milk. But not both."   The party chose lemon.  I was incredibly amused!

Next she asked who would like to serve the tea?  From what I understand, it is an honor to be the one to serve.  My daughter chose to do this special task.

Our Tea Table in the Parlour

The hostess showed us how to set up a beautiful strainer on top of each tea cup. Then the tea was poured through this into the cup.  It was like a lovely ritual of serving a pleasant tea.

The tea was the most delicious I have ever had in my life. Any time we each wanted a bit more, my daughter graciously did her duty, using the strainer to pour more.  "Would you like more tea?" She would ask. It was wonderful!

The scones were served on a tray, along with jam and clotted cream.  We helped ourselves to each, by spooning some on our plates and then using a little knife to spread them on our scones.  They were incredibly delicious!  I could not believe I was enjoying such an elegant treat in such a beautiful place!

As we were getting ready to leave, I went back into the main entryway and took a picture of the staircase which led to the guest rooms.

Hallway and Staircase at the Mansion

I spotted a chalkboard on the wall. It had the breakfast menu for the guests to see.  It said:

"Breakfast
Fruit
Maple Crunch Oatmeal
Scrambled Eggs and Garlic Tomatoes
Scones and Jam"

Chalkboard with breakfast menu

The entire experience was inspiring.  It made me want to have formal teas at home, just for our own happiness with the family. It was relaxing and wonderful.

Thank you for having tea with me at the Governor's Mansion here in Vermont!


** My next stop will be a visit to The Vermont Country Store. We have an appointment in that area coming up soon.**


The First Tour was -  A Vermont Christmas Tree Farm.

The Second Tour was - The Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe Vermont.

The Third Tour was - King Arthur Flour in Norwich Vermont.


Blessings,
Mrs. White

From the Archives -

A Homemade Present for Grand-baby - Tea Napkins.

Humble Tea Time- The Importance of Formal Ceremony at Home.

Joyful and Peaceful Living - Simplicity of Old Fashioned Homemaking. 

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Find Home-keeping Inspiration, in Mrs.White's book -Mother's Book of Home Economics .  Paperback, 312 pages.