Tea, the most important of English drinks, is a relative latecomer to British shores. Although the custom of drinking tea dates back to the third millennium BC in China, it was not until the mid 17 th century that tea first appeared in England. Afternoon tea was introduced in England by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, in the year 1840. The Duchess would become hungry around four o'clock in the afternoon. The evening meal in her household was served fashionably late at eight o'clock, thus leaving a long period of time between lunch and dinner. The Duchess asked her servant to bring a tray of tea, bread, butter and cake to her room during the late afternoon. This became a habit of hers and she began inviting friends to join her. This pause for tea became a fashionable social event. During the 1880's upper class and society women would change into long gowns , gloves and hats for their afternoon tea which was usually served in the drawing room between four and five o'clock. Traditional afternoon tea consists of a selection of dainty  sandwiches, scones served with cream and jams. Cakes and pastries  are also served. Tea grown in India or Ceylon is poured from silver teapots into delicate bone china cups. Nowadays, however, in the average suburban home, afternoon tea is likely to be just a biscuit or small cake and a mug of tea, usually produced using a teabag. Traditional afternoon tea is made up of    _   .
sandwiches, scones as well as cakes and pastries a biscuit or small cake and a mug of tea a tray of tea, bread, butter and cake a selection of dainty sandwiches