As always I was looking forward to having afternoon tea, but this particular day was cold and rainy, so the first thing we noticed about The Feathers was its lovely warmth. It was cosy, comfortable and welcoming. Absolute bliss.

I liked the decor too. It was traditional with a contemporary twist with colourful and cheering art. We also glimpsed the famous gin bar with its astonishing 200-plus brands of gin.

Our table in the restaurant was laid with very attractive delicate silver cutlery and we were served by a charming waitress who saw to our every need.

The tea selection was from a firm called Jing. There were plenty of varieties on offer but I had an Assam blend and my friend chose Darjeeling, both brewed for a long time, perhaps too long, while we enjoyed a glass of Laurent Perrier champagne.

The cake stand was a work of art in itself and beautifully crafted, certainly the best presentation I have come across.

The teatime food selection was also tip top, perfect sandwiches served on brown and white bread with quality ingredients: Oxfordshire mature cheddar and homemade pickle, cold smoked salmon with black pepper creme fraiche and watercress, ham and tomato. The cake selection was also great – melt in the mouth and a joy to eat – and there was such a wide selection I had to ask the chef to write it all down.

This is what we had: Lemon drizzle with raspberry gel; a chocolate brownie with salted chicory mousse; pistachio cake with passion fruit gel; apple caramel and tongue bean cheesecake; macaroons with blueberry gel; coconut macaroons with a lemon gel; a chocolate truffle and a mango pate de fruit.

And without exception they all tasted incredible, each mouthful a triumphant delight. A lot of thought, passion and care went into creating this gloriously awesome tea table and we were massively impressed.

If I had to criticise anything I would say the scones – even though they came straight from the oven and were delicious – were a teeny tiny bit floury, but that is being very picky.

All in all I loved it. A highly memorable afternoon and one to be highly recommended.

* Tea at The Feathers is served between 3 and 6pm. The Laurent Perrier tea was £27.50, traditional teas cost £18 and the cream tea is £9.25
* The Feathers, 16-20 Market St, Woodstock. 01993 812291

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