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Tea and History
Tea is being served at Oatlands: There are no statistics available that would give even a ballpark estimate of how many people have fantasized about being invited to dine at a bona fide mansion. Anyone who knows human nature, however, would not hesitate to say there are quite a few.
Imagine driving through a stone-pillared gate, down a tree-lined drive that is at least one-quarter of a mile long, nothing visible on either side other than rolling green pastures and woodlands. Rounding a bend and seeing the two-story columns of a majestic, cream-colored mansion.
To the right, in quiet dignity, is a carriage house, larger than many homes, but built to house expensive horses and the equally expensive carriages they pulled.
Imagine riding in from a fox hunt, turning over your horse to a stable attendant who will remove the tack and groom the horse.
Relaxing with fellow riders in the foyer as servants serve a simple but elegant repast.
Silver and linen, scones and cream, tea and history.
This is not a figment of anyone's imagination. This is Oatlands, and because Oatlands is very real and because the now-defunct Oatlands Tea Association decided to bring a taste of this bygone lifestyle to the general public, a holiday tradition was born and has continued to grow and to thrive for eight years.
Oatlands is unique to the Northern Virginia area in that every foot of the carefully maintained 360-acre estate is protected by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The caretakers of its history and its elegance are also committed to making this piece of history as much a part of the lives of today's population is it was to the lives of those who were around when it was formed in 1798.
Joanne Phillips is the visitor services and tea coordinator at Oatlands. Phillips said the teas started about eight years ago, courtesy of the OTA. The first year, she said, was more or less a trial to see if the public would be receptive.
The public was very receptive, and each year the numbers have grown. Today, Phillips said, there are about 75 people at each sitting. In fact, Oatlands' Web site indicates that, as of the second week in November, the Dec. 7 Teddy Bear Tea, the Dec. 14 Nutcracker Tea, and the Dec. 21 Winter Wonderland Tea already were sold out.
“We serve sandwiches and sweets, scones with clotted cream, dessert and Oatlands' afternoon tea blend,” Phillips said.
Phillips explained that the Oatlands Tea Association, a group made up entirely of volunteers, had sampled and tried many different blends before they found one that they thought would be a good blend to have as Oatlands' signature tea. As it turns out, this blend comes from Boothbay Harbor, Maine.
“The tea is served by volunteers and they donate gratuities to the beautification of Oatlands,” Phillips said.
Patrons, Phillips said, come from all over the country as well as from the Washington metropolitan area.
Oatlands has a Christmas theme, a different one for every year. This year, Phillips said, it is A Celebration of Christmas Past. Decorations will be in the Victorian style of the late 1880s.
Phillips said the ornaments on the trees in the carriage house – but not those in the mansion itself -- will be for sale in the gift shop. There will be several Christmas trees in the carriage house, Phillips said. One already on display is decorated in all red and green, and a second is done in gold and white.
One of the best offerings, Phillips said, is the gingerbread.
“We plan to serve the gingerbread made the way Kate Carter, mistress of Oatlands from 1863 to 1898, made it,” Phillips said. “We have her cookbook.”
The rich-for-a-day experiences does not have to stop at the Carriage House. Tea patrons are encouraged to take advantage of the tours of the mansion as well.
Kirsten Edwards, curator of collections and education at Oatlands, outlined the process that went into the Christmas decorations.
“We have the childhood memories of Grace Carter, recorded from that time, and so we’re trying to recreate that time, her memories of what happened in that house,” Edwards said.
Grace, Edwards explained, was the daughter of the second George Carter and his wife, Kate.
Their style, Edwards said, was early Victorian.
The first three Sundays in December, there will be costumed guides doing a first-person interpretation as they lead visitors through the house, Edwards said.
“Grace wrote about decorating the trees with paper chains and popcorn string,” Edwards said. “There was holly and mistletoe all throughout the house, on pictures and around doorways. It was very simple, and natural, but very festive.”
Contact the writer at ecarlton@timespapers.com
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