You don’t have to have a reason to go for afternoon tea, but next week is Afternoon Tea Week (August 10 to August 16) so we might as well celebrate the occasion, right? Anna Maria Russell, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, created and introduced afternoon tea sessions in England in the 1840s as a way to cure hunger pangs experienced at midday. Take a seat on the outdoor terrace where you can soak up the atmosphere of the abbey while enjoying your meal or afternoon tea. The café offers hot and cold lunches, children's sandwiches, afternoon cakes and hot and cold drinks. English Heritage membership allows every member to take up to six children under the age of 18 within the family group into any of the English Heritage properties at no extra charge.