It was perfect weather for sitting in the sun and enjoying a cream tea and so I headed off to New Romney in search of a good home-made scone to slather jam and clotted cream on and wash down with a pot of loose-leaf tea.
New Romney is a historic market town on the edge of Romney Marsh in south-east Kent, despite its name, it has a long and illustrious history, having been a busy port town during medieval times. Today, the towns fortunes have changed, and it lies over a mile inland due to centuries of silting and sea retreat. No longer a port town, it is now a charming town with a quaint high street, heritage railway. As I wandered along the high street I was captivated by the cobblers, aptly named, ‘The Shoemenders’ which has been a fixture in New Romney since 1975, but occupies a 500-year-old building. There are plenty of independent shops and whilst the big chains such as Costa have taken up residency in the town, such businesses do not monopolise this town which is still very traditional and unique.
My search for a cream tea was over, when I stumbled across Deblyns. Not only did I find a delicious fluffy scone and a delicious pot of Earl Grey tea served in vintage China, but I found a warm welcome from the staff who were very accommodating of my three-year-old companion, Quinn and his need for hot buttered toast.
Deblyns tearoom is an historic café establishment operating from a grade II listed building in New Romney. The interior of the tearoom could very easily feature on a period drama and I almost expected to see Miss Marple taking tea. Dark would dressers, vintage tea sets and home-made cakes are pretty much Deblyns in a nutshell. The small coffee parlour is cosy for a cup of coffee and a cake, whilst the pretty courtyard is a real suntrap in good weather and is ideal for children and those visiting with dogs. I sat in the courtyard garden to enjoy a lovely cream tea and was delighted to find loose leaf tea, that allowed me to indulge in a spot of tea leaf reading, well I have written a book on the subject! The food and drink were all freshly prepared and it was evident that the owners and staff really care about hospitality, and this did not mean inflated prices, indeed I found them to be very reasonable, with a cream tea, local apple juice and toast amounting to a bill of £10.50.
Sat in the tranquillity and sunshine of Deblyns courtyard, I concluded that New Romney is one of England’s lesser known but captivating corners.
