Devon claims, with reasonable historical grounding, to be the original home of the cream tea — and the village of Branscombe sits in the heart of cream-tea country. Within twenty minutes' drive of Hole Mill there are at least four properly excellent cream-tea destinations, each with its own character. This is the local's guide to where to go, what to expect, and the unresolved Devon-versus-Cornwall question of which goes on first.

What a proper Devon cream tea actually is

A traditional Devon cream tea is, deceptively, a small thing. It contains:

  • One or two warm scones — usually plain, sometimes a fruit version (raisin or sultana).
  • A pot of clotted cream — thick, yellow, faintly nutty, made by gentle heating of unpasteurised double cream.
  • A small jar of strawberry jam (occasionally raspberry).
  • A pot of hot tea — typically a strong English breakfast or assam blend.

The clotted cream is the defining ingredient. Properly made, it has a thick yellow crust on top (the "clotted" layer) and a soft cream beneath. The texture is closer to butter than to whipped cream. It is rich enough that you do not need much.

The standard preparation is: split the scone, spread cream on one half, jam on the other (or, if you are a Cornishman, the other way around). Eat with hot tea.

Devon vs. Cornwall — the cream-first or jam-first debate

The famously divisive question. The Devon convention is cream first, then jam on top — so the cream forms the base layer and the jam sits on top. The Cornish convention is the reverse — jam first, then cream.

There are arguments on both sides. The Devon school says cream-first lets the warmth of the scone soften the cream slightly, which is delicious. The Cornish school says jam-first means the jam doesn't slide off the cream, which is more practical.

In Branscombe, you will be served Devon-style by default at any of the local cream-tea places. If you ask for Cornish-style they will indulge you, possibly with a small sigh.

The best places for a cream tea near Branscombe

The Old Bakery (Branscombe village)

Distance from Hole Mill: half a mile, 10 minutes' walk.

The single most picturesque cream-tea destination within walking distance of Hole Mill. The Old Bakery is a thatched 16th-century building, owned by the National Trust, with a small tea garden and an interior tea room. It is famous for being the last working bakery in Britain to use a faggot-fuelled oven — though the oven is now ceremonial rather than commercial.

Cream teas are served in the garden in summer, in the tea room in winter. The scones are baked on the premises. National Trust members and non-members alike can buy a cream tea (the whole tea room is free entry; you only pay for the food).

Best for: the most atmospheric Devon cream tea you can have on foot from Hole Mill.

Otterton Mill (Otterton, near Budleigh Salterton)

Distance from Hole Mill: 18 miles, 35 minutes by car.

A working watermill on the River Otter, with a café in the old mill buildings and a small terrace overlooking the millpond. The bread and scones are baked on site daily — the scones are unusually large and excellent. Their cream tea has won regional awards in the past.

Otterton Mill is also a destination in its own right — the working mill, a small gallery, a bakery shop, and the start of the Otterton-to-Budleigh river walk where you can look for wild beavers (see our river beavers guide).

Best for: a destination cream tea with a walk attached.

The Dairy Shop (Sidmouth)

Distance from Hole Mill: 7 miles, 15 minutes by car.

A long-established Sidmouth tea room and dairy shop on the high street, in business since the early 20th century. Reliable, traditional cream tea using local clotted cream and homemade scones. Smaller and more old-fashioned than the National Trust places — which is the appeal.

Best for: a cream tea on the way back from Sidmouth.

The Seagrass Tearoom (Beer)

Distance from Hole Mill: 4 miles, 10 minutes by car.

A small independent tea room in Beer village, doing a good cream tea with sea views. Particularly good after a Branscombe-to-Beer coastal walk.

Best for: a post-walk cream tea in Beer.

The Seaton Tramway terminus café

Distance from Hole Mill: 5 miles, 15 minutes by car.

A pleasant if not extraordinary café at the Seaton Tramway terminus, doing decent cream teas with a railway-heritage ambience. Useful if you are doing the tramway and want lunch at one end.

Best for: combining with a tramway ride.

Cream teas you can have at Hole Mill

If you would rather not drive out for a cream tea, you can put together an excellent one yourself. Local sources for the ingredients:

  • Clotted cream: Roly's Fudge in Sidmouth and the Co-op in Beer both stock proper local clotted cream (Rodda's is the safe national choice; smaller Devon dairies appear seasonally). Buy on the day you want to eat it.
  • Scones: Otterton Mill bakery shop sells fresh-baked scones to take away. The Old Bakery in Branscombe sells scones from their garden gate during open hours. The Co-op in Beer has decent scones.
  • Jam: Branscombe Vale Brewery also sells preserves; the Otterton Mill shop has excellent local strawberry jam. Sharpham Park and Tiptree are widely available alternatives.
  • Tea: any decent loose-leaf English breakfast tea from Sidmouth's deli or from a supermarket.

A cream tea on the Hole Mill terrace, looking out over the garden with the sound of the watermill in the background, is one of the small pleasures of a stay here.

Practical tips

  • Cream teas are best in the afternoon. 3-4 pm is the traditional time. Most tea rooms stop serving by 5 pm.
  • Many Devon tea rooms close on a quiet day midweek. Check before you go, especially in shoulder seasons.
  • Vegetarians: all standard cream teas are vegetarian. Vegan cream teas are increasingly available — Otterton Mill has a vegan version.
  • Gluten-free scones are usually available with notice — ring ahead.
  • Dogs: dog-friendly tea rooms include The Old Bakery (in the garden), Otterton Mill (in the courtyard) and the Sea Shanty café at Branscombe Mouth.

A cream-tea afternoon, Branscombe style

The most enjoyable use of a free afternoon during your stay:

  • 2 pm: walk down the lane from Hole Mill toward the village.
  • 2.30 pm: The Old Bakery for a cream tea in the garden.
  • 3.30 pm: continue down to Branscombe Mouth for a stroll on the beach.
  • 4.30 pm: wander back up the lane to Hole Mill.

A perfect Devon afternoon. Two pots of tea, two warm scones, half an hour on the pebble beach, and back at the cottage by tea-time.

Cream teas are one of the small reliable pleasures of a Devon holiday. Branscombe does them as well as anywhere in the county. Check our availability for your dates.