Of Ships and Scones: A Cutty Sark Experience
- Sandy Hargrave
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Let’s be honest, we’ve all dreamt of swashbuckling adventures on the high seas. Maybe not the months at sea or the raging storms, but definitely the majestic ships! And if you’re looking for a taste of maritime magic without the seasickness, look no further than the Cutty Sark in Greenwich, London. Our adventurous day touring the historic ship, followed by a scrumptious High Tea, was definitely a highlight of London!
This magnificent clipper ship, a true icon of the Victorian era, isn’t just a museum piece. It’s a portal to a bygone era, and surprisingly, the perfect place for a spot of high tea. More on that later.
Throughout the massive ship there are many interesting videos, hands-on displays and pictures from the bygone era, all revealing the workings of the ship and intricacies of the voyages. Tread lightly, there are ropes everywhere: on the deck, hanging up high, and attached to the three large masts. On the upper deck were the living quarters, with small sleeping cabins, occupied by the Captain, Steward, First Mate and others. Their dining area and offices were quite spacious. Unlike the regular mates who slept and ate in their bunk beds.
The walls and doors were beautifully crafted from East Indian teak, rich in color and shiny, and made you think you were in a fancy hotel. It reminded me of the RMS Queen Mary, that I toured a few years ago in Long Beach, CA.
We spent about 90 minutes exploring the decks of this magnificent sailing ship and it was almost time for our high tea luncheon.
After touring the upper decks, we descended into the ship’s cargo hold, where tea chests once resided, now transformed into a charming space. The scent of freshly baked scones mingled with the faint, lingering aroma of timber and the sea. We were surrounded by the very bones of a vessel that once raced across the globe, carrying tea from China to London and the stories were almost tangible.
We arrived at the Cutty Sark Café and off to one side were a dozen tables set for High Tea. Others were dining and sipping Earl Grey, and we soon joined them. We were sitting on the lower ground deck underneath the ship’s gleaming copper hull. You couldn’t help but imagine the sheer audacity of the Victorian sailors stacking thousands of crates of tea or scaling the dauntingly high masts.
We nibbled on dainty sandwiches and delicious pastries, all the while marveling at the ship. “You might even spot a ghost”, or so they said, but the atmosphere is certainly evocative. The experience is delightfully quirky and filled with history.
Also, in the lower deck is the world’s biggest collection of wooden figureheads, most from the 19th century.
We wandered over to get a closer look after having our tea. These figureheads once adorned the prows of mighty sailing ships, safeguarding their homeward journeys. That was a new word for this Colorado girl—prow: the sharp, leading edge of the bow, above the waterline. Good to know!
As the staff explained about the colorful figureheads, they mentioned that many were carved busts of women—apparently the sailors were superstitious, hence the women standing guard. The women figureheads were expected to watch out for sunken ships, calm the seas, and intimidate the enemies. Not sure how that worked with a carved woman on the front of the ship, but so the story goes.
We learned that the Cutty Sark’s newest and current wooden figurehead, was mounted on the ship in 2021. She was carved by Andy Peters, one of the last great master carvers of figureheads.
Her name is Nannie Dee, and she is the witch from Robert Burns’ poem “Tam O’Shanter.” OK, so I get it now! The women are witches, and they do have a rather nasty scowl, so maybe they did scare off enemies and pirates back in the day. The first Nannie Dee adorned the ship shortly after the Cutty Sark was built in1869, and the second Nannie Dee replaced her in 1957.
All the staff we chatted with were incredibly knowledgeable, and happy to share tales of the Cutty Sark’s legendary voyages. They told us about the ship’s record-breaking speeds, its near-disastrous fires, and its eventual retirement as a symbol of maritime prowess.
They even encouraged me to try my hand at tying a few knots at the rope tying demonstration. I passed muster on only one of the three knots, better than none I guess, but it was great fun!
Another opportunity, for the brave at heart, or is it, the crazy at heart, is the climbing of one of the three tall masts, with a guide, of course. A mere 152 feet (47 meters). We declined, deciding that we were way too full after all that tea.
After high tea, we took an après-tea stroll under the River Thames. Yes, you heard that right! Under the Thames! Our tea mates, Tony and Pam, a lovely British couple, told us all about it during tea. A short walk away from the Cutty Sark is the Greenwich Foot Tunnel.
The tube-shaped tunnel was used as an air-raid shelter during the Blitz of London, which lasted from September 7, 1940, to May 11, 1941. It’s an easy walk, but a reverent one. You can’t help but think about the thousands of people taking refuge during the constant bombings, and the fear they must have felt, hearing the bombs exploding around them.
As the sun was starting to set, our walk under the River Thames was the perfect ending to a very memorable day in Greenwich! Although it did seem quite odd to be strolling under the Thames, instead of beside it!
So next time you’re in London, be sure to visit Greenwich and explore the famous Cutty Sark, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Experience high tea like never before, indulge in some scones, soak up some fascinating history, and let your imagination set sail. After all, not many people can say they’ve had high tea beneath the hull of a world-famous clipper ship!
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