It all started with a Mother’s Day advert for afternoon tea in the UK, and it ends with families and friends divided.
Cornish National Trust property Lanhydrock House and Garden shared the well-intended advert on their Facebook page. The image showed a trio of delicious scones with dollops of thick cream topped with jam – heavenly, right?
Well if you’re from Cornwall, you’ll know it’s a cultural sin.
Cornish folk always eat their scones jam first and Devonians do it the other way around, it’s an issue of pride and history – both things we know the Brits take very seriously.
People absolutely lost it in the comment section.
“Oh my! Not often something riles me to comment but come on Lanhydrock this is unacceptable….. I can let the scone (own) scone (gone) arguement go at times but as a top cornish destination you should know tis jam first! Tint right, tint proper,” One woman commented.
“What your in Cornwall and you show the Devonshire way to have a scone n cream!!!! That’s enough to make me cancel my membership!” threatened another.
The argument was seized by the press, it took over morning shows and generally left everyone in a tizz.
Our official office Brit, Annabelle, explained why the scone debate is such a big deal.
“In the UK, your scone dressing preference depends on where you’re from,” she said.
“The two key areas for cream teas are Cornwall and Devon and they differ on the best method which is why it’s always been such a debate.”
“A Cornish cream tea will do jam then cream, Devonians do it the other way around, but technically the Devon cream tea doesn’t actually exist.”
So there you have it, it looks like jam first wins by default.
The National Trust was forced to issue another Facebook post and apologise for the error after the national backlash.
“We’d like to sincerely apologise for any offence caused by a recent scone-shot shown on the page,” the page wrote. “The member of staff responsible has been reprimanded and marched back over the Tamar. We’d like to reassure our Cornish community that our catering team would never make such a heinous mistake and that our jam and cream are usually served in little pots so the order of their application is not subject to such appalling error. Rest assured, your mothers are safe here.”
To be honest we don’t mind what order you dress it – could someone just bring us a scone and a cup of milky tea ASAP?
