Afternoon tea is the most quintessential English customs. However, drinking tea is a relatively new tradition which was popularized in England during the 1660s. It was not until the mid-19th century that the concept of "afternoon tea" first appeared. Afternoon tea was introduced in England by the seventh Duchess of Bedford Anna in 1840.
英国习俗最精髓的部分就是下午茶。然而，喝茶是17世纪60年代才在英国流行开来的，是个相对较新的传统。直到19世纪中叶，“下午茶”这个概念才首次出现。1840年，下午茶由第七任贝德福德公爵夫人安娜引进到英国。
At that time, the dinner was served late at 8 o'clock in the evening. It was a long period between lunch and dinner and the Duchess felt hungry around 4 o'clock in the afternoon. So she asked the maid to bring her tea and pastries to her room in the late afternoon. This became a habit of hers and she also invited her friends to join the tea party.
当时，晚餐设在晚上8点。因此午餐和晚餐之间时间间隔比较长，公爵夫人在下午4点左右就饿了。于是她吩咐女仆临近傍晚时将茶和点心送到她的房间。这逐渐成为了她的一个习惯，而且她还邀请了朋友参加她的茶会。
The afternoon tea became fashionable in English society and in the 1880s, British upper-class started to enjoy the afternoon tea with friends between 4 and 5 o'clock.
下午茶在英语国家逐渐流行起来。到19世纪80年代，英国上层社会的人也开始在下午4点到5点之间与好友一起享受下午茶。
