Anybody who has visited Newcastle can’t have missed the huge monument in the centre of the city dedicated to Earl Grey, a local politician who was British Prime Minister from 1830 to 1834. Greys Monument, in case you are wondering.
I few weeks back we took a wonder through the grounds on Howick Hall.
Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum, was the ancestral home of the Earls grey and has been since 1319. Located north of Newcastle, on the Northumberland coast there’s plenty to see and do here.
Explore the impressive Gardens, wander through the woodlands of the Arboretum and end with a visit to the Earl Grey Tea House after discovering the history of the tea invented here.
The Arboretum covers some 65 acres and is home to about 11,000 trees and shrubs all of which have been planted from seeds gathered from around the world. There are plenty of walks through the vast woodlands, which suffered some considerable damage in the recent storms.
The tea story is an interesting one. The tea was specially blended for the 2nd Earl Grey by a Chinese chap. It gained popularity when they used to entertain others and it now belongs to Twinnings. Sadly the Greys never profited from it because, not being particularly business savvy, they failed to register the trade mark or exploit it themselves.