Click on the image above to watch a video about Tregothnan Tea and their story.

​

The Tregothan Tea Story

​

Whilst it is impossible to know exactly when the first cup was brewed, legend has it that Chinese emperor Shen Nung was sat beneath a Camellia sinensis one day in 2737BC when a few leaves were stirred by the wind. As his servant boiled drinking water in a pot, the leaves fell in and so accidentally resulted in the world’s first cup of tea.  To this day, every cup of tea enjoyed around the world comes from the same plant; the Camellia sinensis.

​

In contrast we know almost everything about Camellia in the UK. In fact Tregothnan pioneered Camellia into Great Britain over two centuries ago. Camellia has thrived to such an extraordinary extent that the original introductions are now growing into their third century and still look youthful!

In part we thank the true and unique micro-climate for the success of our tea gardens; the similar climate that makes Cornwall the richest garden county of Europe. The 18 metre deep sea creek is almost seven miles inland from Falmouth as it bathes the gardens in mist and relative warmth in the winter. Thurston wrote of our climate in the 19th century that we do not have a winter, merely a languid spring. We soon learned that there is a big difference between a tea bush being alive and slowly growing in many areas of the UK to the highly productive tea gardens of Tregothnan estate.

​​

Today we supply our hardiest selections for different growing conditions and since 2002 have supplied some tough plants for determined enthusiast in Scotland and Northern England. Although the loss rate in colder regions  is high and the bushes are largely unproductive it is a tribute to the nation of tea drinkers and gardeners that the efforts continue. Here at Tregothnan tea bushes luxuriate in conditions that are often warmer than Darjeeling in India and free from salt winds and other hazards that afflict coastal regions. The flora around the tea includes the famous pink Magnolia campbellii that itself was introduced from Darjeeling and often heralds spring in Cornwall before it arrives in Darjeeling!

​

Drawing on almost 200 years of experience in growing Camellias, we’ve been supplying tea from Tregothnan since 2005 when we released our best-selling Classic blend. Today, the range extends to many black teas including our exclusive Single Estate, one green tea and a growing list of home-grown herbal infusions. We are proud to be the only producer actually growing tea in the UK; putting the English into English tea. Find out more about the range of Tregothnan English tea and herbal infusions…