The Original Maids of Honour

The original Maids of Honour of the title were dainty little tarts filled with almond-flavoured curd cheese, served up in Tudor times and brought to notoriety by Henry VIII, who kept the recipe under lock and key in Richmond Palace. Luckily, it got into the public domain and Newens’ Original Maid of Honour Shop on Kew Road has been selling them since 1850. Of course, the place is now overrun with tourists who come to buy tarts, cakes, pastries and other goodies. Visitors can also eat breakfast in the restaurant (service ‘ends promptly at 11.15am’), book for an ultra-traditional ‘luncheon’ (prawn cocktail, roasts, pies, quiches, ploughman’s, puds etc) or treat themselves to the most luscious cream teas or savoury high teas.