This is where it all began for Twinings Tea Shop a...

This is where it all began for Twinings Tea Shop at 216 Stand in Westminster. You can visit the original location, which now serves as both a shop and a museum providing a history of the Twining business and its famous tea.

Founder, Thomas Twining bought the small property on the Strand, called Tom's Coffee House in 1706 during a period when coffee drinking ruled the day in London. Tea drinking became more fashionable during the early 18th century and Twinings was well-positioned to benefit from the rapid growth in demand for dry tea from that point in time forward.

Inside the original Twinings Tea Shop there are portraits of members of the Twinings family who helped run the business over the past three centuries. You can see old vintage tea packages, boxes and advertisements. On the outside of the front door, its worth taking a look at small statues of the Chinamen and golden lion, which represent the origins of tea and the tea trade.

Of course, you can also find many selections of tea and watch (or participate) in tea brewing and tastings taking place near the back of the shop. If you are a tea drinker at home or have tea drinkers in the family, this is a very good shop to stop and pick up a souvenir to bring back home with you.

The Twining Shop is a small and narrow property, located along The Strand across from the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand.