Christmas Travel: Does Devon Have The UK’s Most Historic Mince Pies?
Written by Jaillan Yehia
Munch on mince pies made with flour dating back to the Domesday Book
I travelled to Devon this December to discover the festive history behind the first Christmas card ever designed.
But while in the southerly English county, famous for its beautiful beaches and picture postcard villages, I discovered the area has another incredible – and edible – Christmassy claim to fame.
Devon’s Otterton Mill is the producer of mince pies made at the oldest recorded bakery on the planet, making these the world’s most historic mince pies…
We Brits love a mince pie at Christmas – we eat an average of 5 per person over the festive season, and collectively we’ll put away 370 million mince pies this Christmas. A certain Mr Kipling makes 180 million of these.
Historic mince pies ready for baking, at Otterton Mill
But at the very opposite end of the mince pie making scale are some unique and very special pies made at Devon’s Otterton Mill.
Delicious Devon = Delicious Mince Pies
This pretty cobblestoned cafe in the small village between Exmouth and Sidmouth, is perched on the River Otter – and the water mill here has been milling flour for over 1000 years.
Home of the country’s most historic mince pies
The onsite artisan bakery has the honour of being the oldest bakery in Britain and is listed as the 18th oldest business in the entire world, as well as the single oldest recorded business in the UK.
The Mill at Otterton
Historic flour to make historic mince pies
The mince pies here are made with traditional the wholemeal flour milled on site, and the production process itself is so popular the bakery produces a milling schedule so visitors can come and watch.
Baker Zac with one of the mill’s wholemeal loaves
So if you’re in the area, perhaps even staying at Orestone Manor, the home of the first Christmas card, and fancy a mince pie with a side order of history, why not come and try the world’s most historic mince pies.
The finished product
And in case you didn’t know, British Christmas foods like these historic mince pies as well as our Christmas trifles, are famous all over the world…
Trackback from your site.
Savoir There Weekend Shortcut: A Weekend In Devon For Foodies
| #
[…] knew that Devon has the claim to fame as home of the oldest bakery on the planet? I certainly didn’t until I found myself at Otterton Mill, a quaint cafe and working mill in […]
Reply
Shikha (whywasteannualleave)
| #
Ok so I know Christmas is over and I’m supposed to be winding down my mince pie consumption but seriously, these looks absolutely amazing! I’d love to get to learn more about these in the name of cultural education (and eat a few dozen whilst I’m at it!)
Reply
Jaillan Yehia
| #
I definitely think you need to visit, purely in the name of research of course. They also have a rather dangerous arts and crafts shop just to warn you!
Reply
Travel w/ Penelope&Parker
| #
Love this, I want to go there! What a great discovery! I bet these are worlds better than any we’ve tasted with all that practice!
Reply
Jaillan Yehia
| #
I have to confess as I don’t eat mince pies I just gorged myself on their scones, both savoury and sweet and they were genuinely the best I’ve ever tasted, and I have had a few in my time!
Reply
Lucy Dodsworth
| #
Do love a good mince pie (five per person’s a major underestimation of my house, even my cat was breaking into a packet last night!) – will have to give these a try if I’m in Devon.
Reply
Jaillan Yehia
| #
It’s ok you can totes have my share as I don’t actually like any sweet Christmas food – mince pies, Christmas cake or Christmas pudding! *runs and hides* 🙂
Reply
Suzanne Jones - Travelbunny
| #
The 18th oldest business in the world – that’s some claim to fame. I love a mince pie so if ever I’m down that way in the festive season I’ll be sure to drop by. This makes me wonder about the origin on mince pies and how long they’ve been part of the festive table.
Reply
Jaillan Yehia
| #
It is a pretty incr-edible claim to fame. Lol!
Reply