What goes on first – the jam or the cream?

If you’re from either Devon or Cornwall, no doubt you have strongly-held opinions about what goes first on a scone: the jam or the cream.

This is something that is drilled into you almost from birth, which is what makes it so surprising that this National Trust venue in Cornwall would get it so wrong.

The Lanhydrock National Trust Facebook page posted a picture advertising its Mother’s Day afternoon tea with a scone that was covered in a layer of cream first, followed by jam.

As you can imagine, there was suitable outrage at this blunder. In Cornwall, the tradition is to place the jam first, followed by the cream. The picture below showed by Lanhydrock is firmly the Devon way of doing things.

They have subsequently issued an apology on their facebook page, and added an alternative image:

We’d like to sincerely apologise for any offence caused by a recent scone-shot shown on the page. The member of staff responsible has been reprimanded and marched back over the Tamar. We’d like to reassure our Cornish community that our catering team would never make such a heinous mistake and that our jam and cream are usually served in little pots so the order of their application is not subject to such appalling error. Rest assured, your mothers are safe here.

The baffling question has had Devon and Cornwall at loggerheads for decades … which do you put on your scone first … the jam or the cream to make the perfect afternoon tea?

Does it matter to you? Is it a personal preference or is there a correct way to prepare and serve a scone? Are you team Devon or team Cornwall?