You may have thought that it belonged in the age of knights but mead is becoming a firm favourite in the 21st century.

Retailers have seen sales of the honey-based alcoholic drink soar in the last eighteen months with sophisticated ladies and partying lads in Sussex finding a taste for the medieval tipple.

The National Collection of Cider and Perry at Middle Farm in Firle, near Lewes, stores the largest collection of mead in the country with a selection of 30 bottled and 11 draught meads.

The firm has had orders of up to 20 litres for mead to be used as toasts at weddings and also orders from white witch covens for use at the Long Man of Wilmington.

Mead is made from honey, water and yeast and has recently featured in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and the BBC One drama Lark Rise to Candleford.

Dawn Stephens, the landlady at The Bricklayers Arms in Crowborough, said mead was proving popular with the younger generation.