Seaton Delaval Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Seaton Delaval Hall |
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View from the north
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| General information | |
| Location | Seaton Delaval, Northumberland |
| Town or city | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 55°04′56″N 1°29′47″W / 55.0822°N 1.4965°W |
| Current tenants | National Trust |
| Construction started | 1718 |
| Completed | 1728 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Sir John Vanbrugh (for Admiral George Delaval) |
Seaton Delaval Hall is a large, historic country house in Northumberland, England. It is located near the coast, just north of Newcastle upon Tyne. The famous architect Sir John Vanbrugh designed it in 1718 for Admiral George Delaval. Today, the National Trust owns and cares for this amazing building.
The hall was finished in 1728, but it has had a challenging past. Sadly, neither the architect nor the owner lived to see it completed. In 1822, a big fire badly damaged the main part of the house. This central section has been an empty shell ever since. The beautiful 18th-century gardens around the hall are also very important historically.
Contents
History of Seaton Delaval Hall
Early Years of the Hall
The Delaval family had owned the land where the hall stands since the time of the Norman Conquest. In 1717, Admiral George Delaval bought the estate from a relative. He had earned a lot of money from capturing enemy ships while serving in the Navy. He also worked as a British diplomat for Queen Anne.
In 1718, Admiral Delaval asked Sir John Vanbrugh for advice on updating the old family mansion. Vanbrugh looked at the site and suggested tearing down almost everything. He only wanted to keep the old chapel, which is now a local church.
Vanbrugh's advice was followed, and the new hall was finished in 1728. This was five years after Admiral Delaval had passed away. Seaton Delaval Hall was the last country house Vanbrugh designed. Many people consider it one of his best works. After it was finished, the Admiral's nephew, Francis Blake Delaval, inherited the property and moved in.
In 1775, an artist from Newcastle named William Bell painted two pictures of the hall. These paintings showed the north and south sides. Bell also painted portraits of many people who lived in the house.
In 1822, a fire severely damaged the central part of the house. People said the fire started because jackdaw birds were nesting in the chimneys. From 1862 to 1863, an architect named John Dobson helped restore the house. He put a new roof on the central block, but the inside remained empty. During the Second World War, the hall was used to house German prisoners-of-war.
Seaton Delaval Hall in Modern Times
Seaton Delaval Hall first opened to the public in 1950. More restoration work was done in 1959 and the early 1960s. From 1968 to 1984, "medieval banquets" were held in the hall's original kitchen.
The house remained empty until the 1980s. After 160 years, Edward Delaval Henry Astley, 22nd Baron Hastings, moved into the west wing. Later, Delaval Astley, 23rd Baron Hastings, wanted to protect the hall's future. He started talking with the National Trust to allow more people to visit.
On September 1, 2008, the National Trust asked for £6.3 million to take over the hall, its gardens, and grounds. In December 2009, the National Trust announced they had raised enough money. The hall then opened its doors to visitors again.
The hall was closed in 2018 for a big renovation project. This project cost £3.7 million and was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. In October 2021, the hall received more money from the government's Culture Recovery Fund. This money was specifically for repairing its sea-walk walls and decorative supports called corbels.
Architecture and Design
The style of Seaton Delaval Hall is called English Baroque. This style is based on the Palladian style that came to the UK from Italy. The design has a main central building, called a corps de logis. This part holds the important rooms. On either side are two wings. Each wing has a central section with three bays (sections of windows) topped by a triangular shape called a pediment.
The west wing used to have rooms for servants and other services. It was damaged in an earlier fire but has been restored. It has a large row of columns and a tall, arched kitchen, which is now a salon. The east wing contains the stables. This is a huge room, sixty feet long, designed like a palace. It has stone stalls and feeding troughs for horses. These stables were inspired by the stables at Hopetoun House in Scotland. In 1768, Sir Francis Blake Delaval was so proud of his new stables that he even held a dinner party there! Between the two wings is a large open courtyard, about 180 feet long and 152.5 feet wide.
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In the 400-acre park around the hall, there is a stone mausoleum. This is a building for burials, located about half a mile east of the hall. It once had a grand dome, which is now gone. It still has a porch with huge stone columns. A circular ditch with stone walls, called a ha-ha, surrounds the mausoleum. Lord Delaval built it for his only son, John, who died young in 1775. However, no one was ever buried in the mausoleum, and it was never made sacred. John Delaval was buried in a church in Doddington, Lincolnshire.
Today, the mausoleum is in ruins, and its lead roof is missing. Also to the east, in the walled garden, is a south-facing orangery. This building was designed by the architect William Etty, who worked with Vanbrugh. It has five glass arches separated by Doric columns.
In front of the house, there is a statue of David standing over Goliath. This is an 18th-century copy of an older Italian statue. It used to be in one of the garden's corner sections.
A tall, thin stone pillar called an obelisk stands in the fields south of the hall. The base of another obelisk can be found north of the road near the hall. This second obelisk marks the spot where Admiral George Delaval died in 1723. He fell from his horse before his new hall was even finished. Only the base of this obelisk remains today.
Legends and Stories
Like many old houses, Seaton Delaval Hall is said to have a ghost. According to a family writer named Francis Askham:
- There is a window on the first floor of the north side of Seaton Delaval Hall. From a certain spot in the courtyard, it looks like a figure dressed in white is standing there.
- This figure is known as the "White Lady."
- Legend says she was a girl who fell in love with a Delaval family heir.
- Their marriage was not allowed, and she died of a broken heart.
See also
In Spanish: Seaton Delaval Hall para niños
- Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire (also designed by Vanbrugh)
- Castle Howard, North Yorkshire (also designed by Vanbrugh)
- Doddington Hall, Lincolnshire (which has other Delaval family portraits)
Images for kids
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From the north-west
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From the north-west
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From the north
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Central block from the north
