Seaton Delaval Hall occupies an agricultural and industrial estate which has been owned by the Delaval-Hastings family since the time of the Norman conquest of the north of England around 1080.

It was around this time that the New Castle was built on the north bank of the Tyne to defend Northumberland against the territorial ambitions of the Scots. Today it is a valuable stretch of open country, with public rights of way, between the expanding conurbation of north Tyneside and the growing town of Blyth.

The location in the Northumberland coal field and beside the natural haven of Seaton Sluice allowed for early industrial development. Because of the coal, iron working, salt pans and glassworks were all developed, but the most profitable trade was the coastal coal trade, especially to London. Although the pits have closed, pit communities still exist, and the area retains its mixed character of agriculture, industry and coastal activity.

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Sir John Vanbrugh and the building of Seaton Delaval Hall

The focus for the estate is the great Baroque house built in the 1720s for Admiral George Delaval to the designs of the greatest English architect of the time, Sir John Vanbrugh (1664 – 1726). Smaller than his other famous houses, Castle Howard and Blenheim Palace, it is still regarded as the most architecturally satisfying of his designs. It was also his last - both he and his patron died before the work was complete.

Vanbrugh created the bold, daring and dramatic architectural style that came to be known as English Baroque, a style that evolved from the lighter continental baroque popular in Europe. Seaton Delaval, the last country house that he built, is regarded as his finest work and in the words of Nikolaus Pevsner,

© National Trust / Christopher Simon Sykes

After Vanbrugh’s death, the house was completed by Admiral Delaval’s nephew, Captain Francis Delaval, and it was his family which became celebrated for its wild and generous entertaining, practical jokes and amateur dramatics (on one occasion they even hired Garrick’s theatre in Drury Lane to stage their own ‘Othello’). When the last of three brothers who owned the property in turn died in 1814, the estate passed through their sister’s marriage to the Astleys, Lords Hastings.

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The fire of 1822 – and Seaton Delaval Hall today

In 1822, the Hall was badly damaged by fire. It burnt out the central part of the Hall which was never restored. The fire also destroyed a wing that had been added later (but had upset the symmetry of Vanbrugh’s design) and this was not rebuilt. Despite the fire damage, the exterior of the Hall is still a perfect example of English Baroque at its finest. All elements of the building are extraordinary, including the evocative stable blocks and outstanding cellars. The entrance hall is one of the greatest rooms in Western Europe.

Even as a shell, the interior of Seaton Delaval Hall retains much of Vanbrugh’s original design brilliance, including striking stonework, sculpture, fireplaces and spiral staircase.

© National Trust / Christopher Simon Sykes

Recent history

In the 20th century, the fate of the Hall remained entwined with that of the locality in which it sat. Damaged in the Great War, it was requisitioned for military use and for prisoners-of-war between 1939 and 1948.

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Survival of Seaton Delaval Hall and estate

The real heroes of Seaton Delaval were the late Lord and Lady Hastings (both died in 2007) who, for over 60 years, ensured the survival of the house. With the help of grants from the Historic Buildings Council, the buildings, including one of the best stables in the country, were repaired.

The bastioned garden, in which the Hall is set, was embellished with help from the garden designer, James Russell. The great landscaped park and farmlands were retained. A home was created in the former kitchen wing, and the collections re-assembled. Lord and Lady Hastings were determined that the place should be shared and, since 1950, the house and garden have been open to visitors two days a week, and bank holidays, in the summer.