Our work
The snowdrops have given way to daffodils now that spring is here
© National Trust / Debbie Crombie
Dig this!
Debbie Crombie is the new Gardener in Charge at Seaton Delaval Hall. Join Debbie as she discovers how the gardens develop during her first year in post, and follow her useful gardening tips and features.
Welcome to our community Doorstep scheme
© National Trust
Discounts on our doorstep
People living within a two-mile radius of Seaton Delaval Hall are now eligible for a Doorstep Card offering discounted entry.
Residents qualifying for a card will be admitted to the hall and gardens for £2 per adult or £5 per family, instead of the normal price of £5 per adult or £12 per family. On top of this, once the card has been used three times in any 12-month period, it allows free entry for the remainder of the year.
The scheme, exclusive to the Hall, is yet another example of how we're leading the way with community engagement.
With a major programme of work underway, ‘Conservation in action’ is very much part of the visitor experience, offering the opportunity to see how the building is being conserved for future generations. Explore this transformation and keep coming back to see how our work progresses.
If you live near to Seaton Delaval Hall and would like to find out if you're eligible to apply for a Doorstep Card, please ring our office on 0191 237 9100.
Find out more: conservation in action work at Seaton Delaval Hall
Conserving the Stucco Statues
Exposure to the elements has taken its toll on the stucco statues
© Maureen Ritson
Although now in a very sorry state, when they were created in the 18th-century the stucco statues in the Central Hall at Seaton Delaval Hall represented the six muses of arts and science; namely sculpture, painting, architecture, astronomy, geography and music.
The figures are of an unusual construction - they appear to have been made in situ, starting with shaped iron pieces which were covered with tiles, brick and plaster to form the shape of a mannequin, followed by muslin covered in layers of stucco plaster, giving the statues a very realistic and life-like appearance.
Several layers of dust, dirt and even birds' nests have been removed from the statues so that each one could be individually assessed. It was generally assumed that the great fire of 1822 in the hall caused the damage to the statues, but in fact the damage appears to have been as a result of forty years of exposure to the elements when the hall was left without a roof. At least two of the statues also bear the scars of having been shot at during some point in their history!
The statues have now received emergency conservation to prevent their condition worsening. The assessment of each statue continues and decisions are to be made on whether to simply clean and stabilise the statues; attach broken pieces and make up small areas of lost stucco; or reinstate lost limbs and attributes, such as the paintbrush and palette which are missing from the 'painting' muse.