We have visited Northumberland many times, but had not been to Seaton Delaval Hall which is just north of Newcastle. This is a National Trust property, so we get free entry as members.
You can read some of the history on Wikipedia, but we learnt a lot from their guides. The house was built about 300 years ago on the site of a Tudor manor and was extended later, but partly burned down in 1822 and was never fully rebuilt. It was owned by various members of the Delaval family and other relations until the last ones died about 20 years ago and it was sold to pay the death duties. The National Trust has restored some of it, but the central part has no upper floors. There is a roof, but bats live up there and cannot be disturbed.
As you walk in you see the giant reflective ball that is one of several modern sculptures around the place.
The original staff lived and worked in the cellars. This anchor symbolises the family's trading business that made their fortune. It was pretty cold down there.
One of the owners was a trickster who held grand parties. He would sometimes put drunken guests in a room that has been turned upside down so they got a shock in the morning. This is a replica. A fair few treasures survived the fire and are on display in the better preserved wing. There are portraits of the family and furniture.
This is the sort of thing they may have worn at the parties.
The gardens are not huge, but they owned a lot of farmland. This mirror sculpture sits amongst the trees. It was actually a nice day in the sun and we were lucky not to be out in the rain.
You get a leaflet with a map and some details of the history. They have a nice café in the old brewhouse.
We enjoyed our morning at the hall and the weather helped with that. It is an interesting area of the UK that has history including the Romans and coal mining. It is well worth exploring. We shall be doing more of that.
