Seaton Delaval is an estate in Northumberland that is owned and maintained by the National Trust. The estate contains the ruins of a mansion house that dates from the 1700s, grounds, gardens, and stables. The house was closed to visitors in 2018 and part of it is open while the remainder is currently having its roof repaired. I visited the property during the coronavirus pandemic and was unable to visit the house except for part of the ground floor.
One of the buildings open, which is located near the cafe kiosk, is the stables. These were renovated recently and in a great condition.
Before the visit to Seaton Delaval estate, I visited Seaton Sluice. Seaton Sluice is a seaside village just up the road from Seaton Delaval, and I had a quick walk around the sea and sand dunes before the visit to the property.
The house was built in the early 1700s but none of those responsible saw it finished, and it was passed from heir to heir before it was gutted by fire only about 100 years after it was built. It was partially restored after the fire. It was used to house German prisoners of war in World War II. It is a recent edition to the National Trust portfolio as of 2009.
The house, or what remains of it, is filled with decorations and statues. This was a style of the Delaval family as they were known for their flamboyant style and parties. They enjoyed performances and events, so the estate was alive with masquerade balls and theatre.
Although the property is in a ruined state, it is slowly being renovated.
Visitors can walk around the gardens, which are small in size. The formal garden next to the house contains a rose garden and then a formal garden which is probably about an acre.
It contains fountains and sculptures and sculpted hedges.
Near the stables were a group of old carvings of sheep.
In the small courtyard, additional newer sheep carvings are located, each with their own symbol of trades and responsibilities.
It is not difficult to imagine the style of Seaton Delaval's style through glimpsing the statues and details in the mansion and the statues in the garden. For me, my favourite part of the visit were the recently-restored stables.
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