Description

SEATON DELAVAL SEATON DELAVAL HALL
NZ 3276
13/86 The Hall
(formerly listed as
28.7.50 Seaton Delaval Hall)
GV I
Country house, 1718-29 by Sir John Vanbrugh for Admiral George Delaval. Ashlar
with varying rustication; Lakeland slate roofs. Central square main block,
with polygonal angle turrets and flanking square stair towers, on south side of
grand court. Symmetrical stable and kitchen blocks on east and west linked to
main block by arcaded gallery which continues north to end in square pavilions.
Palladian plan, individual Baroque style.

Entrance front has broad centrepiece of 3 storeys on basement: open stair up
to arched door between 18-pane sashes, under broad lunette, the whole flanked
by projecting groups of 3 giant columns carrying metope frieze, stepped back
across centre. 2nd floor has 3 windows, the central arched, and richly-carved
pediment. On either side 2-storey parts of 2 narrow bays link to the angle
turrets, both under balustraded parapet. South front a basically similar
composition but with prostyle tetrastyle Ionic portico; set back on each side
3-storey stair towers with Venetian windows in top stage and balustraded
parapets. The 3-storey centre has massive flanking stacks pierced by round
arches.

Arcaded galleries link to wings; that to west has parallel enclosed corridor
behind, with keyed oculi. Each wing has 2-storey, 15-bay facade to court, with
pedimented 3-bay centre set slightly forward; to rear of each wing central
apsidal projection with Venetian window.

Interiors. Main block: Great Hall stone faced with blank arcading and arched
niches above, opposed fireplaces with terms, and gallery on enriched cantilevers.
Vaulted corridors link to oval open-well stairs with wrought-iron balustrades,
partly restored. Saloon extending full width of south front. Mahogany parlour
with moulded cornice, and some original panelling. Extensive vaulted cellarage.
West wing: former kitchen groin-vaulted with segmental arch to bow, 1st floor
corridor divided into 3 compartments by moulded arches, over-sized door surrounds
with keystones and imposts.

Stables spanned by transverse elliptical arches; ashlar stall divisions and
mangers, arched niches holding hay racks.

Both Vanbrugh and Admiral Delaval died before the house was completed. The
west wing was damaged by fire in 1752 butrestored 1814-15 by John Dobson; the main block
was similarly gutted in 1822 and although reroofed remains largely an empty
shell.

C. Hussey, 'Seaton Delaval' in Country Life, 54 (1923) 800 ff & 860 ff.

Listing NGR: NZ3224376528

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Seaton Delaval Hall at Wikipedia
• Seaton Delaval Hall official website
• Wikidata Q2915561

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)