Northumberland County Council

Listed building outline: The Hall 1041321

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• Listed building outlines

The Hall 1041321

• geometry: MULTIPOLYGON (((-1.497658 55.082371,-1.497649 55.082355,-1.497608...
• entry-date: 2013-01-29
• listed-building: 1041321
• name: The Hall
• notes: 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. ,
• reference: 1041321
• start-date: 1950-07-28