You can barely imagine it today, but in the middle of a 1960s housing estate in North Seaton, near Ashington, there once stood a fine classical house which went by the name of North Seaton Hall. Pictured above in its declining years, it may even hold the distinction (according to his daughter) of being architect John Dobson’s very first commission in 1813.
However, there was without doubt a building already on the site – and known by the same name – throughout most of the eighteenth century. Directories give 1710 as a possible starting point, when the Watsons were in early residence. It is more likely that Dobson carried out alterations in 1813 – and was most certainly back on the estate in 1831 to add some outbuildings (workers’ cottages and, possibly, the Gothic lodge).
The grounds occupied a wooded site north of the present B1334, near to the junction with the A189. The Watsons remained in residence until deep into the Victorian era, the estate falling into the hands of prominent industrialist Sir Isaac Lowthian Bell in the 1880s. In the 1950s, Pevsner noted the hall’s “very neglected” state; and in 1960 it was razed to make way for modern housing.
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http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=view&r=an&dbid=8860&iid=NBLHO107_2418_2419-0115&fn=William&ln=Kennedy&st=r&ssrc=&pid=15002611
ReplyDeleteHere is the 1851 census for the occcupants..... including all the servants.
William Watson 38
ReplyDeleteJ C Watson 36
Robert Watson 14
William Sadler 69
Thomas Taing 31
John Mains 19
George Forster Potts 50
Francis Chambers 38
William Kennedy 26
James Bishop 28
Mary Hornes 40
Sarah Forster 21
Harriet Hall 20
Elizabeth Smith 53
Jane Ann Tweeddy 15
Elizabeth Oliver 45
Thanks Anonymous!
ReplyDeleteAre there any aerial photos of north seaton hall ?
ReplyDeleteHello. I've just discovered your site. In the 1940s an Italian POW camp was built beside the hall. (I later lived in one of the "huts" in the early 50s) Does anyone have any information please? (My address was Summerhouse Lane.) Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Angela. If you haven't done so already you could try making some enquiries at the local record office and/or libraries.
DeleteHi Angela, thats interesting. My dad lived at no.9 Summerhouse lane in the late 40's
DeleteI was there first age 5 in 1948. It seemed to be abandoned then.I went back several times after I got my first bike for Xmas 1952. Nobody seemed to be living there then .I am thinking 1948 was after the POWs had gone but before it was used as council housing, and 1953 was after they stopped using it for council housing, so that's why I never saw any signs of habitation, apart from the rooks!
DeleteWilliam Watson was my grandfather. I have a cigar case of his engraved with a picture of the hall
ReplyDeleteThanks for that Laura - how interesting. The old hall must have meant quite a lot to the family, even years after the family had moved out. If you have an image of the cigar case I can try to add it to the original post.
DeleteWhen aah wez a bairn, aboot siven or eight year aad, ahh remember being stood in Northumberland Avenue wetching North Seaton Haall being bornt oot afore they demolished it.
ReplyDeleteThat would hev been about 1959 or 1960.
A couple of yeors laytor, wan of the Newbiggin Juvenile Jazz Bands would practice to theor.
I found a ring with Steven Watson esq 1805 inside it. I have contacted Laura, and she is going to get the ring. Absolutely amazing bit of history.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely fantastic to hear that your doing this, very wel done to you i hope Laura gets comfort from this .
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DeleteI just discovered that one of my distant ancestors and her daughter are listed as both being employed as a "laundress" at North Seaton Hall in the 1921 census and that their employer's name was listed as Mrs. Southern. I wonder if anyone knows what the name of the family was that lived there in 1921.
ReplyDeleteI was born in one of the hurts beside the Hall in 1952 then we moved to Northumberland Ave Newbiggin
ReplyDeleteThat should read Huts
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