NO stone is being left unturned as heritage workers bid to restore a much-loved stately home in Northumberland.

The National Trust has declared a “stone amnesty” in a bid to find missing pieces of Seaton Delaval Hall.

The trust hopes to recover parts of the hall which may have been taken away after the central section of the main hall was gutted by fire in 1822.

Other stones have been “lost” as parts of the hall and its estate mausoleum deteriorated over the years as the weather and lack of maintenance took their toll.

Stones may have ended up in rockeries, walls or been used as garden features over the years.

Cheryl Moore, hall building surveyor for the National Trust, said: “We have heard that there are some very fine rockeries in the area and rumour has it that there are garages full of stones.

“People may have made garden features out of the stone and others will have taken stone sections to stop them being damaged by vandals.

“Local people who have always looked after the hall and hold it dear in their hearts could have rescued parts of the stone so that it is not lost to the elements.

“Since the fire the hall has lost a considerable amount of stonework through dereliction and decay.

“We are asking people to return anything they might suspect to be original stonework from the hall.”

Work is due to start this summer on replacing and repairing the hall’s stonework, and filling in gaps.

But the original quarries on the estate which supplied the stone are long closed.

Cheryl wants to use as much original stone in the project as possible to achieve a better match and save on the costs of specialist masonry work to prepare new stone.

She said: “This will help us to make repairs that retain the look, spirit and architectural integrity of the original building, along with making financial savings that could be best used elsewhere in our commitments to the local community.

“Part of the cost of repairs is matching the original stone as closely as possible and appointing masons to carve the stone and match the original design and techniques. This is a very costly business.”

The National Trust took over Seaton Delaval Hall in December 2009 after a public fundraising scheme raised £3m.

Doors opened to the public on May 1 when more than 4,000 visitors enjoyed a weekend of celebratory events.

The hall has since welcomed more than 65,000 visitors, achieving the predicted annual visitor figure in just six months.

Anyone who has stone they want to return to the hall can contact Cheryl Moore on 0191 237 9114.

All communications will be treated in confidence and with discretion.