Trust appeals for tales and pictures of Delaval Hall
Jul 23 2008 by Paul Loraine, The Journal
PICTURES and memories of a Northumberland stately home are to be exhibited on The Journal’s website.
The National Trust – which is leading an effort to raise funds to save Seaton Delaval Hall – has called for people to contribute their stories and images of the hall from years gone by.
The trust announced recently it will put forward £6.9m to save the hall if a national campaign can raise a further £6.3m.
A major public consultation is now under way to decide on possible uses for the hall and grounds. The online exhibition will be another means by which people could show what the hall means to them.
If enough people contribute to the exhibition, trust bosses hope to organise a physical version, or even produce a book. National Trust spokeswoman Sadie Parker said: “Seaton Delaval Hall has played such an important part in the history of the North East and since launching our campaign the National Trust has been approached by many people who have fond memories – from enjoying lavish banquets in the main hall in the 1960s to being Christened in the church near the hall and having their photos taken on the steps.
“On a recent visit to the hall I noticed a forthcoming event where a local dance company, Dance Kaleidoscope, have arranged a tribute performance to the late Lord Hastings. All of these stories just go to show that the Hastings family and their estate have played such an important part in people’s lives.
“The idea of the online exhibition is to gather all of these memories, stories and images into one big record which we can hopefully use to create a printed exhibition or perhaps a book in the future. People have so much to tell us and we want to hear it all.”
The 18th Century building is being sold by owner Lord Hastings and the trust has urged volunteers to help raise £1m in the North East before Christmas.
But the total raised in the region so far is just £5,790 and trust bosses this week renewed their appeal for support. If the money is not raised, the building will be sold privately and uses could range from flats to a golf course.
The trust’s conditional plans have attracted widespread support from the community, North MPs and tourism bosses.
The hall was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, who started work in 1718 on the project, which was to take more than 10 years.
Among other Vanbrugh works are Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire and Castle Howard, North Yorkshire.
:: To submit your Seaton Delaval Hall stories, click here and to submit your pictures click here
Fill in the relevant boxes and see your submission take its place in the online exhibition.
To donate money to the fund to save the hall visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/seatondelavalhall, call 0844 800-1895 or send cheques to: Save Seaton Delaval Hall, the National Trust, PO Box 39, Warrington, WA5 7WD.
