Northumberland Yesterday and To-dayTerry, Jean F. (Jean Finlay)
History
Northumberland Yesterday and To-day
Terry, Jean F. (Jean Finlay)
Northumberland (England) -- Guidebooks; Northumberland (England) -- History
In fine weather the crowds which pass and repass along the top of
the bold cliffs which overlook the fine stretch of sands between
Cullercoats and Monkseaton show how many hundreds of Northumbria’s
busy workers enjoy the fresh breezes from the sea on this pleasant
and bracing coast. Out at sea, opposite the Parade, vessels built
in the busy shipyards on the Tyne may be seen doing their speed
trials over the measured mile. The Peace of St. Oswyn may, in fact,
be said to brood over Tynemouth, even in these days, for it is an
increasing custom for those who can do so to remain in Newcastle
and other busy centres of toil only during business hours, and to
leave workshop and office every evening for their home by the sea:
while the tide of noisy, happy, boisterous excursionists has rolled
on to Whitley Bay, leaving Tynemouth to its old-time sleepy
content. Northward to Hartley and Seaton Sluice the cliffs are very
fine. Hartley, with its bright-looking red-tiled houses, once
belonged to Adam of Gesemuth (Jesmond) who lived in the reign of
King John. Coming down to modern times, about thirty years ago a
gallant Hartley man, Thomas Langley, rescued two successive
shipwrecked crews on the same day, in one case allowing himself to
be lowered over the cliffs at a terrible risk in the furious storm.
Seaton Sluice belongs to the ancient family of the Delavals, whose
house, Delaval Hall, may be seen not far away, peeping from amongst
the trees which surround it. Seaton Sluice owes its name to the
Delaval who placed the large sluice gates upon the burn, in order
to have a strong current which, in rushing down to the sea, would
be able to wash the mouth of the stream clear from the silt and mud
brought in by the incoming tide. A later baronet, Sir John Hussey
Delaval, made the cutting through the solid rock which is so
striking a feature of the harbour. It was ready for the entrance of
vessels in March, 1763.
Delaval Hall is now owned by Lord Hastings, the present
representative of the Delavals, which family became extinct in the
male line early in the nineteenth century. The last Delaval, a very
learned man, was buried in Westminster Abbey in 1814. The Hall was
built for Admiral Delaval in 1707 to the design of Sir J. Vanbrugh,
who also designed Blenheim Palace, given by the nation to the great
Duke of Marlborough about the same time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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