Obelisk In Seaton Valley, Northumberland
An 18m tall Obelisk sitting 900m south of Seaton Delaval Hall.
If you have ever visited Seaton Delaval Hall, walked down the Holywell waggonways or even driven down the Earsdon back roads, then this obelisk may have caught your eye.
Generally known as the Seaton Delaval Obelisk it is 18m tall and once sat within the grounds of Seaton Delaval Hall. It's currently 900m south from the hall itself.
The reason for the obelisk all depends on who you speak to and there are two stories.
Story 1
Admiral George Delaval fell from his horse on the avenue on 22nd of June 1723 and then was dragged with one foot trapped in a stirrup, across the fields and died at the location marked by this obelisk. There is also a stub of an obelisk marking where he initially fell on the avenue. (See more below).
Story 2
It is also claimed that the obelisk is just a landscape feature of the hall's pleasure grounds and would be a focal point for the Delavals and their guests to walk to when the weather was fine. It is perfectly aligned when viewed from the back porch.
Unfortunately the obelisk is now on private farmland so you can't get right up to it (We had to send Red5 drone in). If you follow the waggonways you can get to a fence which is around 300m from the obelisk and will give you a good view.
The second stub of an obelisk is viewable right on the New Hartley junction of the avenue, where George Delaval was unseated from his horse.
The What3Words for this one is ///wizards.fallen.glassware and here is a quick map for where it is.
The obelisk hasn't be ruined by time, it was actually dismantled by Hartley Mains due to mining subsidence.
Get 4 points if you have visited this place. Already visited by 21 VIPs.
Login to the VIP area to add places to your bucket list, mark them as visited and more importantly see where you rank on the league table.
What three words
inner.gains.dust
Lat / Long
55.074938, -1.489807
Show Place On Google Maps
From the church head up the Avenue and then take the first path on your left marked with a fingerpost. Keeping walking on the marked paths and you will see the Obelisk in the distance. Around a 10 min walk.
What three words
fires.retraced.keepers
Lat / Long
55.081649, -1.500165
If you visiting Seaton Delaval Hall, then you can leave your car here, or park near the church next to it.
Contributed by Simon Hawkins
Thanks for checking out this place on the Fabulous North! I do enjoy a wander out in to the countryside trying to find hidden gems that not many people know about. You can't beat a rogue Pele tower up a remote hill or a mysterious stone circle or a stunning waterfall secluded in a forest.
A delightful 12th-century church tucked away beside the magnificent Seaton Delaval Hall.
A small and picturesque harbour which used to export salt, coal and bottles.
A large rock sitting in Collywell Bay at Seaton Sluice that a local once grew things on.
An obelisk erected to James Maitland Balfour, MP and Major Commandant of the East Lothian Yeomanry Cavalry.
An obelisk marking the centenary of the Glorious Revolution by William the Orange.
An obelisk commerating playwright and poet John Thomson, who also penned the words to Rule, Britannia.
Circular walk starting from Seaton Sluice, following Holywell Dene to Holywell Pond then onto the waggonways, before returning via the Avenue.
We post all our new places daily on our Facebook Groups page, so join the group today and be notified when we add a new place.