Seaton Sluice

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Seaton Sluice
Statistics
Population:	3081
Ordnance Survey
OS grid reference:	NZ3477
Administration
District:	Blyth Valley
Shire county:	Northumberland
Region:	North East England
Constituent country:	England
Sovereign state:	United Kingdom
Other
Ceremonial county:	Northumberland
Historic county:	Northumberland
Services
Police force:	Northumbria
Fire and rescue:	{{{Fire}}}
Ambulance:	North East
Post office and telephone
Post town:	WHITLEY BAY
Postal district:	NE26
Dialling code:	0191
Politics
UK Parliament:	Blyth Valley
European Parliament:	North East England

Seaton Sluice is a village in Northumberland. It lies on the coast at the mouth of the Seaton Burn, midway between Whitley Bay and Blyth.

[edit] History

Seaton Sluice was formally a site of industry during the 18th century. Coal was exported from the harbour and to improve access for shipping, a new access to the sea ('the cut') was excavated in the 1760s, creating an island known as 'Rocky Island'. This was carried out by the Delaval family who owned a lot of land locally. The village also housed a bottleworks. By the 19th century, however, the harbour was too small for contemporary industry or the coal trade, which had moved to Tyneside and Blyth. An attempt in the early part of the 20th century to develop the village as a tourist resort failed as a railway was partly constructed but then abandoned as the first world war intervened.

[edit] Local Interest

Seaton Delaval Hall, built by Sir John Vanbrugh is on the outskirts of Seaton Sluice, on the road to Seaton Delaval.

Holywell Dene - the tree-lined valley through which the Seaton Burn flows in Seaton Sluice - contains a folly known as 'Starlight Castle', built by the Delavals.