Seaton Holme, Easington

In the civil parish of Easington Village.
In the historic county of Durham; County Palatinate of (Modern Authority of Durham, 1974 county of County Durham).

In 1248, Seaton Holme, built for the retirement of Prince Bishop Farnham, was to become a major landmark for the governing dynasty, acting as the administrative centre for the area. The earliest phase in the development of Seaton Holme for which there is evidence above ground is an aisled hall with adjoining wing to the east, both of stone rubble. All the indications are that this was part of a mid C13 building phase, this date is suggested by documentary sources and confirmed by dendrochronology. The east wing was at least partly rebuilt in the late C13-early C14. The wing housed services on the ground floor and provided a great chamber on the first. The hall range was rebuilt with a considerably taller open hall in the second half of C15. The two wings were later re-roofed, and the west wing raised in height by almost one metre. Dendrochronological analysis has dated the re-roofing of the west wing to the early C16. The trusses of the east wing have timbers dating to both the late C15 and late C16, suggesting that the wing may have been re-roofed at the same time that the hall range was rebuilt, but was then at least partially rebuilt a century later. In the late C18 and early C19 the building was extensively renovated, in the course of which the interior was remodelled and the west wing virtually rebuilt.

This site has been described as a;
Palace.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Possible.
Major remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
This site is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 406880)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NZ41374352

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 27214