Seaton Sluice - Northumberland

Seaton Sluice is a small village and seaport at the very southern border of the Northumberland coastline at the mouth of the Seaton Burn 3 miles SE of Blyth. The present village is made up of two separate villages, Seaton Sluice and Hartley, which have, over the years, gradually merged into one village. Before the 16th century the village was known as Hartley Pans because salt production had been established there however, the salt was shipped from the port of Blyth. In the late 17th century Sir Ralph Delaval built a sluice at the harbour mouth as the coal and salt trades were increasing and the harbour was too shallow and small to cope with the higher demand. In 1764, once again to facilitate the burgeoning coal trade, Sir John Hussey Delaval and his engineer brother, Thomas, created a new entrance to the harbour mouth by blasting an opening out of solid rock. 'The Cut' was one of the most important engineering feats of its day and can still be seen at Seaton Sluice.