Posted in Architecture at 12:00 on 24 March 2026
Seaton Delaval Hall is a stately home in Northumberland near the village of Seaton Sluice. It was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh for Admiral George Delaval in 1718 and is now owned by the National Trust.
The Hall:-

Side view:-

Courtyard:-

Entrance:-

Paintings of the historical Hall:-


Model of Hall frontage:-

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Posted in Architecture, Art Deco, Modern Architecture, Woolworths at 12:00 on 17 March 2026
I featured Hexham’s Art Deco cinema, The Forum, here.
When we visited the town again in Oct 2024 I spotted a couple more buildings with Art Deco styling.
The old bus station has an Art Deco pediment and lettering:-

The frontage has deco styling too:-

Then there was this shop with a slight Woolworth’s vibe but this may be later than deco:-

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Posted in Architecture, Trips, War Memorials at 12:00 on 16 March 2026
Blanchland is the site of an old Abbey which nowadays acts as the local church.
Blanchland Abbey:-

Rear of Abbey:-

Blanchland’s War Memorial sits beside the Abbey’s entrance pathway:-

It commemorates the village’s Great War dead. Dedication and names with inscription, “All they had they gave.”:-

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Posted in Architecture, Trips at 12:00 on 14 March 2026
Blanchland is a village in Northumberland (just.) We visited it because it was featured in a book of picturesque British villages which we have. (Titled the AA Book of British Villages.) Its buildings are lovely, all built of stone.
The village’s focal point is a kind of square whose entrance is on the left below:-

The Square. Note The Lord Crewe Arms on the left:-

The Lord Crewe Arms:-


The Square:-

The Square’s entrance porch building houses the village shop:-

One of the buildings has a stream running under it:-

An old church:-

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Posted in Architecture, Trips at 12:00 on 4 March 2026
As well as the model in the castle’s grounds there is this one in metal with labels of the castle’s interior:-

Its reverse:-

The Castle keep from below:-

Tower from inside:-

Walls and windows:-

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Posted in Architecture, Trips at 12:00 on 2 March 2026
Castle from car park:-

Main building:-

Walls to left of above:-

Walls to right:-

Model in grounds:-

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Posted in Architecture, Trips at 12:00 on 28 February 2026
The reason for our visit to Warkworth was to take a look at the castle, which stands on a hill at the end of the village:-

And dominates the road past it:-




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Posted in Architecture, History at 12:00 on 17 February 2026
Holy Trinity Church is in the centre of St Andrews, in what is a kind of town square, two sides of which are pedestrianised. It is the traditional Parish Church for the town and was where John Knox helped to start the Scottish Reformation.
For some reason it was open when we were in the town in September 2024 so we took the chance to have a look around.
East window:-

Door and west window:

The pulpit is fairly elaborate and lit up from within:-


The wooden ceiling is also worth a look, containing several armorial crests:-

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Posted in Architecture, Art, Trips at 12:00 on 3 February 2026
In adition to in the Hall and White Room, Blackwell Arts & Crafts House has some other fine fireplaces.



Tree House design by Blackwell’s architect Baillie Scott:-


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Posted in Architecture, Art, Trips at 12:00 on 31 January 2026
Blackwell‘s Arts & Crafts designs extend all over the house.
A bedroom:-

Close-up on bedroom light ftting:-

Another of the beds:-

Bedroom chair:-

Chest of Drawers and bookcase:-

Chest:-

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