Seaton Front prior to 1900. Note how close the beach is to the road. The Seven Stars PH is in the centre of the picture. This was demolished and The Marine Hotel built on the land in 1900.

The building was erected on the west side of the Green in 1803 by Robert Henry McDonald as the King's Head Inn. In June 1806 Nathan Leng became landlord, by April 1809 Robert Battey had taken over and by 1812 William Oliver. In December 1825 RH McDonald was advertising the Inn and land to be let. By 1827 it was occupied by William Webster who, in 1829, advertised the inn to be let for a term of years: 'with Stables and Other Conveniences and 61 1/2 acres of land, six stints on Seaton Snook. Together with or without the adjoining commodius Dwelling-House used as a Lodging-House'.

It became the property of Richard Walker and on his death in 1831 it was advertised by Anthony Walker to be sold by auction: 'The above premises have for many years been occupied by genteel families during the bathing season, for which purpose they are admirably adopted.' In 1839 the Inn was being advertised to let with the present tenant named as Anthony Walker.

From 1851 to 1861 Margaret Walker was the landlady (possibly Anthony Walker's daughter) & between 1862 & 1872 the inn was bought by JW Richardson who completely transformed the building & grounds. The stables & coach houses were converted to summer houses for the guests & croquet grounds were laid out.

William Thomlinson purchased the building in 1882 & converted it into a private residence re-naming it Sea View House. The house later became known as Seaton Hall. Thomlinson lived there until his death in 1943. In May 1945 the house was advertised for sale by auction at the Grand Hotel as being an:

'ivy clad house that stands back from the main road and contains entrance hall, with oak floor; oak panelled dining room, with two large bay windows; charming drawing room with large bow window overlooking the lawn; oak panelled inner hall, oak panelled morning room with two bay windows and fine fireplaces; telephone room, housemaid's pantry, cloakroom, excellent kitchen with Anglo-Simplex Range, larder etc on the ground floor. On the first floor is the handsome library, fitted with mahogany bookcases; 4 principal bedrooms, dressing room with fitted cupboards and wardrobes; 3 bathrooms and 2 maid's bedrooms. On the second floor are 4 good bedrooms whilst over is a large playroom known as 'The Crocodile' owing to it being fitted with panelling and doors from a steamer of that name wrecked in the Bay. At the rear of the house is the lawn with gravelled paths together with the garden, sitting room, flower room, conservatory and vinery. Close by is the large walled garden, with tennis court, lawns, rose beds and herbaceous borders and kitchen garden with fruit trees and bushes. The residence is fitted with fine panelling, beautiful fireplaces and doors; central heating with concealed radiators and all modern amenities and is in a very good state of repair and decoration. The outbuildings include heated garages for four cars laundry, boiler house, harness room, store room etc.' 

In April 1946 a catering licence for Seaton Hall Guest House to operate as a catering establishment was granted to Mrs EE Rawsthorne of 25 Spring Garden Road, Hartlepool 'for guests who will stay less than five days and also for more permanent boarders but it is not intended to operate as a cafe.'

By 1951 the building had become the Seaton Hall Hotel and was taken over by Mrs Cora Hudson. In 1954 the Hotel was for sale. There was a suggestion of the council purchasing the building as an old folks home but this was decided against because of the future cost of repairs on such an old building. The Hotel closed and remained so until 1956 when the West Hartlepool Education Committee rented the building as temporary accommodation for students of the fire damaged College of Art. The lease was to run until September 1957.

In May of 1975 the Hotel was being advertised for sale as 'lavishly improved' and with '17 letting bedrooms.'

In 1988 the building was converted to become a nursing home by the present (2020) owners. Many of the original features such as panelling and the fireplaces have been retained.

North-west corner of the Green showing the large ivy covered Seaton Hall which started life in 1803 as The King's Head Inn. At the time of this image the Hall belonged to Colonel Thomlinson.

Seaton Hall is now (2015) a nursing home. Built in 1803 as an inn it has been a private residence & a hotel over the years. The interior still boasts many original features such as fireplaces & wood-panelling.

Seaton Hall Hotel, The Green, Seaton Carew was built as the King's Head Inn in 1803. The premises are now a nursing home.

The Seaton Hotel, Church Street, Seaton Carew. A view of the Hotel with the fence around the outside. The fence was removed in the 1990s.

From 1787 the Ship Inn was being advertised to be let with two fields adjioning and several houses and garths. The occupants of the houses were Richard Walker, Joseph Dobson senior, Elizabeth Bell, Ann Liddell, James Lithgo and Robert Ferguson.

Newcastle Courant 19th February 1791:

'To be let (for a term of years if required) and entered upon the 12th of May next, the Ship Inn at Seaton Carew near Hartlepool, with the gardens, stables, coach houses and other offices and conveniences, and a sufficient quantity of ground thereunto adjoining. Seaton is well known to be the most pleasant and elible situation on the coast for sea-bathing. The town is close upon the beach which is remakably fine smooth and firm for several miles on each side and furnishes one of the most pleasing rides in the country, commanding not only a beautiful sea prospect, but a delightful view of the Tees Bay, Cleveland Coast, hills &c on the opposite shore. This Inn has been for many years much frequented  and well accustomed, particularly in the Bathing Season; and to render it more commodious and to encourage a good Tenant,  the Proprietor is willing to make such additions and improvements as may be deemed useful and necessary. Mr George Metcalf of Seaton will show the Premises; and Mr Mowbray of Sherburn House, near Durham will let the same.'

It appears that the property did not attract a tenant as George Pearson, a wealthy gentleman of Durham who already had considerably property in Seaton Carew, by 1792 had purchased the Ship Inn & all that went with it. By 1794 he had pulled down the old building & had a coach house & three adjoining houses built on the site to cater for the wealthy Quakers who frequented the village during the summer months. The coach house was named the New Inn & remained so until the name changed to the Seaton Hotel between 1800 & 1804 although, on occasion, up until 1808 the media still referred to the property as the Ship Inn. The lodging houses in Church Street were connected by a passageway through the cellars from the inn kitchen.

An early image of the hotel. It can clearly be seen by that a building has been removed between the hotel and the building opposite.The structures that can be seen to the rear of the hotel have also changed.

Early picture of the Seaton Hotel when the proprieter was G Hodgson (c1902). I have never seen a picture with a Garage sign above the bay window. There is also adverts for food on the front to the building.

Seaton Hotel, Seaton Carew. When this image was taken in 1902 Mr Hodgson was the landlord.

HHT&N 600

In November 2012 after having been closed for some time the hotel was sold by the brewery into private ownership.

The Seven Stars Inn may have been built after George Pearson's New Inn in 1792 but is more likely to have been a converted cottage of an earlier date. John Corner appears to have been the first landlord with his daughter Elizabeth Hayes Good & her husband George following until George's death in 1873. Elizabeth, born c1830, carried on as landlady until 1899 when the Inn was sold. Elizabeth died in 1904.

The Inn was sold by auction on 8 June 1899 to Camerons and Co., West Hartlepool for the sum of £5200. In August an application was granted to rebuild the Seven Stars 'so as to make it a handsome building for the accommodation of visitors and others.' The new building was the Marine Hotel.

The Seven Stars Inn was first licenced in the early 1800s and in 1899 was bought by Cameron's at auction. The current Marine Hotel was built on the site in 1900 and to commemorate this, seven stars are depicted on the outside of the building.

In the early years of the hotel, the owner John Corner brewed beer himself in the inn.

(from Lion Roars and Monkey Bites by Marie-Louise McKay)

The name over the door is 'Good's'. From 1853-1881, the landlord was George Good and from 1881-1900 it was Elizabeth Good (daughter of the first landlord, John Corner)

The smaller building to the right is still part of the current Marine Hotel.

Seven Stars Inn in 1853. It was demolished and the Marine Hotel built on the site in 1900/1901. The large house next door was Ashburne House and belonged to Edward Backhouse who used it for his summer visits to Seaton. When he died in 1879 the house was left to Edward Backhouse Mounsey.  The house was eventually demolished and the land became a car park.

Showing the Marine Hotel, car park and what was Krimo's Restaurant in April 2005. The cottages shown on the previous photo remain. One became part of the Marine Hotel's dining room & the other was converted into flats.

Landlady Elizabeth Hayes Good (born c1830 died 1904) at the rear of the Seven Stars Inn, Seaton Carew. In June 1900 an auction was held for all the fixtures & fittings & a pony trap from the Seven Stars before the inn was demolished to make way for the Marine Hotel.

The Staincliffe Hotel when still in use as a private dwelling.

HHT&N 609

By the time this photo was taken in 1987 the cupola to the top of the building, used as an art studio by Thomas Walker, has been removed. The porch has also been removed and the conservatory between the main building and the chapel has been replaced with a solid structure.

HHT&N 2014

The Terrace in the Staincliffe Hotel, Seaton Carew.

HHT&N 602

The Staincliffe Hotel, The Front, Seaton Carew 2014

Staincliffe House became a hotel and the villas privately owned. The structure to the top of the building was removed after storm damage and the lowlight was demolished in 1900.

By 1929 the house had been purchased to be used as a country club but was not licensed to sell alcohol until Vaux Breweries purchased the building in the very early 1940s. The conservatory was removed and a ballroom, with a sprung floor, was erected in its place. The whole roof was later lifted off and replaced on an added second floor. This was accomplished by the engineer Thomas M Stonehouse.

The Station Hotel was built in about 1872 at the side of the footpath which led to the village. It was to serve those arriving and departing by train. When first built it was said that it was 'A modern built building with a fashionable portico entrance, but rather built before its time'. By 2005, when this photo was taken, it was becoming harder for publicans to make a living and many pubs and hotels such as this were doomed.

In August 1874 the Hotel was advertised for sale by the owner Mr M Bell. In February of 1876 the owner was George Alderson who was advertising the Hotel for sale. At that time it was occupied by Mr WH Clough who would have been the tenant. The landlord in 1878 was Mark Bolton, 1879 John Waites. In August of 1881 the license was transferred from Christopher Waite to John Armstrong.

The Station, Station Lane, Seaton Carew, Hartlepool. Premises have been demolished and a Sainsburys store now stands on the site.

The lovely building that was the Station Hotel was demolished in 2011 to make way for this Sainsbury's store pictured in November 2012. No more to be said!

A printed postcard showing the buildings on Front Street as it approaches Church Street. Second from the corner of Church Street is the Temperance Hotel. The image would be 1888 as a group can be seen outside Ambrose Storer's shop further along the street. This is the same group that is in two of James Pattison's photos.

The Front, Seaton Carew, Hartlepool with the Marine Hotel on the left.

HHT&N 558

The Marine Hotel and number 5 The Front in 1981.

HHT&N HHT&1093

The Front, Seaton Carew, Hartlepool with The Marine Hotel on the right. Taken from a postcard. The image dates from between 1900 and 1923.

The Front Seaton Carew with the Marine Hotel in the centre of the picture.

HHT&N 565

The Front, Seaton Carew with The Seven Stars Inn on the right hand side. The inn was demolished to make way for the Marine Hotel. The Hotel is the white building next to the black building.

HHT&N 562

The Green, Seaton Carew showing The Norton Hotel on the right and the Seaton Hall Hotel to the left.

The Marine Hotel, Seaton Carew.

The Norton Hotel, Seaton Carew, in the 60s. Built originally as the 'George & Dragon Inn' pre 1812.

The Staincliffe Hotel Dance Band.

HHT+N 498