Staithes,
North Yorkshire
0800 840 41 41

The Pendulum

The garden at Seaton Hall comprises of around 20 acres lined by tree avenues and walkways. Some 24,000 trees have been planted since 2003, and the garden is currently being themed to represent the cycle of the human soul, with 'Cosmic Gates' into the 'Garden of Eden'. The gates represent the pictures captured by the Hubble telescope of the birth of the universe.

From the courtyard garden, access can be gained to the arboretum and wildlife pond. From there one can ascend the 'Galactic Ramp' from where a glimpse of the sea can be obtained, the ramp itself, being a representation of the souls that once inhabited Seaton Hall exiting this world.

From this area, a long circular walk through tree avenues and walnut groves leads down to the village pub and back up to the newly planted poplar and lilac avenue, which features a fallen Roman Temple, and a druid tree circle of wild black poplars, representing pre Christian beliefs.

From this tree avenue one can descend to St. Hildas' Grove, where a Saxon sarcophagus was placed in the 1840's which was discovered with 2 others on the site of the Saxon Church of Seton.

The sarcophagus at one time was covered with interlaced images and carvings of the Saxon era, but this has unfortunately eroded through successive frost damage.

This location provokes thoughts and images of St. Hilda, a niece of the Northumbrian King, and Abbess of Whitby.

We are allowing this area to regenerate with the return of many wild flowers, including orchids.

From here the tour continues through a woodland walk, and leads to rare wild grasses. One can return to the house via an ancient orchard planted with old fashioned apple species, and into the Jacobean Topiary garden, and to the Victorian Farmhouse garden, and Moat Garden.

Along the way, you will see various art installations, created by leading sculptors and blacksmiths, and the walk is designed to represent the progress of a soul through it's earthly experiences, and to represent world religions and in honour of the hundreds of souls who will have inhabited this ancient site, over the past thousand years.

The inspiration for this design was a poem entitled "The Pendulum", by the late Irene Winifred Kidd, and the art installations represent her paintings, a collection of which is held for viewing by appointment in the house.