Northumbrian Gunner: Seaton Sluice

Seaton Sluice

Seaton Sluice is located on the Northumberland coast midway between the coastal towns of Blyth and Whitley Bay.

From the 16th century the natural harbour was used to ship salt and later coal, however it was prone to silting. The problem was tackled by the construction of a pier and sluice gates which trapped water at high tide, and opened at low tide to flush the silt away. This gave rise to the name Seaton Sluice.

In 1763 a channel opened which had been cut through a headland to create a new entrance to the harbour.

The Cut Seaton Sluice

The same year work commenced on the building of a bottle works and Seaton Sluice flourished as a port, exporting glass and coal brought down to the harbour on rail tracks.

Seaton Sluice Glassworks

As the size of ships developed the harbour was unable to handle the vessels, and competing ports of Blyth and the Tyne offered better facilities. The final blow came in 1862 with a mining disaster at New Hartley, two miles away. The Hester Colliery was the main user of the port and the loss was a major blow to the coal trade. Competition in the glass industry would result in the decline of the glassworks which closed in 1872. The harbour became a backwater used by a few local fishermen.

Seaton Sluice

Prior to the First World War, Seaton Sluice was used for military manoeuvres. During the war 202 men enlisted from the local area. In 1917, to the south, the residents of Seaton Sluice could see observe across Collywell Bay the start of the construction of a coastal battery, with two 12inch MkVIII guns, which was to form part of the Tyne Defences.

Seaton Sluice views

Kings Arms Seaton Sluice

MILITARY CAMP FOUNTAIN HEAD BANK

Military Camp Fountain Head Bank 1911

Fountain Head Bank 2021

GUN POSITION KINGS ARMS

Gun Position Kings Arms 1913

Gun Position Kings Arms 2021

COLLYWELL BAY

Seaton Sluice & Old Hartley LHS - Roberts Battery

Construction of Roberts battery from Collywell Bay

Collywell Bay 2021

SEATON SLUICE WAR MEMORIAL

The Seaton Sluice War Memorial is located in the park adjacent to West Terrace, at the end of Collywell Bay Road. The memorial was built on land donated by Lord Hastings and unveiled by Lieutenant Colonel Pollard CMG DSO on 10th September 1921. It commemorated the service of 202 men from the Seaton Sluice area during the First World War, and a panel lists the 23 men who lost their lives. Another panel was inscribed after the Second World War to record the loss of 27 servicemen during the conflict.