History
The place-name 'Seaton Delaval' was first attested as 'Seton de la Val' in 1270. 'Seaton' simply means 'sea town', referring to the village's nearness to the North Sea. The land was held by the de la Val family, who took their name from Le Val in Normandy. Their descendants are still major landholders in the area today, and the current (23rd) Lord Hastings has the first name Delaval.
The folk song "Blackleg Miner" mentions the village:
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- Oh, Delaval is a terrible place
- They rub wet clay in the blackleg's face.
- And around the heaps they run a foot race,
- To catch the blackleg miner!
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- So dinna gan near the Seghill mine.
- Across the way they stretch a line,
- To catch the throat and break the spine
- Of the dirty blackleg miner!
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Famous quotes containing the word history:
“Regarding History as the slaughter-bench at which the happiness of peoples, the wisdom of States, and the virtue of individuals have been victimized—the question involuntarily arises—to what principle, to what final aim these enormous sacrifices have been offered.”
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