Description and History of Site:-

Opened in March 1857, the building originally served as the administrative headquarters for the Marquis of Londonderry’s collieries, railways, docks, and industrial ventures, and later became a police station.

The former Londonderry Offices, c.1860, are constructed of snecked sandstone with ashlar quoins and Welsh slate roofs. The long, narrow street-facing façade is symmetrical, featuring a 2-storey, 5-bay centre flanked by slightly projecting 4-bay wings. Built in a modified classical style with 17th-century French motifs, the ground floor has a chamfered stone plinth, a central rusticated porte-cochere, 4-pane sash windows with horizontal glazing bars and raised sills, and three blocked windows in the left wing. A string course separates the storeys, while first-floor windows have similar 4-pane sashes on square brackets with eared architraves.

Above the porte-cochere stands a central projecting 2-stage clock tower with raised quoins. Its tall, corniced lower stage contains a round-headed window with Gibbs surround and a keyed oculus above. The shorter upper stage features corner consoles, four circular clock faces, and a slightly pointed, lead-sheathed dome with four vertical louvred oval openings, all topped by a continuous moulded eaves cornice. Flanking wings have low-pitched hipped roofs with flat tops and three round-arched dormers with double-keyed architraves. The rear of the building is irregular, with round-arched windows, some with Gibbs surrounds, and multiple corniced ashlar stacks. The interior has been largely remodelled.

A statue of Charles Stewart Vane-Tempest Stewart, 6th Marquess of Londonderry (1852–1915), was created in 1915 by John Tweed. The bronze figure stands slightly over life-size on a sandstone plinth and pedestal. The pedestal, with sloping sides and moulded cornice, bears the inscription: “This statue is placed here by his son and his daughter, amongst those whom he loved so well, and whose welfare and happiness were to him the principle objects of his life.” The rear features a relief carving of the Londonderry Arms with the Garter motto and the family motto METUENDA COROLLA DRACONIS. The figure wears the cloak of the Order of the Garter, holding a sword and scroll.

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Key Words :- offices

Viewing the Site :- Can be viewed from the public road or footpath

Address :- North Terrace, Seaham, Durham, SR7 7EU
Grid Ref :- NZ4305149539
Co-ordinates :- Lat 54.838828 , Long -1.331222
Local Authority :- Durham County Council
Pre 1974 County :- County Durham
Site Status :- Listed - Grade II
Historic England List No - 1232270, 1277150,
Site Condition :- Site refurbished to residential housing
Site Dates :- 1857 -
Contributor :- John Suter - 3 September 2022

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © John Suter