BYRONS PLACE

Back in Sunderland for the weekend, my dear wife has worried about the cat since we got back so for a bit of peace I said we would drive up last night. Been a lovely day here on the north east coast, the highlight was an unplanned visit to the spa at Seaham Hall. It was at Seaham Hall that the poet Byron met and married Isabella Millbanke in 1815. The marriage was not a happy one and the unfortunate wife was later ridiculed in one of Byron's poems as `Lady Millpond'. Byron does not seem to have enjoyed his time at Seaham as in a letter to his friend Moore he complained; "Upon this dreary coast we have nothing but county meetings and shipwrecks; and I have this day dined upon fish, which probably dined upon the crews of several colliers lost in the late gales".
The Hall has been many things in its time & was converted to a hotel around twelve years ago after years as a mental institution, I've visited on several occasions for afternoon tea or a light lunch, anyway today when we entered its portals we we're surprised to find that it had shut down for a month whilst some renovations are carried out & it was suggested that we visit the Spa that had been built next to it when the first conversion had been done, what a place, everything done with style with a South East Asia theme including a marvellous Thai Restaurant. needless to say I felt stuffed by the end of the afternoon, to full to bother going down to the seafront to find a blip for today, chosen this one because I'm writing about the hall, not the best of angles but I didn't want to end up with the builders skip at the front door appearing on the photo.

My apologies to those who I usually make comment to on Blip, with one thing and another I've slipped behind but hopefully I'll be able to catch up tomorrow.