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Seaton

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"SEATON, a parish in the hundred of WRANDIKE, county of RUTLAND, 2 miles (E. by S.) from Tippingham, containing, with the hamlet of Thorpe by Water, 457 inhabitants. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry of Northampton, and diocese of Peterborough, rated in the king's books at £20. 7. 6., and in the patronage of the. Hon. J. Monckton. The church is dedicated to All Saints." 

"THORPE-by-WATER, a hamlet in the parish of SEATON, hundred of WRANDIKE, county of RUTLAND, 5 miles (S. E. by S.) from Uppingham, containing 80 inhabitants."

[Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England (1831) ©Mel Lockie]

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Churches

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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Seaton which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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History

Seaton is a small village nestling on the south facing slope of the Welland valley. The settlement has had a long history, evidenced by Roman and Saxon remains found in recent times.

The church, All Hallows, dates from Norman times, and the original chancel arch and doorway still exist. The building was added to in the mid-14th century and substantially renovated in the late 19th century.

The manors of Seaton came under the common ownership of the Sheffield family in the 17th century, who built a large stone house as their Hall in the centre of the village. The manor house survives to this day. The manor later belonged to the Tryons of Bulwick and then the Moncktons of Fineshade.

The village itself was once much larger with many more cottages, which have since been demolished. The present population is about 200. This is composed mainly of business commuters and retired people. There are three family farms which used to be major employers for the village people. The railway and Corby steelworks were also main places of work.

Seaton provided many other services including two butcher's shops, a bakery, carpenter and undertaker, a cobbler, blacksmith, general store, and a maltings and brewhouse with two public houses. Only the post office and the George and Dragon pub survive today.

Village life used to be much more active. Not only did most people work within the village, but they lived as a community. The cricket team used to play regularly in the centre of the village, and the pubs were more than mere watering holes with the lively domino and whist teams. The village celebrated Seaton Feast (first Sunday after 25th July) until the 1920s. Ploughboy Monday also lapsed at about the same time. The ploughboys would black their faces and dance round the village collecting for an ale party that evening.

The Royce family originated from Seaton where they were millers. One of their descendants became a partner of the world famous firm, Rolls-Royce.

Many of the older Seaton residents remember travelling to school on the 'Push and Pull'. This small train of two carriages travelled the lines from Seaton to Uppingham, or Seaton to Stamford, but was made redundant in 1966 when Seaton station closed.

(The above extract from 'The Leicestershire & Rutland Village Book', compiled by the Leicestershire & Rutland Federation of Women's Institutes, is reproduced by kind permission of the publishers, Countryside Books, Newbury, Berkshire)

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SP900973 (Lat/Lon: 52.566128, -0.673954), Seaton which are provided by: