Fairfax Jewel & Bust of Charles II

Seaton Delaval Hall has been owned by the Delaval and Astley families since the time of the Norman Conquest and has recently been saved for the nation by the National Trust. These two works shed light on the history of the hall and demonstrate the strength of the links between the Delavals and the royal family. The Fairfax jewel was presented to Sir Thomas Fairfax by Parliament on his victory at Naseby and illustrates aspects of Huguenot artistry, Civil War politics, the antiquarian taste of Horace Walpole and the Astley family's interest in their own heritage. The bust of Charles II was a gift from the king himself to the Astley family as a reward for their support during the Civil War .