Here's an interesting little ruin that stands on the south cliff of the Hawthorn Dene valley, now little more than earthworks and protruding foundations. There's a good chance it was designed by none other than John Dobson himself.

This was a farm named the Blue House. It was in the north eastern of the quite large Easington parish, and had stood here since at least the 1820s. Who knows why it was named the Blue House - perhaps it was simply painted blue much like the workers cottages on the Town Moor in Newcastle.

Our first reference dates back to 1822, when this farm was put up to let with 50 acres of arable and pasture land as well as featuring a lime kiln - a very common feature to provide fertiliser to spread over the land. At this time it was owned by a Thomas Anderson of the same family we discussed last week who moved into Hawthorn Tower. It appears this was part of the wider estate, and incredibly enough this letting notice was referred back to a "Mr Dobson, Architect, White Cross". Could this well be John Dobson who worked with the Anderson's, and it also poses the question - was this farm designed by Dobson himself when Hawthorn Tower was also built?

Either way, our first glimpse of it is on the tithe plan of 1839 -a modest size house a single field away from the coast. A further tantalising insight is found on the survey of 1861, showing a complex of two buildings with a central yard. The buildings were separated into 6 distinct units - likely stables or pens with a dwelling on the west side. At this stage it was occupied by a Mr George Heads with the farm still incorporating 44 acres.

Now it certainly remained until the 20s or 30s, but any references vanished without a trace long before. By 1948 all we find are the same ruins in situ today, and sadly I can find no photographs at all of this interesting site. The wood to its north still retains the name of the Blue House Plantation.