Holywell Dene is situated in south east Northumberland and was originally named Merkel Dene, the woodland known today, as Holywell Dene was first recorded in 800AD. The Dene follows the course of the Seaton Burn for over six kilometres from Seghill, through Seaton Delaval, Holywell, and Old Hartley and thence to Seaton Sluice where the Burn enters the sea. The section from east from the old railway viaduct to Seaton Sluice was designated a Local Nature Reserve in 2003..

The boundary between Blyth Valley and North Tyneside Councils follows the Burn between a point east of Holywell to Old Hartley. The land, making up the whole of Holywell Dene is privately owned but has a network of public and permissive footpaths and bridleways. Lord Hastings who has granted the two councils a lease for ninety-nine years owns the area of the Local Nature Reserve.

Lord Hastings is a descendant of the Delaval family who have been the key to the development of the Dene over centuries. It was shortly after 1066, that Holywell Dene was conferred to Hubert De la Val who had come to Britain with the army of William the Conqueror.

Holywell Dene has been used for both business and pleasure over the centuries. Within the woodland's boundaries industrial activity has included farming, coal mining, milling, charcoal making and quarrying and from the Victorian era to the current day, the Dene has been used for walking and enjoying the wildlife and flora native to the area.

The woodland is best considered as “ancient semi-natural” as it has been significantly altered by human activities over the centuries although it still retains elements of its original trees which were likely to be predominately oak, ash and elm. Ancestral landlords probably planted the beech trees, mostly found on the upper slopes, while parts of the lower slopes have been taken over by the ubiquitous sycamore. In the recent past the woodland has suffered through Dutch Elm disease and the over-wintering of cattle, which have decimated the shrub and herb layer, prevented regeneration and damaged access routes.

In 1999 the two local authorities, together with the Forestry Commission, put in place Woodland Grant Schemes that, among other things, included fencing the Dene to exclude cattle. This was completed in 2001 and the positive results are already apparent.

         Aerial View of Holywell Dene

                   Autumn in the Dene

Despite all the problems the Dene has experienced, there is still a rich and varied selection of flora and fauna. Pipistrelle and noctule bats have been recorded. Badgers and the occasional otter on passage have been detected together with a wide selection of birds including kingfisher, dipper, song thrush, tree sparrow, great spotted woodpecker, little and tawny owls as well as sighting of occasional rare visitors. Wild flowers offer a varied selection including creeping and goldilocks buttercup, wood anemone, dog violet, bluebell, primrose and garlic mustard.

After years of neglect the Dene, hopefully, has turned the corner, due in great measure to The Friends of Holywell Dene. Unfortunately nature can be helped by man but not speeded up and so it will be a very long process before the Dene returns to its former glory.