The Name of Seton: is topographical one meaning "sea town".  The word has several variant spellings the last form being the oldest. It derived not from Scotland but from the north-east coast of England, notably Durham where there are five places so called: In Northumberland where there are eight, Yorkshire has two named Seatons and a third – actually the most important of them all – which has nowadays lost that designation. The small harbour village of Staithes, nine miles north of Whitby.  In the 11th century it was called Seaton Staithes,  an important place, private if not secret to its users, hidden in a cleft in the cliffs and extremely difficult of access.