This month saw one of its oldest buildings, The Boar’s Head, enter a new chapter with the opening of Bella Vista restaurant and the landlord has installed a banner on the side of the building encouraging more people to “Explore Old Sunderland.”
From the oldest purpose-built masonic lodge in the country and Sunderland’s oldest pub to a school that pioneered the education of poor girls in the area, here’s a look at some of the historical gems worth checking out.
1. 17Nineteen, Church Street East
It's stood in the heart of old Sunderland for 300 years and Holy Trinity Church in Church Street East entered a new chapter after a major £5million restoration project transforming it into events space, 17Nineteen. Named after the year the port’s first parish church opened its doors, 17Nineteen once housed the old town’s council chamber and its first library, making it one of the city’s most historically-significant buildings. Today, it hosts regular events and community groups. | Sunderland Echo
2. Phoenix Lodge, Queen Street
While the landscape of Wearside has evolved around it, Phoenix Hall remains much as it was when it was built in 1784-5. In recent years, the intricate historic features at the hall, the oldest surviving purpose-built masonic lodge still in use by the Freemasons in England, have been given a new lease of life thanks to a major restoration projection. A real bridge to Sunderland’s past, the handsome Grade I-listed building is testament to the rich history of the East End, when the then town was growing in wealth thanks to the trade in coal, timber and shipbuilding. Groups can book tours of the building, which also opens for Heritage Open Days. Photo: National World
3. Sunderland Maritime Heritage, Church Street East
Sunderland Maritime Heritage in Church Street East is a great charity that preserve the artefacts, documents, pictures and skills of the shipyard workers that contributed to shipbuilding in Sunderland from 1346 until 1988 when the last shipyard closed. Volunteers have a great wealth of knowledge and welcome visitors for a tour of the site. Photo: Sunderland Echo
4. The Boar's Head, High Street East
Dating back to 1724, the Boar’s Head in the East End was once a popular watering hole for sailors and workers at the nearby port. This month, a new Italian restaurant opened at the site called Bella Vista. Upstairs, meanwhile, is a hotel. | Sunderland Echo