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Sunderland is a port city in the county of Tyne and Wear, North East England. It is a port at the mouth of the River Wear on the North Sea, approximately 10 miles (16 km) south-east of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is the most populous settlement in the Wearside conurbation and the second-most populous settlement, after Newcastle. It is the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Sunderland.

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Tyne and Wear

Sunderland

City in Tyne and Wear, England

County

Tyne and Wear

Known for

City in Tyne and Wear, England

A Journey Through Time

The story of Sunderland — from the archive to today.

Guide

Toponymy

In c. 674, King Ecgfrith granted Benedict Biscop a "sunder-land". In 685 The Venerable Bede moved to the newly founded Jarrow monastery. He had started his monastic career at Monkwearmouth monastery and later wrote that…

Early, ancient and Medieval

The earliest inhabitants of the Sunderland area were Stone Age hunter-gatherers. Artefacts from this era have been discovered, including microliths found during excavations at St Peter's Church, Monkwearmouth. During…

III

Jamies and Black Cats

Rapid growth of the port was prompted by the salt trade. Salt exports from Sunderland are recorded from as early as the 13th century, by 1589 salt pans were laid at Bishopwearmouth Panns (the modern-day name of the area…

Culture & Landmarks

Places and stories connected to Sunderland.

Roker

Roker is a seaside resort in Sunderland, city of Sunderland district, Tyne and Wear. England. It is located north of the River Wear and…

Seaburn

Seaburn is a seaside resort and northeastern suburb of Sunderland, North East England. The village of Whitburn borders the area to the…

National Glass Centre

The National Glass Centre is a cultural venue and visitor attraction located in Sunderland, North East England. It is part of the University of Sunderland.

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Local flavour

"The greatest shipbuilding port in the world"

Sunderland's shipbuilding industry continued to grow through most of the 19th century, becoming the town's dominant industry and a defining part of its identity. By 1815 it was 'the leading…

20th century

From 1900 to 1919, an electric tram system was built and was gradually replaced by buses during the 1940s before being ended in 1954. In 1909 the Queen Alexandra Bridge was built, linking Deptford…

City status

Sunderland received city status in 1992. Like many cities, Sunderland comprises a number of areas with their own distinct histories, Fulwell, Monkwearmouth, Roker, and Southwick on the northern side…

Government

Sunderland is a metropolitan borough with city status, governed by Sunderland City Council. There are three civil parishes within the city boundaries, at Hetton, Burdon, and Warden Law, which form an…

Venues nearby