Sunderland Walk
 |
Sunderland History
Local
Studies
Mowbray Park.
Created 1854-57, first of the Cities’ parks. At the Northern end is the Museum 1877 housing many artefacts of historical interest. The foundations of which were laid in the presence of General U.S. Grant, President of the USA. Adjoining the
Museum the library, built in classical Roman style with French Mansard roofs. With the new glass extension containing various fauna to simulate the old Winter Gardens, although similar it is smaller than the original, the first winter Gardens being destroyed during the war. Sunderland was one of the most frequently bombed towns during the war because of its strategic ship building importance.
LEAVE BY THE NEW ENTRANCE: TURNING RIGHT.
Fawcett Street.
Crossing from the museum and park area onto Fawcett Street on the left side you will see the old offices of Northern Gas 1867- one of Sunderland’s first commercial buildings, now Wilkinson's shop.
On the right side of the street you will see opposite a furniture shop, which was once Northern Electric’s show room. Originally Built as The Athenaeum for the Literary and Philosophical Society it once had a large stone portico.
Diagonally across the street at the junction with Athenaeum Street stood the site of the old Town Hall. Demolished 1971, the Town Hall clock was moved to the new Bridges shopping centre.
The site is now an office block.
On the right are Sydenham and Corder Houses (1889-91). Notice the intricate terracotta facades, the Gothic and renaissance motifs, the elaborate balconies. Also strangely the roof of Corder House has carved in it the names of those involved in the design and building. The main design accredited to Frank Caws.
Banks and Buildings.
On the opposite side off the street is the National Westminster Bank 1878. Built in the classic style with baroque touches, it once housed the old ‘subscription Library’.
On the same side further on is Barclays Bank 1878 displaying its series of columns and baroque dormers
Not far from Barclays is Lloyds Bank 1891 with its polished Granite columns.
Walking on to the junction with St Thomas Street are the elegantly designed buildings of the HSBC formerly The Midland, built originally as the York City and County Bank in 1902.
Walking onto the end of Fawcett Street at the junction with High Street West you will see on the left the magnificent Elephant Tea Rooms 1873 designed by Caws for the Tea Merchant Grimshaw. The oriental influence is evident with oriel corner turret and the Elephants sheltering under the gables in the roof. The building which Caws called Hindu Gothic was part of his vision of a Grand Fawcett Street. Unfortunately his grand plan never materialised.
Hutchinson Buildings.
Diagonally opposite The Tea Rooms are Hutchinson Buildings 1850. Home of Sunderland Doctor William Clanny, who was a champion in the Cholera epidemic, which began in Sunderland in 1831. He was also credited with the invention of the first Miner’s safety lamp used in the 19th C. Another famous inhabitant was Mackie who rented the ‘corner-shop’, the shop was famous for its openness where hat makers could be seen working.
A clock was later added to the corner, which became a favourite meeting place for many…’Mackies Corner’ and clock. On New Year’s Eve the clock took its place in a traditional race along Fawcett Street. Starting at the other end outside Wilkinson’s shop, runners were challenged to make it to the clock before the final chime! There is said to be an identical building constructed in Sydney Australia by Sunderland emigrants.
Great Fire.
Sunderland too had its Great Fire. In 1898 a fire started in a building opposite Hutchinson Buildings. It soon spread destroying 48 buildings including half of the Hutchinson buildings, which were later rebuilt. Such devastation led directly to the forming of the Town’s first effective and efficient Fire Brigade.
Bridge Street.
From Hutchinson’s buildings, walk on Bridge Street. On the left is St. Mary’s Catholic Church 1830-35. Designed in Gothic style by Bonomi of Durham. The Church was built near the end of the new iron bridge in the then developing residential area. It is finished in Ashlar with Lancet windows and slated roofs. In 1850 two chapels were added, believed to be a secret area haven for Catholic / Jacobite sympathisers. In the later part of the 18th C acts of parliament recognised many of the political rights of other religions.
Bridges.
Looking north at the end of Bridge Street stand the Wearmouth Road Bridge and the metro & rail bridge (1879). The rail bridge significantly joined two separate rail companies. A tunnel was built (still used) and a new Central Station. The new link meant for the first time trains from Sunderland travelled to Leeds Manchester and London.
This area was know as ‘Panns’ from the amount of salt pans which were used in the 16C to extract salt from sea water.
In 1644 this whole area north and South of the river was inhabited by a Scottish army of over 9000. The army were welcomed into the town as the town and the Scots supported the Parliamentary forces and opposed the King. The camp with defensive mounds and trenches was in a strategic position from where many raids were launched on The Royalist forces of Newcastle.
At the end of Fawcett Street…still looking toward the Bridges cross over Fawcett Street onto the footpath of West Wear Street.
The Theatre Royal
Walking East on the Southside pavement of West Wear Street the first right is Bedford Street. Turning into the street on the left stands a car park, once the premises of the towns Theatre Royal.
Continue to walk South on Bedford Street, onto John Street. Crossing over St. Thomas Street on the corner is The River Wear Commissioners Building 1905-7. With a façade of grey stone with a base of granite the building is styled in baroque with renaissance motifs around the roof. Commissioners were established 1717 to manage and improve the Port of Sunderland as the coal trade grew.
John Street.
Note the fine brick town houses with their cast iron railings and stone steps leading to the grand neo-Grecian doorways. 8 panel doors leading to 6 panel hallways doors. Continue onto Athenaeum Street and turn left. Second left will be Fredrick Street.
Turn into Fredrick Street.
Fredrick Street.
Although the houses are smaller they are of similar neo-Greek design and less impressive. Few are in residential use although most have retained their original appearance.
Walk to the junction with St Thomas Street. The street is named after St Thomas Church which was destroyed in the Second World War. Turn right at the junction and walk to the end of the street onto West Sunniside. Crossing West Sunniside you will see two buildings facing each other, both are of red brick with bands of ashlar; notice also the two-oriel turrets facing each other across the road.
Now leaving the old ‘Fawcett Estate’ onto ‘Sunniside’ and Norfolk Street you will see The Old General Post Office 1903. Designed by Sir Henry Tanner and built upon the site of the old Sunniside Mansion of 1730. The gardens outside were once part of the mansion.
Standing at the junction of St Thomas Street and Norfolk Street, at the post office in front of you turn left on Norfolk Street. On your right in the first alley you will see the canons taken from old ships set on their ends embedded in the road. In the 17th C ships carrying goods from the River Wear were armed to protect themselves from pirates. When the seas became safer the canons were removed and often placed on street corners to protect them from being damaged.
Walk back onto Norfolk Street and back past the post office. Walk on Norfolk Street, on your right you will see Sunniside Gardens, note the arch set in the brick wall; this was retrieved from The Tithe Barn of Bishopwearmouth Rectory when it was demolished in 1938.
Foyle Street
You are now on Atheneum Street. Turn left down Foyle Street. Note the excellent efforts to return the street to its former Victorian splendour; granite sets, stone flagstones, cast iron lamp standards and railings. At the end of Foyle Street turn right onto Borough Road.
Walk on Borough Road and on the corner of John Street you will see the old Water Company Offices 1905, designed by TR.Milburn using distinctive red sandstone from the West coast. Turn up John Street; on the left is the Old County Court 1875.
Turn around and walk back onto Borough Road.
In front of you are the Winter Gardens and the end of the walk.
Thank you Nigel Marston for his efforts in viewing the walk.
Adapted and updated from a walk written by the City of Sunderland Dept. of Architecture and Planning.
N.W.
Please note that Newcastle Walks does not accept liability, for the condition of the walks which can change on a daily basis, or for any injury, fatality, loss or damages incurred by any person. Newcastle Walks are not inviting the public to walk on any of the walks, but are providing information about specific routes, that are available in the North East of England. Therefore any person who decides to walk any of the walks within this website does so of their own choice and at their own risk.
