My purpose in investigating the southern bank of the river Wear from the Wearmouth bridge to the docks was to take photographs of the buildings from the northern shore at a distance. I parked close the skyscraper flats and then could not immediately how to get down to the riverside. The first effort took me down only a few stops to a viewing platform where the evidence suggested a haunt for winos and druggies. The next half hidden stairs were steep with some of the flights without a handrail. I eventually made the embankment a short distance away from the skyscraper and one end of what I believe are two large blocks of attractive accommodation for 275 university students, the first development project of the Old Sunderland Riverside area. There is a small unused docks and the seaweed to the side showed the high and low tide marks.
Along the embankment there was a man at the railings in his thirties who invited me over to confirm how low the river had dropped with the tide. I suspect this was to deflect my attention for the young woman, at least from the hair peaking from coverings which wrapped everything except the head. The next build was at right angles to the river the former Wylam Wharf which has been converted to five floors of lofts where one the second floor the is a florescent sign the Spice of Bollywood A plaque reveals that used to be the Rose Line building which came into disuse in 1986 and was renovated in 1995. Also at right angles to the river is a new designed building Quayside House, occupied by the Port of Tyne Authority and an office based firm, with behind this a large terrace of luxury flats with penthouses on the top sixth floor,. The next building is the new fish quay building divided into two areas, the left is wholesale and the right the retail shop with large signs saying we do not haggle and we do no accept Scottish notes because of fakes. There is also an Italian restaurant Don Giovanni.
The quayside ends where the port land begins so I climbed the steep grass bank where a development of new attractive housing, provided I believe by a housing association sweeps up a continuation of the embankment to a hill. On the left there is a small local shop and a pub which extends down the embankment to form a boxing gym. There is then a newly decorated pub restaurant under new ownership before the road swing to entrance of the port. The gates are half a mile from the city centre and the railings marking the boundary of the port lands continue for at least a mile with large stretches of unused land to cleared land before the railway lines part of the rail freight business and then the series of interlocking docks. I investigated the area by car after walking back after reaching the large Victorian pub, the Welcome Tavern.
Running parallel to the riverbank and the port behind the new estate is a vast open stretch of grassland at least half a mile in length. I made my way further southward at one point to investigate a courtyard with marine flag standard suggesting a sea going connection where each dwelling had colourful array of patio plants. Next to the courtyard there is a development described as the Donnison restoration and re-se project for Living History North and where parked outside was a Jaguar car. I was on my way to look at the Church of Trinity the 1719 Parish Church of Old Sunderland now redundant. The build used to house the Town Council Chamber and Library. Next to it is the large cleared church yard.
I then made way back to the riverside cutting through what appeared to be the only remaining street of housing with a history, perhaps to late Victorian England and with nearby there three fifteen story tower blocks with an integral pub! In the same road parallel to the river are two interesting buildings. The first is the Eagle building This was a three storey seventeenth century Inn topped by a large stone Eagle. Sunderland born Kate Adie OBE was due to open the renovated building together with the adjacent Exchange building in 2004 after £5.6 million development for its owners the North East Civic Trust. However days before there a break in where all the individual businesses, including the Children's Hope Foundation was robbed and ransacked. After two break-ins in one year one firm moved out and I noted for rent notices. According to a local press article two young men were convicted of the burglary from the YMCA and nearby at the end of the road is the modern Salvation Army hostel.
In the 19th century this area of old Sunderland was the High Street and the Eagle building and Exchange were part of a complex which included a covered market, meeting and reading rooms and then inn 1836 they were used as Sunderland's Town Hall. From 1960 the area spiralled into decay and the area down to the docks developed a bad reputation as the economic base of the city also crumbled. The Exchange now has two faces. From the opposite bank it has the appearance of a civic mansion house and from the High Street it has a modern link an exhibition conference facility on the first floor, now marketed also for wedding receptions and banqueting, a music bar on the first floor and a restaurant in the basement. Thee third building component in this High Street Terrace provides post graduate accommodation.
On returning to my vehicle I decided to revisit the area adjacent to the docks which parallels a peripheral road out of Sunderland to the village of Ryhope and the A19 to Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and onto York and to London via the A1M and A1. I rarely ventured into this area, although when I rebuilt the front fences and entrance gates I purchased the wood from one of the merchants. There are several derelict buildings close to the docks and others with an air of decline matched by lots of small business ventures. There are more fashionable commercial business parks along the banks of the river to the A19 and at Doxford Park, and I came away with the feeling that the area is at the crossroads. However overall the development of old Sunderland riverside is impressive.
This completes the 2007 project except for a detour to Fullwell Mill and to Cleadon hill and Cleadon Village and back in South Shields a 2007 riverbank walk to the Custom House theatre cinema arts centre and then to St Paul's and Bede World Jarrow, and Jarrow Town Hall. In 2008 and 2009 I will undertake visits and walks along the banks of the Tyne to Newcastle and Gateshead and those of the Wear to Durham. I have already commenced to write the 2007 masterwork which will include over 1000 photos to which will be added some Winter weather shots at key sections, although the Seaburn area has already been photographed on Boxing Day and on New Year's Day, in snow time and on rough seas breaking over the Promenade. I am confident I can already make the case for recognition of the coast and its cities as forming the Northern Rivera.
Along the embankment there was a man at the railings in his thirties who invited me over to confirm how low the river had dropped with the tide. I suspect this was to deflect my attention for the young woman, at least from the hair peaking from coverings which wrapped everything except the head. The next build was at right angles to the river the former Wylam Wharf which has been converted to five floors of lofts where one the second floor the is a florescent sign the Spice of Bollywood A plaque reveals that used to be the Rose Line building which came into disuse in 1986 and was renovated in 1995. Also at right angles to the river is a new designed building Quayside House, occupied by the Port of Tyne Authority and an office based firm, with behind this a large terrace of luxury flats with penthouses on the top sixth floor,. The next building is the new fish quay building divided into two areas, the left is wholesale and the right the retail shop with large signs saying we do not haggle and we do no accept Scottish notes because of fakes. There is also an Italian restaurant Don Giovanni.
The quayside ends where the port land begins so I climbed the steep grass bank where a development of new attractive housing, provided I believe by a housing association sweeps up a continuation of the embankment to a hill. On the left there is a small local shop and a pub which extends down the embankment to form a boxing gym. There is then a newly decorated pub restaurant under new ownership before the road swing to entrance of the port. The gates are half a mile from the city centre and the railings marking the boundary of the port lands continue for at least a mile with large stretches of unused land to cleared land before the railway lines part of the rail freight business and then the series of interlocking docks. I investigated the area by car after walking back after reaching the large Victorian pub, the Welcome Tavern.
Running parallel to the riverbank and the port behind the new estate is a vast open stretch of grassland at least half a mile in length. I made my way further southward at one point to investigate a courtyard with marine flag standard suggesting a sea going connection where each dwelling had colourful array of patio plants. Next to the courtyard there is a development described as the Donnison restoration and re-se project for Living History North and where parked outside was a Jaguar car. I was on my way to look at the Church of Trinity the 1719 Parish Church of Old Sunderland now redundant. The build used to house the Town Council Chamber and Library. Next to it is the large cleared church yard.
I then made way back to the riverside cutting through what appeared to be the only remaining street of housing with a history, perhaps to late Victorian England and with nearby there three fifteen story tower blocks with an integral pub! In the same road parallel to the river are two interesting buildings. The first is the Eagle building This was a three storey seventeenth century Inn topped by a large stone Eagle. Sunderland born Kate Adie OBE was due to open the renovated building together with the adjacent Exchange building in 2004 after £5.6 million development for its owners the North East Civic Trust. However days before there a break in where all the individual businesses, including the Children's Hope Foundation was robbed and ransacked. After two break-ins in one year one firm moved out and I noted for rent notices. According to a local press article two young men were convicted of the burglary from the YMCA and nearby at the end of the road is the modern Salvation Army hostel.
In the 19th century this area of old Sunderland was the High Street and the Eagle building and Exchange were part of a complex which included a covered market, meeting and reading rooms and then inn 1836 they were used as Sunderland's Town Hall. From 1960 the area spiralled into decay and the area down to the docks developed a bad reputation as the economic base of the city also crumbled. The Exchange now has two faces. From the opposite bank it has the appearance of a civic mansion house and from the High Street it has a modern link an exhibition conference facility on the first floor, now marketed also for wedding receptions and banqueting, a music bar on the first floor and a restaurant in the basement. Thee third building component in this High Street Terrace provides post graduate accommodation.
On returning to my vehicle I decided to revisit the area adjacent to the docks which parallels a peripheral road out of Sunderland to the village of Ryhope and the A19 to Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and onto York and to London via the A1M and A1. I rarely ventured into this area, although when I rebuilt the front fences and entrance gates I purchased the wood from one of the merchants. There are several derelict buildings close to the docks and others with an air of decline matched by lots of small business ventures. There are more fashionable commercial business parks along the banks of the river to the A19 and at Doxford Park, and I came away with the feeling that the area is at the crossroads. However overall the development of old Sunderland riverside is impressive.
This completes the 2007 project except for a detour to Fullwell Mill and to Cleadon hill and Cleadon Village and back in South Shields a 2007 riverbank walk to the Custom House theatre cinema arts centre and then to St Paul's and Bede World Jarrow, and Jarrow Town Hall. In 2008 and 2009 I will undertake visits and walks along the banks of the Tyne to Newcastle and Gateshead and those of the Wear to Durham. I have already commenced to write the 2007 masterwork which will include over 1000 photos to which will be added some Winter weather shots at key sections, although the Seaburn area has already been photographed on Boxing Day and on New Year's Day, in snow time and on rough seas breaking over the Promenade. I am confident I can already make the case for recognition of the coast and its cities as forming the Northern Rivera.
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