Gazetteer of
British Place Names

Sunderland is a port city in County Durham, standing at the mouth of the River Wear on the North Sea coast. Three original settlements are part of the modern-day city. On the north side of the river, Monkwearmouth was settled in 674 when Benedict founded the Wearmouth-Jarrow monastery. Opposite the monastery on the south bank, Bishopwearmouth was founded in 930. A small fishing village called Sunderland, located toward the mouth of the river was granted a charter in 1179. Over the centuries, Sunderland grew as a port, trading coal and salt. Shipbuilding began in the 14th century. By the 19th century, Sunderland had grown to absorb Bishopwearmouth and Monkwearmouth. The city is within the council area of Sunderland.

Place Type: City
Historic County: Durham
Lat, Long: 54.902165,-1.3838032
Grid Reference: NZ 3961 5655
Council Area: Sunderland CA
Strategic Authority Area: North East SA
Police Area: Northumbria PA

GBPN ID: 43270
Entry Type: Main listing (P)
URL: https://gazetteer.org.uk/place/Sunderland,_Durham_43270

 Explore Sunderland on Wikishire
 Peruse Durham on Wikishire