Bid to create regions third "World heritage site"

Date : 2002-10-29 Publication : The Journal

A bid is launched today to create the North-East's third world heritage site. Durham Castle and Cathedral and Hadrian's Wall already enjoy world status which acts as a magnet for visitors and boosts the image of the region. Now a concerted attempt is to be made to win world heritage designation for the twin monastic sites of Wearmouth in Sunderland and St Paul's at Jarrow.
The Anglo-Saxon monastery was home to the Venerable Bede, renowned as the most learned man in Eighth Century Europe and the author of the first English history to be written by an Englishman. Bede made Wearmouth-Jarrow the cultural crossroads of Europe. Both St Peter's Church at Wearmouth and St Paul's Church at Jarrow date from the Seventh Century, and extensive excavations have been carried out on the site of the Jarrow monastery by Durham University's Prof Rosemary Cramp.

The Bede's World attraction at Jarrow now features a £4m museum and permanent exhibition on Bede's life and times, plus an 11-acre recreated Anglo-Saxon farm and 18th Century Jarrow Hall. Today the Duke of Gloucester will be at Bede's World to hear the Bishop of Durham, the Rev Michael Turnbull, set the world heritage bid in motion.

A working group including South Tyneside and Sunderland councils, the two churches and Bishop of Jarrow the Rev John Pritchard, Newcastle and Sunderland universities, Bede's World and Sunderland National Glass Centre will produce a management plan to back the bid. It will be submitted to the Government, which puts forward candidates for world status annually to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

Wearmouth-Jarrow is already on a tentative list of possible future world heritage sites. Bede's World attracts more than 40,000 visitors a year and world heritage ranking would provide a further boost. "With Newcastle/Gateshead going for Capital of Culture status in 2008 it is worth remembering that Wearmouth-Jarrow was the cultural capital of Europe," said Bede's World director Keith Merrin.

"The time is right for this world heritage bid. We consider this to be one of the most important heritage sites in the world. "Becoming a world heritage site will bring huge benefits to the local area in terms of tourism, educational development and helping to encourage inward investment. We know that Wearmouth-Jarrow meets all the criteria to become a World Heritage Site but we must now put together a strong case."

The Rev Turnbull said: "Without a doubt the sites at Wearmouth and Jarrow were internationally important during the time of Bede but they also continue to be important for the local communities who continue to worship at the two churches and the many thousands of people who visit each year." Dr Peter Stone, director of Newcastle University's International Centre for Cultural and Heritage Studies, who has worked on an educational pack for world heritage sites, is a member of the Wearmouth-Jarrow working group.

He said: "The bid is a fascinating one. The site was at the pinnacle of European culture of its time." Building is restored to its former glory The bringing back to life of one of Sunderland's most historic buildings was celebrated last night. The Duke of Gloucester, who is patron of the North East Civic Trust, was guest of honour at the official opening of the restored Exchange Buildings in High Street.

The trust has spent seven years on reviving the once-derelict building in a project backed by a £2.7m Heritage Lottery Fund grant. It was originally built in 1812-14 and was designed by John Stokoe, who was responsible for Newcastle's Moot Hall. The building functioned as a covered market, reading rooms and merchants' offices, and hosted guests such as the Duke of Wellington and Sir Walter Scott.

The building was later used as Sunderland's first town hall but as the centre of the town moved to the west it became a seamen's mission, a church and then a judo club before being abandoned.

It has now been taken over by Newcastle-based Keeping Inn Ltd, which runs the Centurion bar at Newcastle Central Station. The company has converted the building into a brasserie, bars and function suites, creating 40 jobs. The Exchange Buildings project has also sparked other schemes to regenerate the East Sunderland riverside area, including the restoration of Wylam wharf and the Eagle Building in High Street, which is to become workplace units.

"The Exchange Buildings got left behind as Sunderland grew to the west. But the success of the project shows that the trust is not just about conservation but also bringing old buildings back into productive use, which creates jobs," said trust director Graham Bell.

John Sanderson, managing director of Keeping Inn, said: "There is a lot of pride in Sunderland about the building and we are very honoured to be involved."

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