#wearside

In the recent summer sunshine, Webster's Ropery, on the banks of the River Wear at Pallion, NE England.
It opened in 1793 and once went by the name 'Grimshaw Webster and Company' a patented rope works.
It was the first ropery on Wearside to be driven by steam and it was also the world’s first factory producing machine-made rope, thanks to Richard Fothergill, a Sunderland schoolmaster, who had patented a machine to spin hemp.
I heard it mentioned on a number of occasions that is was here where the ropes for Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory, were made.
Until relatively recently, the larger part of the building was occupied as office space, although is currently standing empty.
The other half of the building has seen a number of ventures come and go but following a major refurbishment is now a bespoke wedding and events venue, described as the perfect place to 'tie the knot!'
#sunderland #webstersropery #historic #wearside #august #summer #landscape #photography

I seem to have taken quite a few photographs this last week in the summer heat that includes the River Wear, which flows through the heart of Sunderland.
This view, looking upstream at high tide, features the three city centre crossings of Wearmouth Bridge, Monkwearmouth Rail Bridge and the newest, Keel Crossing, the pedestrian and cycle bridge than links the city centre to the Sheepfolds area on the north side of the river.
The Keel Crossing have become Sunderland's 'Wembley Way', providing an impressive approach on match days to the Stadium of Light.
#sunderland #wearside #riverside #bridge #monkwearmouth #landscape #photography

Took a photograph near this spot on the north bank of the River Wear in Sunderland a couple of months or so back, but I was here again this week and I thought it was worthy of another shot, bathed as it was in the gorgeous warm light of a summer's evening.
This skyline is set to change soon as residents of the Lambton, Londonderry and Lumley Towers in the background are relocated to alternative accommodation before they are demolished.
All three blocks of flats are set be brought down with repair costs of more than £15m needed for each block being cited as the reason.
#sunderland #wearside #riverside #august #summer #landscape #photography

The boats and buildings of Roker's North Dock Marina pictured against blue skies and drenched in August sunshine.
Often referred to as the 'Roker Riviera', on a day like this, it lives up to that nickname.
Always remember photographing Sir Charles Blyth CBE BEM (known as 'Chay' Blyth), the Scottish yachtsman and rower who was the first person to sail single-handed non-stop westwards around the world, on a 59-foot boat called British Steel.
Chay was called upon to officially open the Marine Activities Centre which is based down at the marina.
#sunderland #roker #marineactivitiescentre #wearside #august #summer #landscape #photography

The view downstream on the River Wear from South Hylton in Sunderland this afternoon at high tide.
The object that appears to be at the base of the bridge's central pylon is the wreck of the 'Cretehawser', the only surviving hulk of a First World War era concrete tug in the UK, launched on 15 March 1919.
The wreck actually lies some distance upstream from the bridge and is not as close as it appears in the view.
Out and about on yet another warm and sunny day during the record-breaking summer of 2026.

#sunderland #wearside #bridge #landscape #cretehawser #august #summer #photography