One of Sunderland's most historic buildings has been given a new lease of life - which is good news for anyone looking for an event or meeting place with a difference
When the great and the good of Wearside gathered to decide on the fate of the city more than 300 years ago, they would have no inkling that the space they occupied would still be serving the community centuries later.
An impressive crest above the door at Holy Trinity Church in the East End of the city is a lasting reminder that this was once the centre of local life, Sunderland’s first official council chamber. Once the town centre and heart of the shipping industry, it was built in 1719 to cater for the needs of the local merchants who used the near-by port and for the people who lived in and around the newly formed Sunderland parish. And now this Grade I listed building is back at the hub of city life once again, thanks to an ambitious £5.1m refurbishment programme courtesy of the National Lottery Heritage Fund grant.
On April 16 Holy Trinity, now renamed Seventeen Nineteen as a nod to the year it was built, will officially open its doors with a day of celebration. Along with the stalls and musical performancesincluding an evening show by celebrated local musicians The Lake Poets- exhibitions and children’s rides, it will also be a great opportunity for visitors to witness at first hand a piece of city history that could so easily have been lost. It has taken more than three years to get to this point, mainly through the involvement of the Churches Conservation Trust, the national charity which protects and preserves churches at risk. Under CCT control, Holy Trinity has undergone a monumental transformation, which will allow it to welcome a whole new audience. The main space is already creating interest for everything from wedding receptions to business meetings, with a ready made stage area which will be the perfect place for musicians to perform. Tracey Mienie, Centre Manager, can barely disguise her excitement about the fact that the end of a long process is finally here. “This building is a huge and important part of the history of the city of Sunderland.” she said. “It has some incredible stories and connections from the past 300 years and the evidence of that is still clear to see, but at the same time it is now a modern and amazing space which we hope will be used for all kinds of events.” Every inch of the building has a story to tell and the savvy team at Seventeen Nineteen have capitalised on this. They have created a Marvellous Mystery Trail led by “George the mouse” – where families can tour the building, find 10 character mice who each have a story to tell about Sunderland and its legacy. Community is at the heart of Seventeen Nineteen, which also hosts a number of arts and crafts workshops, along with working with a whole host of volunteers who have helped uncover its history. One bunch of these volunteers have worked on a project bringing various aspects of Sunderland life from the past to life in a number of innovative ways and the results will be seen in an exhibition at the later in the year. For Tracey getting more volunteers on board – and of course more bookings for the unique space – is high on the priority list. “We have some amazing opportunities for people to become involved,” she said.
“We need people who would be interested in being heritage detectives so looking into our past, to heritage gardeners to people who can help out by just being here to meet and guide guests around our amazing space.”
An education programme is also under way, as are a number of exciting and innovative community arts projects, with plans for other exciting performances later in the year with the Old time Sailors and the Mark Harrison Band. “We are doing everything we can to make Seventeen Nineteen at the heart of local life,” said Tracey. Seventeen Nineteen will open on April 16 with a day of activities, music and exhibitions from 10am until 4pm.
