Sunderland Bridge

The Sunderland Bridge is a road bridge spanning the River Wear, likely dating to the 14th century. The end arches were rebuilt in 1770, and the parapet widened in 1822. Constructed primarily of dressed sandstone, the bridge features four semicircular arches. The central pair of arches are characterised by five ribs and double-chamfered archivolts. The end arches are unribbed and have set-back archivolts. Cutwaters are located between the arches on each face, rising to form triangular pedestrian refuges; the north-west refuge has a flat face. The parapet has chamfered coping and both the parapet and roadway are raked over the end arches. 19th-century stone abutments are present on the north-east face. The end walls terminate the structure to the north-west and south-east with square piers topped by pyramidal caps. The bridge is designated a Scheduled Monument.