Trafalgar Square, Merchant Seamen's Almshouses

The port of Sunderland had many incapacitated seamen to care for, and probably three times as many widows or orphans of dead seamen. By the middle of 19th century relief was being provided for some 800 widows, 800 orphans and 300 disabled or temporarily unemployed seamen. To provide accommodation for some of these people almshouses (now demolished) were built in 1727 at the Assembly Garth, south-west of Holy Trinity Church. In 1840 these were supplemented by the almshouses at Trafalgar Square, built in the garden of the old workhouse and designed by William Drysdale. LISTED GRADE 2