Pemberton's Drops. Loaded coal from Monkwearmouth Colliery (HER 2743) via wagonway (HER 2745). All that remains is a section of brick revetment wall built into the cliff face. One of the chutes is clearly visible.

A Wagonway, linking Monkwearmouth Colliery to Pembertons Drops, SMR 2743 and 2746 respectively.

Shipbuilding Yard, including a Timber Yard and Smithy. Two small shipyards are shown on the First Edition Ordnance Survey to the south of Raven’s Wheel on the Monkwearmouth side of the River Wear. Both yards incorporate narrow defiles running up the valley slope. No structures or other facilities are shown within the defiles, although cranes and smithies lie adjacent. It is uncertain whether the timber yards to the south were a part of the shipyards; there is no indication to suppose that they were. The shipyards had been closed by the time of the Second Edition Survey, as had the timber yards.
One of Thomas Hair’s views of Collieries in the North East shows the southern of the two shipyards in front of Pemberton Main (later Monkwearmouth) Colliery (Hair 1844, fp 43). It emphasises the simplicity of timber construction yards.
Map Evidence
First Edition Twenty Five Inches to One Mile Ordnance Surve1857, Sheet VIII.10
Two very discrete yards lie along the Monkwearmouth strand of the Wear facing the Deptford shore and south of Raven’s Wheel. Both yards incorporate defiles running at right angles up the valley side from the river. No structures or fixtures lie within the defiles, but cranes and smithies lie adjacent. Timber yards lying to the south may have supplied the yards.
Second Edition Six Inches Ordnance Survey 1898, Sheet VIII.SW
By this time the yards have closed. The northerly yard, however, has been utilised as a boat yard with a launchway into the river. {3}
Raven's Wheel Shipyard was operated by Arrow Leithead in 1847.

Monkwearmouth Colliery, later known as Wearmouth Colliery. The OS 1st edition mapping shows the colliery linked to Pembertons Drops by a wagonway (HER 2746 and 2745). When it started producing coal in 1835 this was the deepest mine in the world. Sunk from 1826 to 1834 to a depth of 1578ft, Wearmouth was one of the pioneering deep mines which penetrated the magnesian limestone strata of the area. It took nine years to sink the shaft. There were 4 pits - A,B,C and D pits, sunk in 1826,1841,1906 and 1955. Owners were Messrs Thompson, Pemberton & Co (1826), Messrs Bell, Stobbart and Fenwick (1847), Bell etc. (1850s), Wearmouth Coal Co Ltd (1880s), 1947 National Coal Board, 1986 British Coal. On 7 September 1862, 5 miners were killed when a shaft collapsed. On 25 May 1869, an explosion killed 7. In 1914 it was the only pit in the County Borough and was still in operation in 1985 {2}. Relatively modern colliery buildings were still in use in 1978. Coal sometimes loaded into colliers at Wreath Quay using conveyors {3}. Several important 19th century features survived including two stone-built horizontal winding engine houses, a heapstead, workshop range and offices {4}. It was probably the last mine to have a single-cylinder vertical winding engine installed (1868). Steam was used at the mine until the 1950s. A number of reconstructions in the 1960s altered the appearance of the site but there were still two brick built engine houses surviving on the surface, although they contained electric winders {5}. Closed 24 November 1993. In October 1994 the winding towers were demolished. Now the site of the Stadium of Light. There is a giant miners lamp and winding wheel memorial at the rear at the stadium facing the river, and figures called the "men of steel" to represent the heavy industries of Sunderland - mining and shipbuilding.

Rope Walk.

Smithy.

Raven's Wheel. This site recorded on the basis of its name and close proximity to the river, suggesting that it may have been a water wheel or perhaps some sort of lifting gear for loading ships.

Stone and Timber Yard. Associated with the shipyards, this included saw pits, a smithy and boiler for preparing wood for ship building.

J&W Wilson (John and William - brothers) Timber Yard, on the east side of Wearmouth Bridge. Destroyed by fire in December 1878. It was reopened and by 1890 covered two acres of ground. It was again destroyed by fire in March 1890. The damage was estimated at £18,000-£20,000. The timber yard was rebuilt after the fire and continued in use until the 1950s. By 1899 the business also had a small premises (perhaps a sawmill) on Newcastle Road. The family were deeply involved in other Sunderland activities - William Wilson was mayor of Sunderland twice, in 1881 and 1882 and Samuel Wilson was Chairman of Sunderland Football Club in the 1920s.

Timber Yard. Owned by Joseph A Graham,