Designated in 1969. Extended in 1989 to take in surrounding 19th and 20th century development. It comprises fine Victorian and Edwardian buildings set within the medieval street pattern (HER 163). The former village green is now Town Park. One of the most historically important and architecturally unique environments in Sunderland. Bishopwearmouth village (HER 163) was dominated by the parish church (HER 161). By 1826 the village contained additional spacious houses built by industrialists and merchants. By the mid C19 the village became part of the urban borough of Sunderland. There were elegant terraces on Crowtree Terrace (HER 4468) and back-to-back houses on Carter Street and Crow Street. Part of the medieval thoroughfare 'Little Gate' became Church Lane. The Mowbray Almshouses (HER 4467) were built in 1863 where Church Lane joined Little Gate. Towards the end of the 19th century, Vine Place was built. In the early years of the 20th century several key Edwardian developments were added, including the Empire Theatre (HER 4474), the Dun Cow (HER 4473) and the Londonderry Public House (HER 4475).

Well preserved Roman coin, now missing, of Tetricus II Caesar and Augustus 270-273 AD. Obverse: C PIV ESV TETR[ICVS CAES]. Youthful bust radiate and draped to the right. Reverse: [SP]ES AVG. Hope moving left, holding flower in right hand and catching up dress with left. Found in 1929 during excavations at the south side of the Keep by NEEC. Society of Antiquaries Donations Book 27.1.32, apparently from spoil heaps. Dated C3.

A boar's tusk, oyster shell and pottery found in 1929 possibly from the Castle Keep site. Donated to Museum of Antiquities by NEEC.

Conservation Area based on Ryhope medieval village (HER 224). Includes St. Paul's Church (HER 7192), The Wilderness and The Chestnuts (HER 7134), No. 14 Cliff Road (HER 7133), chapel of ease (HER 7216) and Coqueda Hall (HER 7215). Designated as a Conservation Area in 1971. The CA contains numerous 18th century farmhouses, barns and cottages, 19th century chapels, civic buildings and houses, colliery terraces and early 20th century houses. A typical farming village that developed into a mining village and then a surburban residential area. The buildings are largely refined and quaint but no two buildings are the same so there is great variety which typifies the incremental adhoc development of the village. The rustic appearance of many of the stone farmhouses around The Green was changed by the addition of a brick skin by the Church Commissioners around 1910. The harmony is somewhat spoilt by 20th century infill. Much of the limestone used in the 18th century properties and boundary walls was taken from the base of the nearby cliffs on Ryhope Beach. The limestone is mostly coursed, in squared or rubble format. Other buildings are rendered in either smooth lime render or rough cast. The best limestone boundary walls are around St. Paul's Church, the old chapel and the Wilderness and Chestnuts. Property boundaries onto The Green have generally been replaced with modern brick walls. Roofs are mostly Welsh slate, although the 18th century houses and part of the church have graduated Lakeland slate. The old chapel has a stone slate roof. Some historic roofs have been replaced with concrete pantiles. The village green is the key landscape feature. There are abundant mature trees in the churchyards and the grounds of The Wilderness and The Chestnuts. A narrow pedestrian route alongside the old chapel, Church Ward, leads to The Wilderness, linking The Village with Cliff Road. This lane has changed little since the early 1900s.

The first church on the this site is described by Whellan (1856) as a 'small but neat building, erected by the late Admiral Maling'. It had been used as a place of worship since 1817 and was consecrated by the Bishop of Durham in 1821. In 1856 it contained 400 sittings, one half of which were free and unappropriated. The Reverend was a Joseph Law. The present church was built around 1880 to a design by C. Hodgson Fowler. A tower was added in 1930 on the south side of the church as a war memorial. There is an inscribed stone inside the tower: "THIS TOWER IS ERECTED FOR A MEMORIAL BEFORE GOD OF THE PARISHONERS OF FORD WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918/ WHEN I AWAKE UP AFTER THY LIKENESS I SHALL BE SATIFIED WITH IT". 43 names are listed. The tower architect was G.E. Charlewood.

Unveiled 1st May 1922 by Lord Joicey. A cross on a large base. 3.5m tall. A wreath and ribbon are draped around the cross. There are two panels with roses and leaves above. Located in a cobbled area enclosed by railings. Heworth Burn Stone. It has been moved at least once and used to stand in a stone walled enclosure. "IN HONOURED MEMORY OF THE MEN OF PENSHAW PARISH WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR/ GREATER LOVE HAVE NO MAN THAN THIS/ THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS". 172 NAMES ARE LISTED. {www.newmp.org.uk}. Under consideration by Historic England for listing Sept 2016.

Wooden seats at the junction of Sea Lane and Chichester Road. The seats are within a low walled hexagonal enclosure with a bronze plaque on the plinth. "THIS MEMORIAL IS ERECTED BY THE INHABITANTS OF FULWELL TO PERPETUATE THE MEMORY OF THE FULWELL MEN WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918". 106 names are listed.

This war memorial was listed Grade II in 2016 with the following description:
'First World War memorial, unveiled 1921.
The Creetown granite memorial, c2m tall, stands alongside St Margaret’s Church (not listed), overlooking Armstrong Road. It takes the form of a Celtic cross. The front face of the wheel-head and upper part of the cross shaft are decorated with carved interlace patterns, and a hemispherical boss at the centre of the cross arms. The cross shaft rises from a tapering pedestal, which stands on a two-stepped base.
The principal dedicatory inscription recorded on the lower part of the cross shaft reads IN/ GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF THOSE MEN/ WHO WENT OUT FROM/ THIS LOCALITY, TO FIGHT/ AND FELL IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ FOR RIGHT AND FREEDOM / 1914-1918/ IN THAT WHILE WE WERE/ IN PERIL/ THEY DIED FOR US. The commemorated names are recorded on the faces of the pedestal and the risers of the uppermost step.'
79 names of those killed in World War One are listed on three sides. Unveiled 28th March 1921 by Lord Mayor of Newcastle. Cost £155. This monument was formerly sited next to the co-op on Denton Road. Moved in 1971. West Newcastle Local Studies Group have a photo of it at this location {www.newmp.org.uk}.

Shown on Ordnance Survey second edition of 1890. Given to the Royal Victoria Infirmary of Newcastle in 1923 by Col. Innes Hopkins to be used as the Innes-Hopkins Memorial Home. This convalescent home was named in memory of his two sons who died in the First World War. The building was later Ryton Council Offices and now is a private retirement home.

Portland Stone. Large rectangular block set on a three-stepped plinth. Has 1939 on one side and 1945 on the other. "THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE 1939-1945". The stone was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. It is owned by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and is similar to stones of remembrance in battlefield cemeteries. The inscription is from Ecclesiasticus 44:14, chosen by Rudyard Kipling. There are 62 limestone headstones in front of the stone.