The Grey Horse, directly opposite the Saddle Inn in High St, was originally called the Cock Inn. The adjacent door leads to Fighting Cock Lane. Cock fights, dog fights and bull baiting were very popular entertainments in the area.
Information from Len Charlton.
N Kirtlan
No 38 High St was originally the town home of the Tempest family but it was sold and developed to become the Golden Lion and was expanded deep into adjacent Queen St with guest, resident and public rooms. It ran its own brewery and stables and was then largest coaching inn in Sunderland, a favoured meeting place for gentry including the Vane and Londonderry familes. Ater demolition the sculpted Lion was acquired by Sunderland Museum.
Information from Len Charlton.
N Kirtlan
The Clarendon Hotel lies at the very bottom of High St East. The opening in the building is Bull Lane while Neils Passage runs down by the side of Wilkinsons Joiner and Undertaker. These openings and passages honeycombed the north side of High St East, some going to inner private yards others dropping down to Low St and the quays Both buildings survive restored and virtually unaltered although Bull Lane now leads to a three gallon microbrewery.
Information from Len Charlton.
N Kirtlan
Memories and photos of High St East do no justice to what would have been seen in the early 1800s with stylish expensive buildings and a constant flow of famous people, carriages and horses. The Half Moon at No 199 was built as a private dwelling before becoming an inn of such quality that even in final dilapidation it was dismantled and shipped to America.
Information from Len Charlton.
N Kirtlan
