What is Sunderland?
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2019}} {{Infobox UK place | country = England | official_name = Sunderland | latitude = 54.9061 | longitude = -1.38113 | label_position = left | population = 277,962 | population_ref = ([[2016 Office for National Statistics]]) | metropolitan_borough = [[City of Sunderland|Sunderland]] | metropolitan_county = [[Tyne and Wear]] | region = North East England | constituency_westminster = [[Sunderland South]] | constituency_westminster1 = [[Sunderland North]] | post_town = SUNDERLAND | postcode_district = SR1, SR2, SR3, SR4, SR5, SR6, SR9 | postcode_area = SR | dial_code = 0191 | os_grid_reference = NZ395575 | static_image = SunderlandMontage.jpg | london_distance = 240&nbsp;mi&nbsp;(387&nbsp;km)&nbsp;[[Boxing the compass|SSE]] | language = | website = | static_image_2 = Coat of arms of Sunderland City Council.png | static_image_2_caption = Coat of arms of Sunderland City Council }} '''Sunderland''' is in [[North East England]]. It was a [[county borough]], and is now part of the [[City of Sunderland]] in [[Tyne and Wear]]. It sits at the mouth of the [[River Wear]]. Sunderland started as three small villages: * [[Monkwearmouth]] was created in 674 when [[Saint (catholic)|Saint]] [[Benedict Biscop]] started a [[monastery]]. Monkwearmouth is on the north side of the river. * [[Bishopwearmouth]] was founded in 930. It is on the south side of the river. * Sunderland, at the mouth of the river was a small fishing village. It was given a ''charter'' in 1179. The charter gave the people of the small town some rights which people outside the town did not have. Sunderland grew as a port, mostly selling [[coal]] and [[salt]]. In the 1300s people began to build ships along the river bank. By 1835, the port of Sunderland was so important that its name was used when the three old villages became the a borough. Sunderland became a [[city]] in 1992. A person born in Sunderland is sometimes called a ''[[Mackem]]''. == History == === Early history === In 674, Benedict Biscop built the Wearmouth (''St.