One of Sunderland’s oldest buildings has undergone a stunning £4.3m regeneration as work on the 18th century building nears completion.
Here’s everything you need to know seventeen nineteen as this historic building is given a new lease of life…
A transformational project…
Residents in Sunderland will soon be able to reconnect with centuries of history shortly, as Seventeen Nineteen is preparing to welcome visitors to their new cultural venue following a breathtaking renovation.
With a soft launch planned for 25th October, new images of prominent features throughout the building have been shared to whet the appetite ahead of their highly-anticipated opening day.
Seventeen Nineteen will reconnect the city with its past by transforming Holy Trinity into a cultural venue that brings the stories of the church and Old Sunderland to life through interpretation, innovative events and performances
Both the stained glass window and font have been sympathetically restored and re-instated by professionals, whereas finishing touches around the building have also been completed.
A major element to correct at Seventeen Nineteen was the damp structures that consistently allowed the elements to penetrate the building. In a major effort to rectify this, wide-spread changes have been made to combat this.
Tracey Mienie, Centre Manager at The Churches Conservation Trust, said in a recent newsletter:
“The testing and commissioning of new equipment and services is currently happening, and I am really pleased to report that I felt very warm inside when on site the other day. Not something I have felt before.
We have some areas of decoration in the church that will need to be monitored through our conservation maintenance as the damp in some areas will take years to recover.”
Looking back to look forward…
Holy Trinity Church or Seventeen Nineteen as it’s now known as, is an Anglican church in the East End of the city.
A beautiful baroque building, it was opened in 1719 as the church for the newly created Parish of Sunderland and served the local community until dwindling numbers forced its closure in 1988.
The interior is brightly lit through large clear windows and has many appealing features: the striking baroque chancel arch; an elegant font with a richly ornamented cover; west end stalls for constables, overseers and sidesmen, as well as the memorial to the Revd Robert Gray (1838).
It has been in the ownership of the Churches Conservation Trust who have preserved the space and converted it into a community cultural hub for people to access and enjoy.
For more information about Seventeen Nineteen, or how to book tickets for upcoming events, visit visitchurches.org.uk/1719
Are you looking forward to visiting Seventeen Nineteen? Get in touch online. Twitter: @SunderlandVibe, Instagram: @SunderlandVibe, Facebook: @SunderlandVibe.
