Donnison School Heritage and Education Centre

About Donnison School Heritage and Education Centre

The Donnison School on Church Walk was built in 1798 with a bequest from Elizabeth Donnison, whose will of 1777 left money to educate poor girls of the Sunderland parish. A headmistress's house was added in 1827. After 1900 the building became accommodation for the caretakers of neighbouring Holy Trinity Church, and it was derelict by the time Living History North East bought it in 2001. Restoration ran from 2006 to 2007 and the centre officially opened in December 2007.

Today the Georgian building is a heritage and education centre telling the story of the school and Sunderland's East End. It hosts the Lovell Lectures and other talks, open days, seasonal fayres, school visits and group bookings, and has a walled garden and a small gift shop. Opening is tied to events rather than fixed hours, so check the programme on the website or call before visiting.

Featured in These Guides

Blog posts and guides that feature Donnison School Heritage and Education Centre.

A History of Sunderland's High Street: From the East End to Fawcett Street

How Sunderland's shopping streets grew from the old East End along High Street to Fawcett Street, with the stories of Binns, Joplings, the trams, the Empire and the city centre's recent changes.

Sunderland Heritage Walking Trail: A Self-Guided Route

A self-guided walk of about 4.5km through Sunderland's history, from St Peter's in Monkwearmouth over Wearmouth Bridge to Keel Square, Holy Trinity, Sunniside and Mowbray Park.

Museums in Sunderland: What Is Open in 2026

Where to find Sunderland's history while the Museum and Winter Gardens is closed until 2028 and the National Glass Centre has shut: football, steam, aircraft, castles and local archives.

A Short History of Sunderland

From Bede and the Wearmouth monastery to shipbuilding, Nissan, city status and Riverside Sunderland: thirteen centuries of history on the Wear, and where to see it today.