View source for Whitburn, Tyne and Wear

{{Short description|Village in South Tyneside, England.}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name = Whitburn
| type = Village
| population_ref = {{Efn|2011. South Tyneside ward of Whitburn and Marsden|name=a}}
| os_grid_reference = NZ 40798 61943
| coordinates = {{coord|54.952|-1.365|display=inline,title}}
| map_type = Tyne and Wear
| static_image_caption = Houses on Front Street, Whitburn
| static_image_name = Houses on Front Street, Whitburn
| static_image = Whitburn, County Durham.jpg
| dial_code = 0191
| country = England
| post_town = SUNDERLAND
| postcode_area = SR
| postcode_district = SR6
| region = North East England
| metropolitan_county = [[Tyne and Wear]]
| metropolitan_borough = [[South Tyneside]]
| population = 7,448
| constituency_westminster = [[South Shields (UK Parliament constituency)|South Shields]]
}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
'''Whitburn''' is a village in [[South Tyneside]], in the [[metropolitan county]] of [[Tyne and Wear]] on the coast of [[North East England]]. It is located {{Convert|3|mi|km}} north of the city of [[Sunderland]] and {{Convert|4|mi|km}} south of the town of [[South Shields]]. [[Historic counties of England|Historically]], Whitburn is part of [[County Durham]]. Other nearby population centres include [[Seaburn]], [[Cleadon]] and [[Marsden, Tyne and Wear|Marsden]]. The village lies on a south-facing slope, part of [[Durham, England|Durham]]'s [[Magnesian Limestone]] plateau, which overlooks Sunderland. The population for the combined Whitburn and Marsden Ward in the [[2011 UK Census]] was 7,448. For much of its history, Whitburn was a fishing and agricultural community. The village contains three schools, three churches, a cricket club, recreational grounds, a pub and a variety of shops.

==Etymology==
The first written instance of Whitburn is in the [[Boldon Book]] of 1183, where the village is recorded as ''Whitberne''. This name may refer to a stream or burn running through the village. Alternatively, the origin could come from ''Hwita Byrgen'', or Hwita's [[tumulus]], the place where the Saxon nobleman Hwita was buried. Other possible origins are ''Kwit-Berne'', an Anglo-Saxon word for a [[Tithe barns in Europe|tithe barn]],<ref name=":0">WCA, 2006: 6</ref> or ''hwīt + bere-ærn'', [[Old English]] for "white barn".<ref>Mills, 2011</ref>

==History==
The earliest evidence of human occupation in Whitburn dates back to the [[Mesolithic|Mesolithic period]] (8,000–4,500BC). Lumps of burnt daub have been discovered at Potter's Hole on the coast, probably from a timber structure. Archaeological deposits and Mesolithic flint scatters have been found at nearby sites, including [[St Peter's Church, Monkwearmouth]]. [[Neolithic]] and [[Bronze Age]] flints have also been found in Whitburn. A Bronze Age [[cist]] burial was uncovered in Wheatall Farm in 1929 which contained a 35-year-old person buried with an arrowhead, flints and limpets.<ref>Young, Middleton & Dunn, 2015: 78-83</ref>

When the [[bishopric]] of [[Monkwearmouth]] was founded in 674, the king gifted all of the royal estates east of [[Dere Street]] and north of the [[River Wear]] – which included Whitburn – to the Church. [[Cuthbert]], the [[Bishop of lindisfarne|Bishop of Lindisfarne]] at the time, was responsible for spreading Christianity throughout the North East.<ref>Young et al., 2015: 91</ref> Whitburn was located within an important centre of European learning and culture at this time, being situated between the monasteries of Jarrow and Monkwearmouth.<ref name=":1" />

Part of the village to the south has been designated as an Area of Potential Archaeological Importance as it is the site of a medieval village.<ref>WCA, 2006: 16</ref> During the [[Middle Ages]], Whitburn was both a [[Township (England)|township]] and a parish. Whitburn Parish included the townships of Whitburn and Cleadon.<ref>Young et al., 2015: 96-97</ref> By the 12th century, Whitburn appears to have been well-established as a two row green village (two rows of properties facing onto a linear green).<ref name=":1">WCA, 2006: 5</ref><ref name=":2">WHCA, 2017: 16</ref> Whitburn had a tithe barn, a stone building which formed part of the village's [[Feudalism|feudal]] system, situated off Church Lane until it was destroyed by a bomb in the [[Second World War]].<ref>WCA, 2006: 31</ref> Whitburn Parish Church (constructed in the 13th century) and Whitburn Hall (constructed in the 16th century) became the focal points of the village.<ref name=":3">WBCA, 2007: 5</ref>
[[File:Whitburn Parish Church - geograph.org.uk - 2460708.jpg|alt=Whitburn Parish Church, the oldest surviving building in the village, was constructed in the 13th century.|thumb|Whitburn Parish Church, the oldest surviving building in the village, was constructed in the 13th century.|left|250x250px]]
Whitburn is recorded in the [[Boldon Book]] of 1183 as ''Whitberne'' and was listed alongside [[Cleadon]]. The combined land area of Cleadon and Whitburn was approximately {{Convert|3309|acre|sqmi|sigfig=2}}, suggesting that the settlements were well-established by the time of the Boldon Book. The entry in the Boldon Book mentions a "John of Whitburn" who "holds 40 acres and 1 toft and returns 8s and goes on missions for the Bishop." The use of the word "cornage", an old form of taxation pre-dating the [[Anglo-Saxon period]], further suggests that Whitburn was among the oldest of settlements in the area. In 1183, Whitburn and [[Boldon]] formed part of the bishop's estates and much of the surrounding land belonged to the [[Prior of Durham|Prior of Durham Cathedral]].<ref>Young et al., 2015: 94-96</ref> 200 years after the Boldon Book, the Bishop of Durham ([[Thomas Hatfield]]) commissioned the Hatfield Survey. Cleadon and Whitburn are again listed together as a single parish with two townships. The survey also mentions Whitburn Windmill.<ref>Young et al., 2015: 108</ref>

Whitburn operated under a [[Manorialism|manorial]] system until 1718 when the Land Enclosure Act came into force and a number of farms were created. Until the mid-late 19th century, Whitburn was a largely agricultural and fishing community. Throughout the 19th century, the population of Whitburn Parish grew from 675 in 1801 to 2,738 in 1891, largely driven by increased industrialisation.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Young et al., 2015: 148</ref> A contemporary description from 1834 describes the villages as having "a more sheltered and comfortable appearance than most places on the bare-eastern coast."<ref>Mackenzie & Ross, 1834: 50</ref> Another description of the village from 1857 records it as having "a [[Wesleyan]] Methodist chapel, a post-office, a brewery, and three public houses."<ref>Fordyce, 1857: 733</ref> The 1891 census reveals that Whitburn's population included wealthy industrialists, entrepreneurs, coalminers and fishermen. Detached villas and terraces were built along with two schools and the Wesleyan Chapel, which was replaced by the current [[Methodism|Methodist]] Church in 1881.<ref name=":6">WCA, 2006: 6-7</ref> [[Whitburn Colliery]] (also known as Marsden Colliery) opened in the 1840s, stimulating the local brick and iron industries and fulfilling the growing demand for coal.<ref>Young et al., 2015: 152, 188</ref> By 1931, Whitburn Colliery produced over 18,000 tons of coal per week, serving the surrounding Marsden pit village. It closed on 1 June 1968 and the village was demolished.<ref>Young et al., 2015: 190</ref>

In 1931 the parish of Whitburn had a population of 6,082.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10169690/cube/TOT_POP|title=Population statistics Whitburn AP/CP through time|publisher=[[A Vision of Britain through Time]]|accessdate=6 April 2023}}</ref> On 1 April 1936 the parish was abolished with most of the area, including the village itself, becoming part of [[The Boldons|Boldon Urban District]] and a smaller part going to South Shields.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10169690|title=Relationships and changes Whitburn AP/CP through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=6 April 2023}}</ref> Boldon Urban District was abolished in 1974 when the area was transferred from County Durham to Tyne and Wear. No [[successor parish]] was created for the former urban district and so it became an [[unparished area]].<ref>[[Local Government Act 1972]]</ref>

[[Lewis Carroll]] visited his cousin Margaret Wilcox while she lived in Whitburn, along with Lady Hedworth Williamson of Whitburn Hall (second cousin of [[Alice Liddell]]).<ref>WHCA, 2017: 38</ref> It is popularly believed that Carroll wrote ''[[The Walrus and the Carpenter]]'' while holidaying in Whitburn.<ref>{{Cite web|date=5 July 2005|title=Point 7 - The Carroll connection|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/wear/content/articles/2005/06/29/coast05walks_stage7_walk.shtml|access-date=21 December 2021|website=[[BBC]]}}</ref>
[[File:Whitburn War Memorial South Tyneside - geograph.org.uk - 1587320.jpg|alt=Picture of Whitburn War Memorial, located on the village green.|thumb|Whitburn War Memorial, located on the village green.|250x250px]]
During the [[First World War]], Whitburn had primary shore and cliff defences. The stretch of east coastline from Sunderland to Whitburn was established by the 3rd Battalion of the [[Cheshire Regiment]], and the stretch from Whitburn to the Tyne was established by the 3rd Battalion of the [[Durham Light Infantry]]. In 1918, the [[War Office]] report recorded a training ground at Marsden Farm in Whitburn. Prefabricated [[hutment]] camps were also recorded in West Hall and South Bents Farm in Whitburn. Two rifle ranges from the time are still visible today in the village.<ref>Young et al., 2015: 223-230</ref> In 1921, a war memorial was erected on the village green.<ref name="WHCA, 2017: 28">WHCA, 2017: 28</ref>

During the [[Second World War]], the coastline at Whitburn often came under attack from German bombing raids. On one occasion on 9 August 1940, a [[Heinkel He 111|Heinkel He 111H-E]] crashed into the sea after dropping bombs on Sunderland. The German airmen all survived and were rescued from the water.<ref>{{Cite web|date=5 July 2005|title=Point 5 - The Whitburn bomber|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/wear/content/articles/2005/06/29/coast05walks_stage5_walk.shtml|access-date=22 December 2021|website=[[BBC]]}}</ref> The cottages at Whitburn Bents were also badly damaged during heavy bombing in 1940.<ref name=":5">WBCA, 2007: 7</ref> Whitburn had a few wartime defences. A bombing decoy, known as a [[starfish site]], was built at Wellands Farm near Whitburn. It was designed to look like a city on fire in order to confuse bombers travelling to the Tyne and Sunderland docks.<ref>Young et al., 2015: 240</ref> A [[Anti-aircraft batteries|heavy anti-aircraft battery]] was installed at Lizard Lane in 1940, and Whitburn windmill was used by observer corps as an observation post to warn of oncoming enemies at sea.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web|date=June 2014|title=Millers Trail. An eight mile walk linking the three windmills of Whitburn, Cleadon and Fulwell.|url=https://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/media/22695/Miller-s-Trail/pdf/8627_Millers_trail_FINAL_for_Website_June_2014.pdf?m=635527026681470000|access-date=22 December 2021|publisher=[[South Tyneside Council]]}}</ref>

Throughout the 20th century, there was much residential development in Whitburn largely to the north and east of the village's historic core. This led to the village's function as a [[commuter town|commuter settlement]].<ref>WHCA, 2017: 17</ref>

== Demography ==
{| class="wikitable" style="float: right; margin-left: 2em; width: 40%; font-size: 90%;"
! colspan="4" |'''Whitburn and Marsden Ward compared (2011)'''
|-
|
|'''Whitburn and Marsden Ward'''<ref name=":62">{{cite web|title=Whitburn and Marsden Ward (as of 2011). Local Area Report.|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/localarea?compare=E05001151|access-date=23 December 2021|website=[[Office for National Statistics|Nomis]]}}</ref>
|'''[[South Tyneside]]'''<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|title=South Tyneside Local Authority. Local Area Report.|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/localarea?compare=E08000023|access-date=21 November 2021|website=[[Office for National Statistics|Nomis]]}}</ref>
|'''[[England]]'''<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|title=England Country. Local Area Report|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/localarea?compare=E92000001|access-date=21 November 2021|website=[[Office for National Statistics|Nomis]]}}</ref>
|-
|Total population
|7,448
|148,127
|53,012,456
|-
|White
|97.9%
|95.9%
|85.4%
|-
|BME
|2.1%
|4.1%
|14.6%
|-
|Aged 0–19
|21.5%
|22.6%
|24%
|-
|Aged 65+
|21.9%
|18.1%
|16.4%
|-
|Male
|47.7%
|48.3%
|49.2%
|-
|Female
|52.3%
|51.7%
|50.8%
|}
At the time of the [[2001 UK Census]], Whitburn had a population of 5,235.<ref>[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D8271.xls Office for National Statistics : ''Census 2001 : Urban Areas : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208210730/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D8271.xls|date=8 February 2007}} Retrieved 26 August 2009</ref> In the 2011 UK Census, the Whitburn and Marsden Ward had 7,448 usual residents. The average age of the residents was 43.6, slightly above the average for South Tyneside. The vast majority (97.9%) of residents identified as white and 97.5% were born in the UK. The largest religious group was [[Christianity]] (75.2% of residents). The majority of residents (58.2%) were in employment, with wholesale and retail trade and health and social work activities being the most common industries for the area. The most common occupation was 'Professional' (16.2%).<ref name=":62" />

== Governance ==
In the UK national parliament, Whitburn is part of the [[South Shields (UK Parliament constituency)|South Shields constituency]]. Until the [[2010 UK General Election]], Whitburn was part of the [[Jarrow (UK Parliament constituency)|Jarrow constituency]]. Boundary changes caused the village to move into the South Shields constituency prior to the election.<ref>{{Cite web|date=11 May 2006|title=Final recommendations for Parliamentary constituencies in Tyne and Wear.|url=https://www.lgcplus.com/archive/final-recommendations-for-parliamentary-constituencies-in-tyne-and-wear-11-05-2006/|access-date=23 December 2021|website=[[Local Government Chronicle]]}}</ref> As of 2022, [[Emma Lewell-Buck]] ([[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]) his the local [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] and has been since May 2013. In the [[2019 General Election (UK)|2019 General Election]], Lewell-Buck won with a 9,585 vote majority.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/4277/electionresult|access-date=23 December 2021|website=[[Parliament of the United Kingdom|UK Parliament]]}}</ref> As of 2022, the [[Council ward|ward]] of Whitburn and Marsden is represented by local councillors Peter Boyack, Tracey Dixon, and Joyce Welsh (all Labour).<ref>{{Cite web|title=List of councillors by ward|url=https://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/article/60211/List-of-councillors-by-ward?formid=147775&pageSessionId=35658613-e875-4957-8e92-0cb3b539472c&fsn=3dbb3782-9fe0-4a94-9bf1-05497ad97719|access-date=23 December 2021|website=[[South Tyneside Council]]}}</ref>

==Features==
Whitburn has retained its village character, with its main street, parish church, cricket ground and park with bowling greens and tennis courts. The street plan of the medieval core of the village largely remains today and can be seen in the layout of Front Street.<ref>WHCA, 2017: 27</ref>

<mapframe text="Map of key features in Whitburn" width="350" height="350" zoom="13" longitude="-1.36601" latitude="54.957" align="center"> {
"type": "FeatureCollection", "features":  [
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      "properties": {
        "title": "Whitburn Windmill",
        "description": "[[File:Whitburn Mill.jpg|Whitburn Mill|250px]]",
        "marker-symbol": "monument",
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 {

     "type": "Feature",
      "properties": {
        "title": "Whitburn Bents",
        "description": "[[File:Whitburn Bents Road.jpg|Whitburn Bents Road]]",
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 {

     "type": "Feature",
      "properties": {
        "title": "Whitburn Coastal Park",
        "description": "[[File:Whitburn Coastal Park.jpg|Whitburn Coastal Park]]",
        "marker-symbol": "wetland",
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        "marker-color": "0050d0"},
        "geometry": {
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     "type": "Feature",
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        "description": "[[File:Whitburn Parish Church - geograph.org.uk - 2460708.jpg|Whitburn Parish Church - geograph.org.uk - 2460708]]",
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     "type": "Feature",
      "properties": {
        "title": "Whitburn Methodist Church",
        "description": "[[File:Whitburn Methodist Church - geograph.org.uk - 2459237.jpg|Whitburn Methodist Church - geograph.org.uk - 2459237]]",
        "marker-symbol": "religious-christian",
        "marker-size": "large",
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        "geometry": {
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 {

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        "geometry": {
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=== Whitburn windmill ===
[[File:Whitburn Mill.jpg|thumbnail|Whitburn windmill, looking out to sea.|250x250px]]
Whitburn windmill, dating from the 18th century, is a [[Grade 2 listed]] building and a local landmark. It is located to the north of the village.<ref>WHCA, 2017: 16, 20</ref> It is the oldest surviving of local stone tower mills. The original windmill was a wooden [[post mill]] which is recorded in a 1779 coastal shipping survey. The original mill blew down in a storm and was replaced by the current limestone magnesian structure in around 1796. The windmill would have ground corn from local farms which was then used to make bread. Towards the end of the 19th century, however, steam-powered mills grew in prominence and Whitburn mill eventually ceased operation in 1896. [[South Tyneside Council]] took over ownership of the windmill in 1960, and in 1991–1992, they undertook a restoration project of the mill for which it was awarded the [[Civic Trust Awards|Civic Trust]] Award.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=5 July 2005|title=Point 6 - Whitburn Windmill|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/wear/content/articles/2005/06/29/coast05walks_stage6_walk.shtml|access-date=22 December 2021|website=[[BBC]]}}</ref>

=== Whitburn Bents ===
[[File:Whitburn Bents Road.jpg|alt=Picture of cottages at Whitburn Bents.|left|thumb|Cottages at Whitburn Bents.|250x250px]]
Whitburn Bents is an area located on the coastline to the south of the village. It features a small arch of early 20th century cottages on the site of a former fisherman's cottage and an 18th century farmstead. The land was formerly a fishing hamlet.<ref>WBCA, 2007: 1</ref> The name "Bents" is derived from the coarse grass ([[Agrostis|agrostis, or bentgrass]]) that can be found in the local coastal area. Whitburn Bents and Whitburn Village were historically recognised as two separate communities, largely due to the difference in the inhabitants' occupations; by the 19th century, Bents was a farming and fishing community, whereas residents of Whitburn Village had a more diverse range of occupations including industrialists and coalminers.<ref name=":3">WBCA, 2007: 5</ref><ref name=":6" /> In 1938, Sir Hedworth Williamson demolished the cottages at Bents and rebuilt them in a manner which resembles their current crescent form. These buildings were badly damaged by bombing during the Second World War. After the Second World War, the cottages were rebuilt with their original design largely retained.<ref name=":5">WBCA, 2007: 7</ref>

South Bents Farm, originally established in the 18th century, remained in use until the 1960s. South Bents Farmhouse, located to the south of the concave of cottages, is a Grade 2 listed building.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bents farmhouse|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1207150|access-date=22 December 2021|website=[[Historic England]]}}</ref> Much of the evidence of early farming activities has been lost due to modern developments,<ref name=":5">WBCA, 2007: 7</ref>

=== Whitburn Coastal Park ===

To the north of the village, near [[Marsden, Tyne and Wear|Marsden village]], is Whitburn Coastal Park. It is situated on the site of the former Whitburn Colliery and consists of a range of grassland, woodland and scrub habitats.<ref>{{Cite report|url=https://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/media/14683/Landscape-Character-Study-Part-1-Character-Assessment-March-2012-/pdf/STLCS_Part_1_with_associated_maps.pdf|title=South Tyneside Landscape Character Study. Part I: Landscape Character Assessment.|date=29 March 2021|publisher=LUC|page=131|access-date=22 December 2021}}</ref> It is cared for by the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]]. The area was designated as a [[Local nature reserve|Local Nature Reserve]] in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Exploring Souter Lighthouse and The Leas|url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/souter-lighthouse-and-the-leas/features/exploring-souter-lighthouse-and-the-leas|access-date=22 December 2021|website=[[National Trust]]}}</ref> This recreation area is a popular haunt for birdwatchers. The coastline from Trow Point to Whitburn is an [[Ramsar Convention|International]] and [[Special Protection Area|European]] Wildlife Site. The birds that visit each winter arrive in internationally significant numbers, including [[purple sandpiper]] and [[turnstone]] which arrive from [[Scandinavia]]. [[Sanderling]], [[Ringed Plover|ringed plover]] and [[Common redshank|redshank]] also appear on the coastline here in nationally significant numbers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The coast - Lizard point to Whitburn |url=https://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/media/6952/The-coast-Lizard-point-to-Whitburn/pdf/The_coast_-_Lizard_point_to_Whitburn.pdf?m=634805471315300000 |access-date=22 December 2021 |website=[[South Tyneside Council]]}}</ref> [[Pinniped|Seals]] and [[dolphin]]s have also been spotted on the coastline.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bilalova |first=Pamela |date=10 March 2021 |title=Dolphins pictured splashing along Whitburn coast as region is set for more sightings from April |work=[[Shields Gazette]] |url=https://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/environment/dolphins-pictured-splashing-along-whitburn-coast-as-region-is-set-for-more-sightings-from-april-3161627 |access-date=30 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bilalova |first=Pamela |date=23 January 2022 |title='She stood like a little guardian' - Schoolgirl watches over stranded seal pup at Whitburn |work=[[Sunderland Echo]] |url=https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/environment/schoolgirl-watches-over-stranded-seal-pup-at-whitburn-3538477 |access-date=30 June 2022}}</ref><gallery widths="250" heights="190" class="center" mode="nolines">
File:Whitburn Coastal Park.jpg|alt=Picture of the view from Whitburn Coastal Park.|Whitburn Coastal Park.
File:Gull resting on the cliffs between Whitburn and Marsden.jpg|alt=Picture of a gull resting on the cliffs between Whitburn and Marsden|Gull resting on the cliffs between Whitburn and Marsden
File:Information board in Whitburn Coastal Park - geograph.org.uk - 2870065.jpg|alt=Picture of an information board in Whitburn Coastal Park.|Information board in Whitburn Coastal Park.
</gallery>

=== Shops, amenities and recreation ===
[[File:East Street in Whitburn - geograph.org.uk - 2856869.jpg|alt=View from East Street near the centre of Whitburn, approaching the village shops.|thumb|East Street near the centre of Whitburn, approaching the village shops.|250x250px]]
Whitburn contains shops which include convenience stores, a butchers, an ice-cream parlour, an antiques store and pubs.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Towns & villages|url=https://www.visitsouthtyneside.co.uk/article/63027/Towns-villages|access-date=22 December 2021|website=Visit South Tyneside}}</ref> Historically, a recreational ground was gifted to the village in 1897.<ref name=":6" /> Today, Cornthwaite Park to the south of the village is Whitburn's primary recreational space. The Park, named after a local councillor, was constructed in the 1960s and was built on open land previously known as Church Fields. It contains flower beds, ornamental tree planting, a children's play area, a bowling green, and tennis courts.<ref>WCA, 2006: 32</ref><ref>WHCA, 2017: 32-33</ref> Whitburn Cricket Club was established in 1862 in the grounds of Whitburn Hall. The club still survives today, located on East Street to the north of Cornthwaite Park.<ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Welcome to Whitburn CC|url=https://whitburn.play-cricket.com/home|access-date=22 December 2021|website=Play-Cricket.com}}</ref> Another local sports club, Whitburn Golf Club, is located to the east of [[Cleadon#Cleadon Hills|Cleadon Hills]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Whitburn golf club|url=https://whitburngolfclub.co.uk/|access-date=22 December 2021|website=Whitburn Golf Club}}</ref>

=== Schools ===
The village's first school was built in 1824 and a second was built in 1856.<ref>WCA, 2006: 48</ref> Today, there are three schools in Whitburn: Whitburn Village Primary School, Marsden Primary School and [[Whitburn Church of England Academy]] (formerly Whitburn Comprehensive School). The schools' latest Ofsted inspections records all three as being "Good".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Whitburn Village Primary School|url=https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/131917|access-date=22 December 2021|website=[[Ofsted]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Marsden Primary School|url=https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/108687|access-date=22 December 2021|website=[[Ofsted]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Whitburn Church of England Academy|url=https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/136386|access-date=22 December 2021|website=[[Ofsted]]}}</ref>

<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" style="height: 14em; font-size: 90%;"

|+
! colspan="5" |'''Whitburn Village Primary School and Marsden Primary School performance at end of [[Key Stage 2]] (2019)'''
|-
! style="max-width:4em; height:6em" |
! style="max-width:4em; height:6em" |'''Whitburn Village Primary School''' <ref name=":9">{{Cite web|title=All schools and colleges in South Tyneside|url=https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/schools-by-type?step=default&table=schools&region=393&geographic=la&for=primary|access-date=28 December 2021|website=Compare School Performance Service|publisher=[[Gov.uk]]}}</ref>
! style=max-width:4em |'''Marsden Primary School'''<ref name=":9"/>
! style="max-width:4em; height:6em" |'''Local authority'''{{Efn|South Tyneside Council|name=b}} '''average'''<ref name=":10">{{Cite web|title=Marsden Primary School|url=https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/school/108687/marsden-primary-school/primary|access-date=28 December 2021|website=Compare School Performance Service|publisher=[[Gov.uk]]}}</ref>
! style="max-width:4em; height:6em" |'''England average'''<ref name=":10"/>
|-
! style="max-width:4em; height:6em" |% of pupils meeting expected standard
|63
|72
|66
|65
|-
! style="max-width:4em; height:6em" |% of pupils achieving at a higher standard
|6
|16
|12
|11<br />
|}
</div>
<div style=display:inline-table>

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" style="height: 14em; font-size: 90%;"
|+
! colspan="4" |'''Whitburn Church of England Academy performance at end of [[Key Stage 4]] (2019)'''<ref>{{Cite web|title=Whitburn Church of England Academy|url=https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/school/136386/whitburn-church-of-england-academy/secondary|access-date=28 December 2021|website=Compare School Performance Service|publisher=[[Gov.uk]]}}</ref>
|-
! style="max-width:4em; height:6em" |
! style="max-width:4em; height:6em" |'''Whitburn C of E Academy'''
! style="max-width:4em; height:6em" |'''Local authority{{Efn|South Tyneside Council|name=b}} average'''
! style="max-width:4em; height:6em" |'''England average'''
|-
! style="max-width:4em; height:6em" |% of pupils with Grade 5 or above in English & maths [[GCSE]]
|50
|34
|43
|-
! style="max-width:4em; height:6em" |% of pupils staying in education or entering employment
|97
|92
|94
|-
! style="max-width:4em; height:6em" |Attainment 8 score{{Efn|Attainment 8 score is calculated by adding together a student's highest scores across eight government-approved qualifications.|name=c}}
|52.5
|42.6
|46.7
|}
</div>

=== Religion ===
Whitburn has three churches: Whitburn Parish Church, St Vincent's Catholic Church and Whitburn Methodist Church.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |title=Whitburn – St Vincent |url=https://taking-stock.org.uk/building/whitburn-mill-lane-st-vincent/ |access-date=30 June 2022 |website=Taking Stock}}</ref> Whitburn Parish Church is a Grade 2 listed building and is the oldest surviving building in the village.<ref name="WHCA, 2017: 28"/> Little is known of the church's history and there is no record of its dedication. However, there is evidence that it dates from the 13th century. The top of the tower was added in the 15th century, and the church was restored by Newcastle architects Austin & Johnson in 1867-8. Following the attack of the [[Spanish Armada]] on England in 1588, two Spanish galleons ran aground on Whitburn Rocks and it is thought that two bells from one of the galleons were placed in Whitburn Church when it was restored.<ref>WCA, 2006: 29-30</ref> Until All Saints' Church in Cleadon was built in 1869, the residents of Cleadon used Whitburn Parish Church as their place of worship.<ref>{{Cite report|url=http://www.limestonelandscapes.info/media/12399/Cleadon-Atlas-Summary/pdf/CleadonAtlasMini.pdf|title=The Cleadon Village Atlas Mini|date=April 2015|access-date=28 December 2021}}</ref> The church contains an effigy tomb dating from 1689 which contains the bodies of Michael and Isobel Matthew – a couple from the Matthew family of Cleadon who originally built the historic building of Cleadon Tower. The tomb is a testimony to the family's wealth and significance. Michael Matthew is represented on the tomb as an elderly gentleman lying down, his head on a pillow, and holding a book with the inscription ''shall not lye here but rise''.<ref>Young et al., 2015: 114-115</ref>

Saint Vincent's Catholic Church is a small church built in the 1950s located on Mill Lane at the corner of Poplar Drive.<ref name=":11" /> 



Whitburn Methodist Church is located on the corner of Lizard Lane. It was constructed in 1881 to replace the original Wesleyan Chapel. Wesleyan influence entered the area when [[John Wesley]] visited Sunderland and Cleadon in the mid-18th century.<ref>WCA, 2006: 40</ref><gallery class="center" widths="250" heights="250" mode="nolines">
File:Whitburn Parish Church, Interior - geograph.org.uk - 2460729.jpg|alt=Picture of the interior of Whitburn Parish Church.|Interior of Whitburn Parish Church.
File:Whitburn Parish Church, Spire - geograph.org.uk - 2460726.jpg|alt=Picture of the spire of Whitburn Parish Church.|Spire of Whitburn Parish Church.
File:Whitburn Methodist Church - geograph.org.uk - 2459237.jpg|alt=Picture of the exterior of Whitburn Methodist Church.|Exterior of Whitburn Methodist Church.
</gallery>

== Transport ==
[[File:Whitburn Stagecoach bus on Mill Lane.jpg|alt=Picture of a bus on Mill Lane to the north of Whitburn.|thumb|Bus on Mill Lane to the north of Whitburn.|250x250px]]
Whitburn lies on the [[A183 road (England)|A183]] which connects Sunderland to South Shields. Whitburn was historically quite an isolated settlement; a road connecting the Bents to Sunderland was constructed in 1865, and only in 1929 was the north-south route (now the A183) completed.<ref>WCA, 2006: 4-5</ref> By the 1920s, a regular bus route operated on this road running from Sunderland to South Shields.<ref>WCA, 2006: 7</ref> However, low connectivity to and from the village has continued into the 21st century. Only a few roads connect Whitburn to surrounding population centres (the A183 to South Shields, Roker and Sunderland, and the [[B roads in Zone 1 of the Great Britain numbering scheme|B1299]] to [[East Boldon]]). No railway lines enter Whitburn and so the area is not directly served by the [[Tyne and Wear Metro]].<ref>WHCA, 2017: 22</ref> The nearest Metro stations are [[East Boldon Metro station|East Boldon]] and [[Seaburn Metro station|Seaburn]]. The area is served by the [[Go North East]] and [[Stagecoach North East]] bus operators.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Timetables & maps|url=https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/services|access-date=5 January 2022|website=[[Go North East]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Tyne and Wear boundary|url=https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/ZoneMaps/North%20East/NE_TyneWearZoneMap2018APR.pdf|access-date=5 January 2022|website=[[Stagecoach North East]]}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Thomas Elliot Harrison]] – engineer. Lived and died in Whitburn.<ref>{{Cite journal|year=1888|title=Obituary. Thomas Elliot Harrison, 1808–1888|url=http://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/content/article/10.1680/imotp.1888.20897|journal=Minutes of the Proceedings|publisher=Institute of Civil Engineers|volume=94|issue=1888|pages=301–313|doi=10.1680/imotp.1888.20897}}</ref>
*[[Jimmy Seed]] – footballer, striker for [[Tottenham Hotspur]] where he won the FA Cup in 1921. Brought up in Whitburn.<ref>{{Cite web|title=England Football Online|url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersS/BioSeedJM.html|access-date=28 December 2021|website=England Football Online}}</ref>
*[[Jack Young (footballer, born 1895)|Jack Young]] and [[Billy Henderson (footballer)|Billy Henderson]] (footballers) – both full-backs played for [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]] in the [[1923 FA Cup Final]]. Born in Whitburn.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Simkin|first=John|date=September 1997|title=John (Jack) Young|url=https://spartacus-educational.com/WHyoungJA.htm|access-date=28 December 2021|website=[[Spartacus Educational]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Simkin|first=John|date=September 1997|title=Billy Henderson|url=https://spartacus-educational.com/WHhendersonW.htm|access-date=28 December 2021|website=[[Spartacus Educational]]}}</ref>
*[[Jack Smith (footballer, born 1898)|Jack Smith]] – footballer for [[Portsmouth Football Club]]. Born in Whitburn.<ref>{{Cite web|title=England Football Online|url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersS/BioSmithJW.html|access-date=28 December 2021|website=England Football Online}}</ref>
*[[Jack Weddle]] – footballer, striker for Portsmouth and [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]]. Lived in Whitburn.<ref>{{Cite news|date=25 April 2008|title=The Smiths remember big day at Wembley|work=[[The Northern Echo]]|url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/columnists/backtrack/backtrack/2225628.smiths-remember-big-day-wembley/|access-date=28 December 2021}}</ref>
*[[Sep Smith]] – footballer, player for [[Leicester City F.C.]] Born in Whitburn.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hutchinson|first=John|date=28 August 2013|title=TWIH: Sep Smith's Debut|url=https://www.lcfc.com/news/428742|publisher=Leicester City F.C.|accessdate=28 December 2021}}</ref>
* [[Bill Robinson (English footballer)|Bill Robinson]] – footballer, striker for [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]], member of [[Charlton Athletic F.C.|Charlton Athletic's]] [[FA Cup Final 1947|1947 FA Cup]]-winning side, and [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]]. Born in Whitburn.<ref name="theyflysohigh">{{cite web|last=Hillier|first=Roger|title=Bill Robinson (1919–1992)|url=http://theyflysohigh.co.uk/bill-robinson/4576040026|website=theyflysohigh.co.uk|accessdate=22 November 2017}}</ref>
*[[Dave Clelland]] – Scottish footballer. Died in Whitburn aged 80.<ref>{{Hugman|3644|Dave Clelland|access-date=28 December 2021}}</ref>
*[[Julie Elliott]] – Labour Party MP for [[Sunderland Central (UK Parliament constituency)|Sunderland Central]]. Born in Whitburn.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About Julie|url=https://www.julie4sunderland.co.uk/about-julie/|access-date=28 December 2021|website=Julie4sunderland.co.uk}}</ref>
* [[Nadine Shah]] – musician. Grew up in Whitburn.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Gibsone|first=Harriet|date=30 April 2015|title=Nadine Shah: 'I was determined for people to hear I was Pakistani'|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/apr/30/nadine-shah-i-was-determied-for-people-to-hear-i-was-pakistani|access-date=28 December 2021}}</ref>

== References ==

=== Notes ===
{{Notelist}}{{Notelist}}

=== Citations ===
<references/>

=== Bibliography ===
Where an abbreviation is used in the references this is indicated below in (brackets) at the end of the source name. When a source is available online, a link has been included.

* {{Cite book |last=Fordyce |first=William |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SjhNAAAAMAAJ |title=The history and antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham |publisher=A. Fullarton and Company |year=1857 |location=Newcastle}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Mackenzie |first1=E. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0ThNAAAAMAAJ |title=An historical, topographical, and descriptive view of the County Palatine of Durham |last2=Ross |first2=M. |year=1834 |volume=1 |location=Newcastle}}
* {{Cite book |last=Mills |first=A. D. |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199609086.001.0001/acref-9780199609086-e-13894?rskey=jyfhSz&result=1 |title=A Dictionary of British Place Names |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2011 |isbn=9780199609086 |url-access=subscription}}
* {{cite report |url=https://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/media/2229/Whitburn-Conservation-Area-Character-Appraisal-February-2006-/pdf/Whitburn_CA_Character_Appraisal_(February_2006).pdf |title=Whitburn Conservation Area. Character Appraisal. |author1-first= |author1-last= |author2-first= |author2-last= |author3-first= |author3-last= |date=February 2006 |publisher=[[South Tyneside Council]] |archive-url= |archive-date=}} (WCA).
* {{cite report|url=https://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/media/46660/Whitburn-NP-Heritage-Character-Assessment-by-AECOM/pdf/Whitburn_Heritage_Character_Assessment_by_AECOM.pdf?m=637689619756570000|title=Whitburn heritage character assessment.|author1-first= |author1-last=| author2-first= | author2-last=| author3-first = | author3-last = |date=June 2017|publisher=[[AECOM]]|archive-url=|archive-date=}} (WHCA).
*{{cite report|url=https://www.sunderland.gov.uk/media/2684/Whitburn-Bents-Character-Appraisal-Adopted-as-Planning-Guidance-in-December-2007/pdf/Whitburn_planning_guidance_LQR.pdf?ccp=true#cookie-consent-prompt|title=Whitburn Bents Conservation Area. Character Appraisal and Management Strategy.|author1-first= |author1-last=| author2-first= | author2-last=| author3-first = | author3-last = |date=November 2007|publisher=[[Sunderland City Council]]|archive-url=|archive-date=}} (WBCA).
*{{cite report|url=http://cleadon-village.co.uk/atlas-final.pdf|title=The Cleadon Village Atlas|author1-first=Brian |author1-last=Young| author2-first=Penny | author2-last=Middleton| author3-first = Ivan| author3-last = Dunn|date=29 May 2015|publisher=Northern Archaeological Associates Ltd|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121113151/http://cleadon-village.co.uk/atlas-final.pdf|archive-date=21 November 2021}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Whitburn, Tyne and Wear}}
* [http://www.southtyneside.info/ South Tyneside Council & Community website] – Local council website
* [https://whitburnlibrary.org.uk/ Whitburn Community Library] - Whitburn Community Library website
* [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/4889 Whitburn] at ''[[A Vision of Britain through Time]]''
* [http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/w010.htm History of Mining at Whitburn] from the Durham Mining Museum
* {{oscoor gbx|NZ407621}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930033612/http://website.lineone.net/~d.ord/Whitburn.htm Photographs of Whitburn, old and new] from the Whitburn Local History Group

{{Coastal settlements
|place         = Tyne and Wear
|settlement    = Whitburn
|anticlockwise = [[Marsden, Tyne and Wear|Marsden]]
|clockwise     = [[Seaburn]], [[Sunderland, Tyne and Wear|Sunderland]]
}}

{{authority control}}
{{good article}}

[[Category:Villages in Tyne and Wear]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Tyne and Wear]]
[[Category:Metropolitan Borough of South Tyneside]]
[[Category:Former civil parishes in Tyne and Wear]]