Celebrate Christmas at Wearmouth-Jarrow

Wednesday 02 Dec 09

From Christmas card making to carol services there are celebrations to suit everyone this Christmas – all taking place at what could be the North East’s third World Heritage Site.

St Peter’s and St Paul’s Churches, Bede’s World, the National Glass Centre and Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens are opening their doors to the public with a range of festive celebrations.

The sites are all part of Wearmouth-Jarrow, which will be nominated by the UK Government for World Heritage Site status in 2011.

The nomination centres on St Peter’s Church in Wearmouth, Sunderland and St Paul’s Church in Jarrow which form the twin Anglo-Saxon monastery of Wearmouth-Jarrow. If successful in the bid, Wearmouth-Jarrow would rank alongside global landmarks including the Taj Mahal and Great Wall of China.

At St Peter’s Church this Christmas visitors can enjoy a Christingle service at 3pm on 13 Dec, a Festival of lessons and carols at 4pm on 20 Dec, a midnight Mass at 11.30pm on Christmas Eve and a family eucharist on Christmas Day at 10am.

At St Paul’s Church there will be an Advent Carol Service at 6pm on 6th Dec, as well as Carols by Candlelight with local school children on 14th and 15th at 6pm, and 18th Dec at 7pm. Also a concert by Northumbrian Consort on 16th Dec at 7.30pm. Midnight Mass is at 11.30pm on Christmas Eve.

Bede’s World will be putting on a host of events including a Georgian Christmas weekend on 5th and 6th December (2 for 1 admission), where visitors can take part in games and make traditional decorations. An Enchanted Christmas afternoon of festive family fun is taking place on 19 December (1-4pm, £5 per child), including a fancy dress party, storytelling, music and games plus children can visit Father Christmas on the farm and help the elves make presents.

At the National Glass Centre visitors of all ages can take part in a Christmas crafts workshop, making wrapping paper and cards, on 19 Dec, from 10-11am, £3 per child. Santa and Mrs Claus will be there every Sunday in December, as well as community carol singers.

At Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens visitors can discover how plants are used in Christmas celebrations in a self-led trail in the Winter Gardens, and in the Museum visitors can follow a Peter Pan trail, in celebration of Sunderland Empire’s pantomime season.

For more information on any of the events above and other events over the Christmas period call;
St Paul’s Church, Jarrow - 0191 489 7052/ 0191 489 3279 / 0191 423 4109
Bede’s World, Jarrow - 0191 489 2106
St Peter’s Church, Sunderland - 0191 567 3726
National Glass Centre, Sunderland - 0191 515 5555
Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, Sunderland - 0191 553 2323