Ryhope, Sunderland
Ryhope is a small village located on the southern boundary of Sunderland. Its population is 14,000 according to a 2001 census and is 2.9 miles from the heart of Seaham. There is an older and newer section of the village, the newer section is located around a triangular green that also has a war monument. The newer section flanks Ryhope street and Tunstall Bank road.
Ryhope is bordered by farmland and is quite isolated however there are many bicycle routes running in and out of the village.
The Knowle Hospital is found towards the south of the village, it is part of the Tyne and Wear Mental Health NHS Trust and is the largest Mental Health trust in Wearside. There is also a Ryhope Engines Museum that was built in 1868 to supply water to Sunderland.
The name Ryhope comes from the old English “reof hoppas” which means “rough valley” it goes back to 930AD and in 918AD the land was conquered by the Vikings. Like most areas in Sunderland Ryhope was mostly made up of farmland. Ryhope has been a sea side destination for many centuries as it is so close to the sea.
The village is located on a huge coalfield so as with almost all of the other regions in the area the industry moved from agriculture to coal. In 1859 the geography of the area was hugely changed as a result of a new colliery, the area was extended creating the “Village” and the “Colliery” two brand new areas of Ryhope. Today there is just a single railway line running through Ryhope but there is no longer a station and the colliery was closed in 1966.
The Sunderland football manager Mick Buxton and TV producers Malcolm Gerrie and Chris Cowey all came from Ryhope. On the southern edge of Sunderland lies the Tunstall hills.