Church built in 1764-69 on land known as Lee's Close. The promoter of the church, John Thornhill also designed it, and was later buried there. The church was brick and of similar style to Holy Trinity (SMR 4421) of which it was a daughter chapel until it acquired parish status in 1875. When the barracks were built close by, it became the garrison church. It was demolished in 1972 and its organ is in Sunderland Museum.

Substantial rectory building shown on the Eye Plan, since demolished.

In 1719, because the old parish church of Bishopwearmouth was no longer large enough, an Act of Parliament was obtained to establish the new parish of Sunderland. So it was that the Church of Holy Trinity came to be built, and its cemetery to be laid out, in about 1719 on a piece of ground enclosed from the town moor or common pasture. The church was enlarged in 1735 by the addition of an east apse, and in 1803 the interior was remodelled by Thomas Wilson, who had directed the construction of Burdon's Iron Bridge across the Wear. In 1988, because of a dwindling congregation and the need for expensive repairs, the church was closed. It is now in the care of the Redundant Churches Fund {4}. In the 19th century grave robbers were at work at Holy Trinity, including the famous body snatchers William Burke and William Hare, who were finally caught in Edinburgh in 1828.

In 2018, the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded a grant to enable repairs and to establish the church as a community venue and heritage attraction. In 2018 a photographic assessment of both the exterior and interior of church was undertaken (report completed in 2019).

On Rain's Eye Plan. Flag Staff Battery. Washed away in 1808.

On Rain's Eye Plan. Gun platform at south end of the moor.

On Rain's Eye Plan. In 1745 a battery of four guns was built on a stretch called Jockey Dike Nook. This battery washed away in 1780.

On Rain's Eye Plan. In 1742 a battery of four guns stood near to the river entrance where the south dock is today, at the extreme north east of Coney Warren.

On Rain's Eye Plan. In 1783 a walled battery with six guns was built on the Coney Warren near to present day Barrack Street. Much of this was eventually washed away and the rest was demolished by the Sunderland Dock Company in 1848.

On Rain's Eye Plan. The threat posed by Napoleon in the later 18th century prompted a reassessment of coastal defences. A four gun battery on a bank behind the South Pier, known as the John Paul Jones Battery, later known as the Black Cat Battery. Built in the 1770s.

On Rain's Eye Plan. The High Street had served as a market area since Bishop Morton's charter of 1634. The wealthier butchers had their shops in the lower part of their houses on the south of the High Street, near The Shambles, and stalls can be seen projecting from houses opposite on the Eye Plan which also shows specialist areas for bakers, seed merchants, vegetables, poultry and dairy produce. The Eye plan also shows stalls of a butchery market in the middle of the High Street between Church and Union street and a market cross (SMR 79). The known Post Medieval market area of the High Street is likely to have had medieval origins.