Point to Whitburn is an International and 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 and redshank also appear on the coastline here in nationally significant numbers. Seals and dolphins have also been spotted on the coastline. Shops, amenities and recreation Whitburn contains shops which include convenience stores, a butchers, an ice-cream parlour, an antiques store and pubs. Historically, a recreational ground was gifted to the village in 1897. 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. 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. Another local sports club, Whitburn Golf Club, is located to the east of Cleadon Hills. Schools The village's first school was built in 1824 and a second was built in 1856. 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". Religion Whitburn has three churches: Whitburn Parish Church, St Vincent’s Catholic Church and Whitburn Methodist Church. Whitburn Parish Church is a Grade 2 listed building and is the oldest surviving building in the village. 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. Until All Saints' Church in Cleadon was built in 1869, the residents of Cleadon used Whitburn Parish Church as their place of worship. The church contains an effigy tomb dating from 1689 which contains the bodies of Michael and Isobel Matthew