– 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. Saint Vincent’s Catholic Church is a small church built in the 1950s located on Mill Lane at the corner of Poplar Drive. 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. Transport Whitburn lies on the 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. By the 1920s, a regular bus route operated on this road running from Sunderland to South Shields. 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 B1299 to East Boldon). No railway lines enter Whitburn and so the area is not directly served by the Tyne and Wear Metro. The nearest Metro stations are East Boldon and Seaburn. The area is served by the Go North East and Stagecoach North East bus operators. Notable people Thomas Elliot Harrison – engineer. Lived and died in Whitburn. Jimmy Seed – footballer, striker for Tottenham Hotspur where he won the FA Cup in 1921. Brought up in Whitburn. Jack Young and Billy Henderson (footballers) – both full-backs played for West Ham United in the 1923 FA Cup Final. Born in Whitburn. Jack Smith – footballer for Portsmouth Football Club. Born in Whitburn. Jack Weddle – footballer, striker for Portsmouth and Blackburn Rovers. Lived in Whitburn. Sep Smith – footballer, player for Leicester City F.C. Born in Whitburn. Bill Robinson – footballer, striker for Sunderland, member of Charlton Athletic's 1947 FA Cup-winning side, and West Ham United. Born in Whitburn. Dave Clelland – Scottish footballer. Died in Whitburn aged 80. Julie Elliott – Labour Party MP for Sunderland Central. Born in Whitburn. Nadine Shah – musician. Grew