Dun Cow

About us

This wonderfully ornate, grade 2 listed ‘Edwardian Gin Palace’ designed in 1901 for Robert Deuchars by the somewhat eccentric architect Benjamin F Simpson, has a remarkable exterior that features decorative creatures including a cow, lizard, cat and frog, finished off with its crowning glory – the copper domed tower, with two clocks facing the distinct and complementing crown of the Sunderland Empire, both towering landmarks of the city for over a century.

Take a step back in time as you enter the Dun Cow, listed in the national inventory of historic pub interiors. The bar of this extraordinary building has etched panels, bevelled mirrors, fine plasterwork and grand fireplaces. Chosen as the National Winner in the 2015 pub design awards and described as having ‘ one of the most stunning bar-backs in Britain’, the Dun Cow is a perfect example of everything that a traditional British public house should be.

We welcome customers from all walks of life – city shoppers to leaders of commerce, theatre goers to retired glass blowers and the occasional dog. This is a pub, where the matters of the day are discussed, be it football or politics, algorithms or allotments, the Dun Cow is a place where opinions and ideas can be shared in the company of like-minded friends.

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Facilities