National Trust Washington Old Hall

General information

Washington Old Hall has a long and varied history. The site was taken on by William de Hertburn (pronounced Heartburn, his name taken from the land on which he lived). In 1183 he exchanged his land with the powerful Bishop of Durham for land known as Wessington in the County of Durham, from then on he became known as William de Wessington.
By 1346 a coat of arms was adopted and it is believed at this point the spelling and pronunciation of Wessington changed to Washington. A Washington family dynasty was thus founded, with George Washington being a direct descendant. Had this exchange of land not happened then the capital of America would be called "Hertburn" - much to the dismay of many visiting Americans.
The Washington family lived at the Old Hall until 1613, with the building being altered over the years, to suit needs and fashion.
Ownership passed between various other families, with the property eventually being tenanted in the late 19th century until the 1930s. At this point it was threatened with demolition. Under the dynamism of local schoolmaster and historian Frederick Hill, a Preservation Committee raised sufficient money to purchase the Hall, preserving it for future generations, for community use and also representing it as a Jacobean Manor house and grounds, including room settings. It was opened to the public by the preservation committee in 1955 and handed to the National Trust without endowment in 1956