A History of the Real Washington

The fact that Washington dates back to 1180 A.D. will come as a surprise to most Americans.

The manor of Washington was bought from the Bishop of Durham, over eight hundred years ago by William de Hertburn. As was the custom of the day, de Hertburn immediately adopted the name of his new estate, becoming William de Washington.

By now you may have realized I am not referring to Washington DC, the capital of the United States, but to a town in the north east of England, situated in the City of Sunderland. The original Washington.

William de Washington became the first member of the family that was, many years later, to produce the first American President, George Washington. The Washington Old Hall, still standing in Washington Village, is the ancestral home of the family, and five generations lived there before moving further south. The family emigrated to Virginia in 1657, as most Americans will be aware.

Of the original building, only the foundations and the arches between the Great Hall and the kitchen remain. The rest of the building was erected in the early 17th century on the site of the former 12th century home.

Next to the Hall, on top of a small hill, stands the church where the family may have prayed, while on the opposite side of the road is the Old School House.
The remainder of Washington is more recent, the area having been declared a New Town in 1964. The village quickly grew as new industry moved into the area, taking advantage of the tax breaks associated with a New Town. The original village became a number of small self-sufficient villages providing homes, shopping, and industry for the rapidly expanding populace.

Jobs are available in the textile, electronics, and chemical industries as well as with the many Government Departments that have moved here to escape the high prices of London.

The main employer in the area is Nissan, and cars built here are exported to Europe and even to Japan!

Washington's links with its American counterpart were cemented in 2006 when a Friendship Agreement was signed between Washington DC and the City of Sunderland, of which Washington forms an important part.

Americans visiting the area can fly into Newcastle International Airport, situated just a few miles to the north. Washington is situated on the A1, which is the main north/south route linking the capital London with the Scottish capital Edinburgh.

Local attractions include the award winning Beamish Open-Air Museum, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, North East Aircraft Museum and the Washington Arts Centre.

Other attractions close by include Durham Cathedral, rated the third most beautiful building in Britain, nearby Sunderland, Newcastle and the numerous ancient castles of Northumberland featured in many blockbuster movies.