WASHINGTON FAMILY’S HOME

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 June 1937, Page 12

WASHINGTON FAMILY’S HOME

ACQUIRED FOR PUBLIC. The hall in the county of Durham, in which the first of George Washington’s ancestors to bear the name of Washington lived in the twelfth century, lias been bought by a local committees. This committee now appeals for ~£lOOO to restore the old hall. In 1182 a certain William do Hertburn moved to Washington, County Durham, then 'called Wessynton, and took the name of the village. His family wore Lords of the Manor of Washington till 1:176. when- they disposed of the manor to the Blaykeston family. A branch of the family later moved to Northamptonshire; and it war, from Sulgrave Manor, Northamptonshire, that John Washington, greatgrandfather of George, went to America in 1653. The famous Washington arms of “three stars and two stripes” is displayed carved in ‘-tone on Hilton Castle, about three miles from Washington village. The old hall was rebuilt by William James. Bishop of Durham, in 1610: but portions of the building datin'# from the twelfth century were discovered in the course of the preliminary restoration work. Thus parts of the hall which the ancient Washingtons knew still exists. It. is the intenttion of the committee to adapt tho building when restored as; a village community centre. It would thus bo of great service as a centre for social and welfare activity in what is one of the most, "depressed" areas of England.