Old Hall was originally built in the he 12th century. Although we do not know who built the first house, we do know that William de Hertburn acquired the manor of Washington before 1183. William came from Hartburn, near Stockton-on-Tees, and in the days before surnames, it was normal to take the name of your home village. He dropped the name of "Hertburn" and became known as William "de Wessyngton" after adopting the name of his new estate. The name Washington is derived from "Wessyngton", which is taken from the Anglo Saxon words "Hwaessa", "Ing" and "Tun" meaning "Hwassa's family's estate". Over time, the spelling changed to "Washington" and it eventually became the family surname. The house remained with the Washington family until 1613, when it was sold to the Bishop of Durham, who bought it for his son. Some time shortly after this date, the Hall was partially demolished and rebuilt on the original foundations, as a typical gentry house of the period. Later in 1792, further alterations were made to the east wing, and in the 1920s it was divided into tenement flats. The ground floor plan, which is probably similar to the layout of the original house, comprises a central Great Hall, flanked by and an east and a west wing. These house the kitchen and private rooms. The original main entrance to the building was on the north side, but is now located in the stairwell that projects from the south side. The house that stands today dates mainly to the17th century, although medieval elements surviving the foundations, outer walls of the west end. The ground floor layout has a central Great Hall, flankedby east and west wings. The Washington connection Washington Old Hall is the ancestral home of George Washington, the first president of the United States of America. He was born in 1732 to Captain Augustine Washington and Mary Ball. Captain Washington was a direct descendent of Colonel John Washington who emigrated to Virginia in 1656,and who was a descendent of William de Hertburn. Washington Old Hall today The re-created Jacobean Garden
Old Hall was originally built in the he 12th century. Although we do not know who built the first house, we do know that William de Hertburn acquired the manor of Washington before 1183. William came from Hartburn, near Stockton-on-Tees, and in the days before surnames, it was normal to take the name of your home village. He dropped the name of "Hertburn" and became known as William "de Wessyngton" after adopting the name of his new estate. The name Washington is derived from "Wessyngton", which is taken from the Anglo Saxon words "Hwaessa", "Ing" and "Tun" meaning "Hwassa's family's estate". Over time, the spelling
the Bishop of Durham, who bought it for his son. Some time shortly after this date, the Hall was partially demolished and rebuilt on the original foundations, as a typical gentry house of the period. Later in 1792, further alterations were made to the east wing, and in the 1920s it was divided into tenement flats. The ground floor plan, which is probably similar to the layout of the original house, comprises a central Great Hall, flanked by and an east and a west wing. These house the kitchen and private rooms. The original main entrance to the building was on the north side, but is now located in the stairwell that projects from the south side. The house that stands today dates mainly to the17th century, although medieval elements surviving the