Washington Old Hall

Washington Old Hall is the ancestral home of the family that gave its name to George Washington, first president of the United States. The Washington family lived here from the 12th to the 14th centuries, and although the current building is largely a 17th-century manor house, parts of the earlier medieval home survive within its stone walls.

The house is now cared for by the National Trust. Inside, rooms are furnished in the style of a Jacobean gentry household, with oak panelling, heavy oak furniture, pewter and Delftware. Displays trace the Washington family line, the descent of George Washington from the Durham branch and the strong connections that continue between the Old Hall and the United States, including annual Independence Day and Thanksgiving celebrations.

Outside, a small formal Jacobean-style garden, a nuttery and a wild-flower meadow surround the house. The Old Hall sits in the original village of Washington, a conservation area of stone cottages that contrasts sharply with the surrounding new town. Guided tours and family activities run through the season.