Give me my handy National Trust Membership card and you never know what I will find. This particular day, I found the home of George Washington's ancestors in the village of Washington. It was the family home for several centuries; the family took their name from the location as was the custom at the time. I got a kick out of walking in and seeing the D.C. flag.
William of Washington moved to the property in 1184, in the aftermath of the Norman conquest although this wild northern land was not fully controlled by the Normans. (The area is quite north of York, almost to Newcastle.) Fourteen generations later, Colonel John Washington emigrated to Virginia. The family property passed into other hands with the marriage of daughters where there was no male heir in England. It seems as though the family was royalist as the country was under the sway of Cromwell so migration seemed like a good idea at the time.
Anyway, John is the great-grandfather of the Father of our Country.
Even as a loyal Washington, District of Columbia resident, I was unaware that our flag was taken from the Washington coat of arms. But here it is. The photo on top is the hallway of the family home displaying our D.C. flag.
Photos below show the home as it has been restored. Although it was begun in the 1080's before the introduction of Gothic arches, the visible parts of the building are supported with Gothic arches. It has had many uses, including as a tenement house for Irish laborers who worked in the mine across the street (since closed). One room is restored to that period. The house had fallen into decay when the rector of the nearby church worked with local folk to interest the American ambassador to assist with funding the restoration. The National Trust manages it now and with my membership, I can get in free.
Since I am spending 3 months in the United Kingdom, I decided to join the National Trust which manages historical properties as well as many natural areas. I have enjoyed free entry to parts of Hadrian's wall, beauty spots along the Northern Ireland Coast and this Washington family home. Scotland has their own National Trust but the memberships are reciprocal so I stopped in a few spots there too. I am not that big on stately homes and castles but there are many other places. It is fun wandering, seeing the National Trust logo and dropping in. I even have a parking sticker though I have not needed it yet.
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