George Washington's ancestral home celebrates 70 years under National Trust
7 July, 2026
School children, city dignitaries and representatives from the National Trust descended on Washington Old Hall on Saturday [4 July] alongside visitors from across the city and beyond for Sunderland's annual July 4th celebrations.
Marking 70 years since the National Trust took over the building and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the event put a spotlight on some of the key figures in our history and celebrated the city's unique connection with Washington DC.
Situated in the heart of Washington village, Washington Old Hall is the ancestral home of George Washington, with the first president's family living there into the 14th century.
Eric Wilton, General Manager at the National Trust, opened the proceedings and began with a heartfelt speech on Fred Hill, the man credited with saving Washington Old Hall.
Addressing the crowd, he said: "I want to start by highlighting a significant figure in the history of the hall and why we're lucky to have this special place to enjoy now and into the future.
"That person is Fred Hill. He used the Washington connection and interest to save a local landmark[HK1] he loved from destruction. He used Washington as a lever to achieve the impossible.
"In 1932, a closing order was issued on Washington Old Hall and a preservation committee was formed. A regular local philanthropist and long-standing contact of Hill's, Stirling Newall, sat on the committee and ultimately provided the funds required to purchase the hall in 1937.
"In the intervening years, Fred worked to publicise the Washington Connection and to appeal for funds not only to purchase the hall, but to secure its future. Without him, we almost certainly wouldn't be here today celebrating this momentous occasion."
This year's celebrations also marked 20 years since the city of Sunderland signed its historic friendship agreement with Washington DC.
Deputy Mayor, Cllr Jannine Morrow, attended the event on behalf of Sunderland City Council alongside consort, George Morrow.
The Deputy Mayor said: "It was a proud moment representing the city for what was such an historic event.
"It was fantastic to see so many children and young people taking part in the programme, which I know is always a real highlight. Washington Old Hall is a really important part of our history and heritage and days like today help to continue to strengthen the connections between the Old Hall and all of our communities.
The unique historical connection which we share with Washington DC, through our links to the Washington family, is the reason why our city has had a friendship agreement with Washington DC since 2006. It is an agreement of which we are very proud because of the range of opportunities which it has created over the years.
"Today's event was a very special celebration which I'm sure will live long in the memories of all involved."
Freedom and independence were the theme of this year's event, with the reading of a greeting card to the city from Mary-Frances Wain, executive director of Washington DC's Tudor Place Historic House & Garden, being one of the standout moments.
An excerpt from the reading said: "This year offers us a special opportunity to reflect on the deep and enduring connections between our institutions.
"The 70th anniversary of the National Trust's stewardship of Washington Old Hall, the 20th anniversary of the Sunderland - Washington, D.C. partnership and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence all serve as a reminder of the link between our communities, our history, and our mutual commitment to preserving and sharing these stories.
"We join you in reflecting on the ideals of civic responsibility, public service, and democratic governance that continue to inspire people on both sides of the Atlantic."
Young people from Washington Academy, Broadway Junior School, John F Kennedy Primary School, George Washington Primary School and Sunderland Youth Council attended the event again this year and performed a series of readings and performances.
Sunderland Youth Council also performed a reading from the American Declaration of Independence and many of the school children had designed their own Independence Day flags and wrote their own declarations as part of the preparations for the event. This will all be proudly displayed at Washington Old Hall during the summer for all to see after the event.
