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EspañolWASHINGTON, TYNE AND WEAR
'Washington' is a town in North East England Washington is located 10 miles (16 km) South of Newcastle upon Tyne and roughly the same distance West of Sunderland. At the 2001 census, the town had a population of 60,000.
Washington was designated a new town in 1964 and expanded dramatically by the creation of new villages and the absorption of areas of Chester-le-Street to house overspill population from surrounding cities.
The origin of the name Washington is not fully known; it is ''likely'' (though not definite) that ''Washington'' is derived from ''Hwæsingatūn'', meaning "estate of the descendants of Hwæsa" (Hwæsa is often rendered as Wassa in modern English). The name ''Hwæsingatūn'' is made up of the Germanic lingual components of ''Hwæsinga-'', the plural genitive form of ''Hwæsing'' meaning "a descendant of Hwæs" (''-ing'' means roughly "derived of" and has the same function is the names ''Eorling'' and ''halfling'', "-ung" is the Norse equivalent). ''-Tūn'' is derived from Germanic ''Zaun'' meaning a "fenced off estate", or an estate with defined boundaries.
Another origin equally likely, could be from Old English ''wæsc'' "to wash" + ''-inga'' 'people of' + ''dūn'' "hill" (i.e. people of the hill by the stream). This theory originates from its proximity to the Wear. This origin is shown in a possible record of the name as ''Wasindone'' from 1096.
Another suggested origin is that the name ''might'' have originated in the Irish and Scottish Gaelic word for "water", ''uisce/uisge'', in which case an earlier ''Uisgedun'' or some such might have been replaced by an Anglo-Saxon ''Wæscingtun''; but this, as is much etymology in particular of proper names, is all highly speculative.
The Old Hall may have been built by William de Hertburn, who moved to the area in 1183. As was the custom he took the name of his new estates, and became William de Wessyngton. By 1539 when the family moved to Sulgrave Manor in Northamptonshire the spelling "Washington" had been adopted. It was from Washington Village that the ancestors of George Washington, the first President of the United States, emigrated to Virginia in 1657. Ironically they emigrated because of their Royalist sympathies.
The present Hall is an early 17th century small English manor house of sandstone. Only the foundations and the arches between the Kitchen and the Great Hall remain of the original house.
Washington is a large town which is split between the two cities Newcastle and Sunderland, the areas Albany, Glebe, Springwell and Downwell come under the concencess of Newcastle, while Barmstone, Penshaw and Sulgrave come under Sunderland.
Washington's curious design was incorporated from many towns in the United States. The new town is divided into small self-sufficient "villages". It was originally also divided into 15 numbered districts, a fate which confused many visitors to the area. ''These numbered districts have gradually been removed, and now road signs indicate the villages' names instead of district number.'' Washington's villages are called Donwell, Usworth (originally Great Usworth), Concord, Sulgrave, Albany, Glebe, Barmston, Biddick, Washington Village (the original village and location of the Old Hall), Columbia, Blackfell, Oxclose, Ayton, Lambton, Fatfield, Harraton and Rickleton. Built on industry, the town itself has several industrial estates, named after famous local people, such as Parsons, Armstrong, Stephenson, Crowther, Pattinson, Swan and Emmerson.
In 1970, Washington hosted the English Schools Athletic Association (ESAA) annual National Championships, attended by the then Lord Lieutenant of County Durham.
Historically, Washington was heavily involved in the coal industry with a number of pits. One of these in the Albany district of Washington is preserved as the 'F' Pit Museum (pits in Washington were named alphabetically e.g. the 'F' Pit). A number of the old communities of Washington grew up around the pits (e.g. the modern area of Usworth partly grew up around the Usworth mine and the area was known as Usworth Colliery (and still is to some of the older generation). In support of the mines there was a series of wagonways and later railway lines to transport the coal. The wagonways took coal to staithes on the River Wear where it could be loaded onto barges to be taken to the ocean going vessels at Sunderland.
Washington was also involved in the chemical industry and the Washington Chemical Works was a major employer in the 19th Century. This later became the Cape/Newalls Works producing insulation. The Pattinson Town area of Washington grew up around the chemical works. This area is now Pattinson industrial estate and Teal Farm housing estate.
Currently, Washington's main industries include textiles, electronics, car assembly, chemicals and electrical goods. The Nissan automotive plant is a major employer. Nissan is the largest private-sector employer in the City of Sunderland.
The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust nature reserve and the ''Washington 'F' Pit mining museum'' are within the town, and Beamish Open-Air Museum is located nearby.
The Washington Arts Centre is a converted farm building. The Centre includes an exhibition gallery, community theatre, artist studios and a recording studio.
The ''North of England Aircraft Museum'' occupies part of the old RAF ''Usworth'' base. The Nissan plant takes up much of the rest. An attempt to run a municipal airport from the site failed.
There are several schools in the villages of Washington.
★ Primary schools in the area
★
★ Albany Village Primary
★
★ St.Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School
★
★ John F. Kennedy Primary School
★
★ Biddick Primary School
★
★ Lambton Primary School
★
★ Holley Park Primary School
★
★ George Washington School
★
★ Usworth Colliery
★
★ Usworth Grange
★
★ Oxclose Primary
★
★ Barmston Primary
★
★ Wessington Primary - (formerly Glebe Primary)
★
★ St.Bedes Roman Catholic Primary School
★
★ Rickleton Primary School
★
★ St John Boste RC Primary School
★ Secondary schools in Washington.
★
★ Usworth School opened in Washington in the 1960s has been confirmed for closure at the end of the 2006-07 school year. 2004 OFSTED report in (pdf).
★
★ Biddick Sports College
★
★ Washington School (formerly Washington Grammar School)
★
★ St.Robert of Newminster (Roman Catholic Secondary School)
★
★ Oxclose Community Secondary School
★ Colleges in Washington
★
★ Usworth Sixth Form
★
★ St.Robert of Newminster Sixth Form
Washington has no railway station, making it one of the largest towns in Britain without an operational railway station (see Corby and Gosport). Proposals to extend the Tyne and Wear Metro to Washington have failed to attract support. There is a bus station next to The Galleries. Major roads run through Washington, with connections to the A1. Washington services is situated between junctions 64 and 65 of the A1(M) motorway.
Gertrude Bell was born at Washington Hall. The musician Bryan Ferry (of Roxy Music fame) comes from Washington and attended Washington Grammar School (now Washington School (Comprehensive)), Heather Mills attended Usworth School and Daniel Reay from Albany. Freddie Bell, former owner of local store 'Freddie's' and now millionaire entrepreneur. The musician Toni Halliday from the band Curve went to Washington School (Comprehensive). Washington is also the ancestral homeland of George Washington
★ List of bands/musicians from North East England
★ Washington.co.uk
★ Sunderland City Council
★ Official Website Of The Galleries
Washington was designated a new town in 1964 and expanded dramatically by the creation of new villages and the absorption of areas of Chester-le-Street to house overspill population from surrounding cities.
| Contents |
| History |
| Name origins |
| Old Hall |
| Building the ''New Town'' |
| Industry |
| Visitor attractions |
| Education |
| Transport |
| Famous people |
| See also |
| External links |
History
Name origins
The origin of the name Washington is not fully known; it is ''likely'' (though not definite) that ''Washington'' is derived from ''Hwæsingatūn'', meaning "estate of the descendants of Hwæsa" (Hwæsa is often rendered as Wassa in modern English). The name ''Hwæsingatūn'' is made up of the Germanic lingual components of ''Hwæsinga-'', the plural genitive form of ''Hwæsing'' meaning "a descendant of Hwæs" (''-ing'' means roughly "derived of" and has the same function is the names ''Eorling'' and ''halfling'', "-ung" is the Norse equivalent). ''-Tūn'' is derived from Germanic ''Zaun'' meaning a "fenced off estate", or an estate with defined boundaries.
Another origin equally likely, could be from Old English ''wæsc'' "to wash" + ''-inga'' 'people of' + ''dūn'' "hill" (i.e. people of the hill by the stream). This theory originates from its proximity to the Wear. This origin is shown in a possible record of the name as ''Wasindone'' from 1096.
Another suggested origin is that the name ''might'' have originated in the Irish and Scottish Gaelic word for "water", ''uisce/uisge'', in which case an earlier ''Uisgedun'' or some such might have been replaced by an Anglo-Saxon ''Wæscingtun''; but this, as is much etymology in particular of proper names, is all highly speculative.
Washington Old Hall
Old Hall
The Old Hall may have been built by William de Hertburn, who moved to the area in 1183. As was the custom he took the name of his new estates, and became William de Wessyngton. By 1539 when the family moved to Sulgrave Manor in Northamptonshire the spelling "Washington" had been adopted. It was from Washington Village that the ancestors of George Washington, the first President of the United States, emigrated to Virginia in 1657. Ironically they emigrated because of their Royalist sympathies.
The present Hall is an early 17th century small English manor house of sandstone. Only the foundations and the arches between the Kitchen and the Great Hall remain of the original house.
Washington is a large town which is split between the two cities Newcastle and Sunderland, the areas Albany, Glebe, Springwell and Downwell come under the concencess of Newcastle, while Barmstone, Penshaw and Sulgrave come under Sunderland.
Building the ''New Town''
Washington's curious design was incorporated from many towns in the United States. The new town is divided into small self-sufficient "villages". It was originally also divided into 15 numbered districts, a fate which confused many visitors to the area. ''These numbered districts have gradually been removed, and now road signs indicate the villages' names instead of district number.'' Washington's villages are called Donwell, Usworth (originally Great Usworth), Concord, Sulgrave, Albany, Glebe, Barmston, Biddick, Washington Village (the original village and location of the Old Hall), Columbia, Blackfell, Oxclose, Ayton, Lambton, Fatfield, Harraton and Rickleton. Built on industry, the town itself has several industrial estates, named after famous local people, such as Parsons, Armstrong, Stephenson, Crowther, Pattinson, Swan and Emmerson.
In 1970, Washington hosted the English Schools Athletic Association (ESAA) annual National Championships, attended by the then Lord Lieutenant of County Durham.
Industry
Historically, Washington was heavily involved in the coal industry with a number of pits. One of these in the Albany district of Washington is preserved as the 'F' Pit Museum (pits in Washington were named alphabetically e.g. the 'F' Pit). A number of the old communities of Washington grew up around the pits (e.g. the modern area of Usworth partly grew up around the Usworth mine and the area was known as Usworth Colliery (and still is to some of the older generation). In support of the mines there was a series of wagonways and later railway lines to transport the coal. The wagonways took coal to staithes on the River Wear where it could be loaded onto barges to be taken to the ocean going vessels at Sunderland.
Washington from Penshaw Monument.
Washington was also involved in the chemical industry and the Washington Chemical Works was a major employer in the 19th Century. This later became the Cape/Newalls Works producing insulation. The Pattinson Town area of Washington grew up around the chemical works. This area is now Pattinson industrial estate and Teal Farm housing estate.
Currently, Washington's main industries include textiles, electronics, car assembly, chemicals and electrical goods. The Nissan automotive plant is a major employer. Nissan is the largest private-sector employer in the City of Sunderland.
Visitor attractions
The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust nature reserve and the ''Washington 'F' Pit mining museum'' are within the town, and Beamish Open-Air Museum is located nearby.
The Washington Arts Centre is a converted farm building. The Centre includes an exhibition gallery, community theatre, artist studios and a recording studio.
The ''North of England Aircraft Museum'' occupies part of the old RAF ''Usworth'' base. The Nissan plant takes up much of the rest. An attempt to run a municipal airport from the site failed.
Education
There are several schools in the villages of Washington.
★ Primary schools in the area
★
★ Albany Village Primary
★
★ St.Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School
★
★ John F. Kennedy Primary School
★
★ Biddick Primary School
★
★ Lambton Primary School
★
★ Holley Park Primary School
★
★ George Washington School
★
★ Usworth Colliery
★
★ Usworth Grange
★
★ Oxclose Primary
★
★ Barmston Primary
★
★ Wessington Primary - (formerly Glebe Primary)
★
★ St.Bedes Roman Catholic Primary School
★
★ Rickleton Primary School
★
★ St John Boste RC Primary School
★ Secondary schools in Washington.
★
★ Usworth School opened in Washington in the 1960s has been confirmed for closure at the end of the 2006-07 school year. 2004 OFSTED report in (pdf).
★
★ Biddick Sports College
★
★ Washington School (formerly Washington Grammar School)
★
★ St.Robert of Newminster (Roman Catholic Secondary School)
★
★ Oxclose Community Secondary School
★ Colleges in Washington
★
★ Usworth Sixth Form
★
★ St.Robert of Newminster Sixth Form
Transport
Washington has no railway station, making it one of the largest towns in Britain without an operational railway station (see Corby and Gosport). Proposals to extend the Tyne and Wear Metro to Washington have failed to attract support. There is a bus station next to The Galleries. Major roads run through Washington, with connections to the A1. Washington services is situated between junctions 64 and 65 of the A1(M) motorway.
Famous people
Gertrude Bell was born at Washington Hall. The musician Bryan Ferry (of Roxy Music fame) comes from Washington and attended Washington Grammar School (now Washington School (Comprehensive)), Heather Mills attended Usworth School and Daniel Reay from Albany. Freddie Bell, former owner of local store 'Freddie's' and now millionaire entrepreneur. The musician Toni Halliday from the band Curve went to Washington School (Comprehensive). Washington is also the ancestral homeland of George Washington
See also
★ List of bands/musicians from North East England
External links
★ Washington.co.uk
★ Sunderland City Council
★ Official Website Of The Galleries
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