Somewhere, in an alternative universe, there is a capital city of an alternative USA called Hertburn D.C. In that ‘other’ world, in the year 1180, William de Hertburn did not swap his portion of land at Stockton, Country Durham, for another estate nearby and never changed his name to ‘de Wessyngton’, so his descendant ‘George Hertburn’ became the first president of the United States.
In our universe, however, William did change his name and, several iterations later, his descendant George Washington became one of the most revered men in history. Traces of William de Wessyngton’s home remain at Washington Old Hall. He would recognise, for example, the pointed arches in the Great Hall. Most of the house, however, dates to the 17th century, when another descendant sold the property to…
