Wikipedia:William de Washington

Sir William de Washington/Wessington was an English Knight who was born between ~1185. His father was William de Hartburn and his elder brother was Walter de Washington. His father had traded his Manor of Hartburn for the manor of Washington with the Bishop of Durham. His father also witnessed a charter of the Bishop of Durham ~1170 suggesting a close link between the Washington family and the Bishop of Durham. He was also the brother in law to Sir Malcolm Fitz Waldeve (brother of Sir John de Waldeve) and Sir Simon de Welton (a tenant of Tynemouth Priory). His older brother Walter died ~1211 and in 1212 he paid the crown 40 marks to marry, Alicia, the widow of the wealthy royal judge Sir John de Lexington and was allowed 10 marks for 2 Palfreys. Considering his young age this was probably an Arranged marriage. This exchange is significant because it shows that despite the palatinate status of the bishopric of Durham, vassals of the bishop could still go directly to the crown for heiress's. It is also an example of how animals were used as a form of currency to make up for a lack of coinage.

He is also notable for having been the third lord of the Lords of the manor of Washington which he held In fief from the Bishop of Durham by 1226. In 1227 he was recorded in the close rolls as the Lord of Washington after having payed 6 marks in common aid (though he should have only had to pay one mark) indicating the importance of the Washington families landholdings in Durham.

His name was inscribed in the Durham Liber Vitae in a thirteenth century hand as "William de Wessent". His elder brother is known to have used the Dunbar Lion as his seal but it is unknown if William continued this practice. Based off of the evidence of him or his son fighting in the bishops contingent and holding a fief from him, it is certain that he was a vassal of the bishop of Durham and perhaps even a friend and or Retainer (medieval) especially considering the Washington family was known to have been members of the Bishop of Durham's council and also his barons in the 13th century. Further evidence of William having been a vassal of the bishop of Durham is evident in the contract his father had set up with the bishop whereby he held the manor of Washington in exchange of four pounds in annual rent, attending the bishop at his Grand Hunts, providing two grey hounds for the bishops grand hunts, and giving one mark for the common aid whenever demanded. The feudal arrangement of supplying goods or services (excluding knight service) instead of or in addition to money is called Serjeanty and this appears to be the arrangement which his father had made with the Bishop of Durham. His great-niece Marjory (grand daughter of his sister Marjory) was the heir to the Welton Manor and his son would later go on to be involved in a fierce conflict over that inheritance from 1254-1257.

Based on his ownership of the manor during the time of its improvements it is very likely that he was the one who made significant improvements to Washington Old Hall ( English Heritage listed site) in the middle of the 13th century. Some of his possible improvements can still be seen on the building to this day, for example the pointed arches between the western wing and the Great hall. After Williams probable improvements to the hall it was of enough significance to have been honored as lodgings of Edward I of England on his way back from Scotland .This coupled with the fact that he was clearly wealthy (based off of him paying 6 marks instead of one for common aid) suggests that he was probably responsible for a considerable amount of building as the hall went from being relatively unimportant to being important enough for the monarch to use as Lodgings. Seeing as how the improvements took part in the middle of the 13th century, and he died after 1264, it is likely that William built them some time between 1250-1260. William's probable improvements to Washington old hall are made even more significant because it also indicates growth of the general settlement. In the year 1237-39 he witnessed a charter at Newcastle upon Tyne In the company of Alan of Bedale the Sherriff of Northumberland proving his importance in the region.

He is notable as an ancestor of President George Washington of the United States and for having possibly fought for the royals in the Battle of Lewes. One "Wauter de Weshynton" is listed as having been one of the ~80 Durham Knights who fought at the battle of Lewes this has been interpreted as him by 18th and 19th century scholars, but more recently it has also been interpreted as his son Walter de Washington. It is possible he fought in 1264 at Battle of Lewes but this seems unlikely given his age. However it is certain he was not alive beyond 1264.

William had issue:

William/Walter de Washington b. 1230 at Washington

Thomas de Washington b. 1235 at Washington

John de Washington b. 1240 at Washington

Simon de Washington b. 1245 at Washington

Marjory Fitz Waldeve

Agnes de Welton