PRINTS - LANDSCAPES NORTH EAST OF ENGLAND  AD100 AD118 AD122 AD115 AD117 AD148 AD126 AD127 AD131 AD139 AD147 AD150 AD115 - Eagles at Washington Old Hall This is the ancestral home of George Washington, first President of the United States. The house came into William Hertburn’s possession in 1183, and as was customary in the 12th century, the family took their surname from the village, Washington (or Wessyngton); their coat-of-arms later inspired the American stars-and-stripes. The current building dates from the 17th century, but incorporates much of the original medieval hall, and is full of memorabilia from the life of George Washington.