Washington Coats of Arms
At the east end of the nave of Holy Trinity church in the village there is a collection of 28 Coats of Arms on the altar rails and parclose (the altar screen), commissioned by the Reverend Cyril Lomax in 1937 and 1940. There are four type of arms associated with Washington:
A. Ancient landowners with significant holdings in Washington
Washington- 1180 to 1399
Bishop James of Durham- (1542-1617) who purchased the manor in 1613
The Lawsons, Musgraves and Shaftos who shared the lands of the manor in the 17th and 18th centuries
Hiltons of Hylton Castle- associated with Washington through marriage
James Brack -owner of the Old Hall in the 18th century
de Biddicks- owners of Biddick township
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B. 19th century industrialists
Lord Londonderry- part owner of Barmston township
Viscount Boyne- coal owner
Hugh Lee Pattinson- (1796-1858) founder of the Washington Chemical Works
Isaac Lowthian Bell- (1816-1904) ironmaster and builder of Dame Margaret Hall
Geoffrey Stirling Newall- (1882- 1952) Washington Rope Works and Chemical Company
Isaac Lowthian Bell was a son in law and business partner of Hugh Lee Pattinson, and Geoffrey Stirling Newall his great grandson
William Peareth- (1704-1775) Sheriff of Newcastle, coal mine and staiths owner, occupier of Usworth Place
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C. A selection of church rectors from 1291 to 1897
These include; Christopher Barnes 1534- in post during the turbulent years of Henry VIII, Mary and Elizabeth
William James 1616- the nephew of Bishop James, which why two copies of these arms are in Holy Trinity
Henry Perceval 1826- son of Spencer Perceval, the only Prime Minister to be assassinated in 1812, the re-builder of Holly Trinity and builder of Holy Trinity at Great Usworth in 1832/33
John Lomax 1897- former HM Inspector of Schools and father of Cyril Lomax
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D. Other Local Arms
Until 1922 Washington formed part of Chester le Street for local authority purposes. The newly created Urban District Council adopted the Arms of the Washington family
Washington Development Corporation was granted a Coat of Arms in 1965, a mix of elements from the Washington family and Durham County Council, which carried out county council functions until 1974
Upon reorganisation in 1974 Washington was incorporated into the Metropolitan Borough of Sunderland, which in 1992 became the City of Sunderland, and was also partially governed by Tyne and Wear County Council until it was abolished in 1986. The latter never received a registered coat of arms but used a simple logo
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