The National Trust is hosting a special pop-up exhibition at Washington Old Hall in Tyne and Wear to celebrate 70 years since the historic site was restored and opened to the public. Starting on 12 March 2026, the event invites local people to look back at the manor house’s recent history and share their own stories.
The display, named Memories of Washington Old Hall: Seventy Years, One Community, will run until 23 March 2026. It features a collection of photographs and audio recordings that show how the site has changed since its major refurbishment in the mid-1950s.
Local residents are encouraged to get involved by contributing their own personal memories to the collection. This initiative aims to help the Washington Old Hall team build a better record of how the community has used the building over the last seven decades.
The hall was originally saved from being pulled down in 1936 by a local headmaster named Fred Hill and his group, the Friends of the Old Hall. According to records at Art UK, the building finally opened to visitors in 1955 before being gifted to the National Trust in 1956.
