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Washington Old Hall - Manor House and Garden

The Avenue, Washington Village, Washington, Tyne & Wear, NE38 7LE

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Access Guide

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Summary

  • View information about opening hours.
  • Amenities in this building include: exhibition rooms and historic interiors.
  • The most accessible entrance has a steep ramp/slope and a manual door.
  • This entrance is at the rear of the house.
  • There are 2 floors once inside.
  • Other floors can be accessed via: stairs.
  • There is step-free access to the ground floor only once inside.
  • There is a member of staff available for help and assistance.
  • Staff/volunteers can describe the layout and access around the site.
  • The following are also available: seating.
  • This site is part of the Sunflower Lanyard Scheme.
  • Toilet and changing facilities available include: a toilet with some adaptations and a toilet designated as gender neutral.
  • The toilet with adaptations for disabled people surveyed can be found in the lower garden.
  • The standard toilets surveyed can be found in the lower garden.
  • There is a separate exit.
  • The exit has steps and a manual door.
  • The entrance can be used to exit by visitors with limited mobility.

Admissions

  • At this location the following areas are free to access for National Trust members but payable for everyone else: all areas of the site.
  • This site offers companion or carer discounts.

Public Transport

Parking

  • This site has a car park.
  • This is an open air car park with a tarmac surface.
  • Parking is free for Blue Badge holders only.
  • Maps and information boards are not available.
  • There are 4 Blue Badge parking bays.
  • There is no hatched zone.
  • Obstacles from the car park include: slopes/ramps.
  • There are not parent and child parking bays available.
  • There is not a designated drop-off point.
  • Blue Badge parking can be arranged prior to visiting by calling or emailing the venue.
    There is a steep slope from the Blue Badge parking area to the manor house entrance.
    There is a steep slope from the Blue Badge parking area to the rest of the site.
    Free unmarked/unsigned on-street parking is available immediately outside the site.

Equipment and Resources to Borrow

  • Equipment cannot be borrowed or hired.
  • Powered mobility vehicles cannot be borrowed or hired.

Route to (the Manor House)

  • From the welcome point bear left up the steep slope and turn right at the rear of the house.
    The entrance is on the left.
    There is a car park for Blue Badge holders at the top of the steep slope, approximately 7 metres from the entrance to the house.
  • The route to the area is step-free via a steep ramp/slope.
  • Path surfaces along the route are tarmac.
  • The majority of the paths are wide enough for wheelchair users.
  • There is no accessible shuttle to this area.

Entrance

  • The entrance surveyed is located at the rear of the house.
  • There is step-free access via ramp at the entrance.
  • The steep ramp is between 75cm and 150cm wide.
  • There is a single manual door which opens away from you.
  • The width of the opening is 109cm.

Tour

  • The tour is self-guided but volunteers/staff are available to provide additional information.
  • The tour takes approximately 1 hour.
  • There is stepped access along the tour route.
  • The majority of walkway widths are under 120cm.
  • The tour can not be adapted to avoid inaccessible areas.
  • Areas with stepped access only can be experienced by visitors via an information booklet.
  • There is background noise along the tour route.
  • Tour information includes the following formats: information booklets, pictorial, information board and television/screen.
  • The tour does not have a hearing assistance system.
  • There are bench seats and chairs without armrests at regular intervals along the tour.
  • Some flooring along the tour route is smooth and even.
  • Where the flooring is not smooth or even, this is due to carpet and uneven paving/tiles.
  • Lighting levels are varied throughout the tour route.

Stairs

  • The floors which are accessible by stairs are G, 1.
  • There are 13 steps between floors.
  • The steps are not clearly marked with a handrail on the right going up.
  • The highest step is 21cm high.
  • Lighting levels are moderate to good.

Exit

  • The exit is located at the front of the house.
  • There is not step-free access at the exit.
  • The steps are not at the recommended height (between 15cm - 18cm) .
  • There is a single manual door which opens towards you.
  • The width of the opening is 87cm.
  • There is a small lip on the threshold of the exit with a height of less than 1.5cm.
  • There are 4 steps beyond the exit, which are unmarked, with a handrail on the right going down.
  • The handrail does not cover all steps.
  • The exit door latch may be difficult to lift. Staff can assist with this.

Outdoor Spaces

  • This information is for the access point located to the right of the house.
  • Access into the area is via steps, a slight ramp/slope and a steep ramp/slope.
  • The slope is between 75cm and 150cm wide, with no handrails.
  • There are 4 steps, which are unmarked, with handrails on both sides.
  • There is open access at the surveyed access point.
  • The following outdoor facilities are available: a playground, formal gardens and gardens.
  • The outdoor spaces include the following surfaces: concrete or tarmac, wood bark and grass.
  • Footpaths are available in some of the outdoor spaces.
  • The majority of the paths are not wide enough for wheelchair users.
  • There is no step-free level access around the area.
  • There are slight ramps/slopes without handrails, steep ramps/slopes without handrails, more than 3 steps without handrails and more than 3 steps with handrails in the main areas.
  • There are slopes and steps throughout the garden area.
  • There are some bench seats situated along the paths for people to rest.
  • Playground View
    • There is a route around the play equipment which is firm and even, but is less than 150cm wide.
    • The play equipment is not in easy reach for a range of users.
    • The following play experiences are available: climbing.

Toilet with Adaptations (Lower Garden - Ambulant - Right Hand Transfer)

  • This toilet is located in the lower garden.
  • There is step-free level access into the toilet.
  • There is pictorial signage on or near the door.
  • The door is manual, opens outwards and has a low colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
  • The width of the toilet door opening is 93cm.
  • The door has a lever twist lock.
  • There is a small lip on the threshold of the doorway with a height of less than 1.5cm.
  • The dimensions of the cubicle are 155cm x 220cm and it does not have a 150cm x 150cm turning space.
  • There is a lateral transfer space to the right of the seat but it is obstructed.
  • The lateral transfer space is 90cm from the side of the toilet pan to the wall.
  • There is a spatula flush on the transfer side.
  • The following grab rails are available: a horizontal grab rail on the door, a horizontal grab rail on the non transfer side, a vertical grab rail on the transfer side and vertical grab rails on both sides of the wash basin.
  • There is a dropdown rail on the transfer side.
  • The following fixtures can be reached from the toilet seat: toilet roll holder, wash basin and soap dispenser.
  • The following fixtures cannot be reached from the toilet seat: hand dryer.
  • The height of the toilet seat above floor level is 46cm.
  • The height of the toilet roll holder is 89cm.
  • The wash basin tap type is lever mixer.
  • The height of the wash basin is 72cm.
  • The height of the soap dispenser is 89cm.
  • The height of the hand dryer is 92cm.
  • The height of the baby change is 92cm.
  • There is a pull cord emergency alarm but it is not at a recommended height (within 10cm from the floor).
  • There is not a shelf.
  • The cubicle has: a waste bin with lid and a sanitary bin.
  • The cubicle does not have a mirror.
  • The height of the coat hook is 145cm from the floor.
  • The following have a high colour contrast with their surroundings: some grab rails, the internal door and the floor.
  • The following have a less clear colour contrast with their surroundings: the toilet seat, the dropdown rail and some grab rails.
  • Lighting levels are moderate to good.
  • Access to the toilet was restricted at the time of survey (March 2024). A member of staff will guide visitors through a private entrance and along a route with slight ramps and some narrow paths.

Standard Toilet (Lower Garden)

  • There is step-free level access into the toilet.
  • The door is manual, opens inwards and has a low colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
  • The width of the door opening is 78cm.
  • Internally the door has a high colour contrast.
  • There is a small lip on the threshold of the doorway with a height of less than 1.5cm.
  • The gender neutral toilet was surveyed.
  • The wash basin tap type is push.
  • Lighting levels are moderate to good.
  • There are hand dryers.