Americans visit Hylton Castle to see amazing work on their ancestral home in Sunderland

Direct descendants of the family who once lived in a historic Sunderland building made a 3,000-mile trip across the Atlantic to learn more about their Wearside roots.

Retired banker John Pratt, from New Hampshire, is one of a number of descendants of the Hyltons of Hylton Castle living in the USA who can trace their roots back to Sunderland.

His mother’s side of the family are descended from Sir William Hylton, one of the Barons Hylton, as well as Edward Hylton, who founded the first settlement in New Hampshire - Dover - in 1623.

John, 71, who recently organised a ‘Hylton Family Gathering’ to help celebrate Dover’s 400th anniversary, was thrilled to bring his children and grandchildren to Sunderland to visit their family’s ancestral home.

“My spine is just tingling when I think that this was the home of William Hylton, my 16th great-grandfather,” he said, standing inside the castle’s stone walls.

“It was my mother who started doing all the genealogical research, then I’ve taken over. My mother is in her 90s now and she couldn’t be with us to make the trip, but we’re going to do a video call with her while we’re here and show her the castle.”

John has been in regular contact with the community campaigners who fought to have Hylton Castle restored and brought back to life as a visitor attraction and community hub.

During his research and communications, John happened upon a clipping from the Sunderland Echo from 2006 in which his fellow countrywoman and Hylton descendant Jo-Ann Drew Dworman described her disappointment at the state of the castle when she visited, and backed the campaign to revive the building.

John, who was president of two community banks before he retired, said he was very pleased to visit the castle to see how that vision had finally become a reality, and praised the work of those who made it happen.

“I can’t say how pleased we are to be here and the hospitality from everyone here has been incredible,” said John

“It’s amazing the work they have done here, I really have to praise them for everything they have done to develop the castle - and they are not even Hyltons. I can’t thank them enough”

John was joined on the trip by his wife Alia, daughter Jannice, 44, and her children Tyler, nine, and Jacob, daughter Joanne, 41, and husband Steve, 45, and their son Carter, nine.

He said the whole family was thrilled to visit the castle and enthralled by its history.

While in the city, the family took in some of its other sights, including attending a match at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland’s role in US history

Denny Wilson is one of the long-time campaigners who fought to see the castle saved for future generations.

He said Sunderland should make more of its role in the history of the USA, which would boost its international image, and hopes the castle will welcome many more visitors from across the pond - particularly if the film studios planned for the banks of the Wear go ahead.

He joked he would like to see George Cluny and Brad Pitt visiting the castle while filming in the city.

“We’ve been in contact with Americans for years, and they have been an absolutely tremendous support in getting Hylton Castle restored,” said Denny.

“To us it’s just a castle, but to them it’s their ancestral home.”

He added: “Sunderland needs to promote its unique position in American USA history

“Within a couple of miles of each other, the city has two of the most important Ancestral homes of people who played significant roles in the development of that country:

“Washington old hall, ancestral home of George Washington, the First President of the USA. And  Hylton Castle – Where two Hylton/Hilton brothers arrived a year after the Mayflower, and became part of the ‘Founding Fathers’ of America.”

The battle for Hylton Castle

The remains of the 14th Century fortress sat decaying for decades, with campaigners spending some 30 years championing its cause.

The Hylton Castle Trust, supported by Sunderland City Council, National Heritage Lottery Fund and English Heritage, has now given it a new future, preserving the building and installing three floors and a roof to create exhibition and events space.

The roof provides amazing views out over Sunderland, and the ground floor hosts a tearoom. Tours of the castle are available, and all manner of events and activities take place, with training and volunteering opportunities.

The castle also serves as a wedding venue.

Denny said now work is complete on the castle, there are hopes for a similar project for St Catherine’s Chapel, which sits in its shadow.

“The chapel was built around the same time as the castle late 1300s early 1400s,” he said.

“While on the outside, it is envisaged the chapel will look the same as it was before being allowed to become a ruin.

“However, on the inside is where we hope we can make it a really colourful jewel in the Hylton Castle crown.

“When the chapel was built, it was a big statement of importance to have your own chapel.

“It was also a very big statement to have such large windows.

“It is very likely these big statement windows had stained glass in them, due to Sunderland’s long history of stained glass from 674 with Benedict Biscop

“However, first we have to undertake many structural tests to see if the building can support being restored.”