LIMITED POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                       FOR
                         WASHINGTON TRUST BANCORP, INC.
                              SECTION 16(a) FILINGS


         Know all men by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints each of John C. Warren and David V. Devault, signing singly, the
undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

1.   execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's capacity
     as a  stockholder  of  The  Washington  Trust  Bancorp, Inc. (the Company),
     Forms 3, 4, and 5 and amendments  thereto in  accordance with Section 16(a)
     of  the  Securities and  Exchange  Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder to
     report  purchase  or sale transactions by the undersigned or his spouse in
     the  Common  Stock  of the Company in accordance with information regarding
     such transactions provided to the Company by the undersigned;

2.   do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned which
     may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Form 3, 4,
     or 5 or amendment thereto and timely file such form with the United States
     Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and any stock exchange or
     similar authority; and

3.   take any other action of any type whatsoever which, in the opinion of such
     attorney-in-fact, may be necessary or desirable in connection with the
     foregoing authority, it being understood that the documents executed by
     such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power
     of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
     conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve.

         The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power
and  authority  to  do  and perform  any  and  every  act  and thing whatsoever
requisite, necessary and proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights
and  powers  herein  granted,  as  fully  to  all  intents  and  purposes as the
undersigned  might  or  could  do  if  personally  present,  with  full power of
substitution  or  revocation,  hereby  ratifying  and  confirming  all that such
attorney-in-fact,  or  such  attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall
lawfully  do  or  cause  to  be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney and the
rights and powers herein granted.  All information about stock transactions will
be  provided  to  David  Devault,  401-348-1319;  Fax:  401-348-1565,  email:
dvdevault@washtrust.com.   The  undersigned  acknowledges  that  the  foregoing
attorneys-in-fact,  in  serving  in  such  capacity  at  the  request  of  the
undersigned,  are  not  assuming,  nor  is  the  Company  assuming,  any  of the
undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Exchange Act of
1934.

         This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with respect to the
undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities of the Company, unless
earlier  revoked  by  the  undersigned  in  a  signed  writing  delivered to the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact. This Power of Attorney may be filed with the SEC as
a confirming statement of the authority granted herein.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney
to be executed as of this 12th day of September, 2004.




                                    /s/ David Wallace
                                    ------------------------------
                                    David Wallace