Driving through Aston in search of its famed Hall, I did not expect to be greeted with such a sight. Standing proudly atop the town’s tallest hill, Aston Hall boasts a long and fraught history. I was about to discover the whole sordid tale.
Through the ominous double doors, I was greeted by Steve. Steve kindly gave me an hour and a half of his time explaining every facet of this opulent household. For the sake of brevity, I shall give you my personal highlights.
.
.
The entrance hall is magnificent, don’t get me wrong. But I must leave some aspect of mystique or you’ll never visit!
The first thing which truly stuck me, as it were, was going up the main staircase on the first leg of the tour. You see, the house was built in 1618, 400 years ago this year. John Thorpe was the architect. Charles I is said to have visited for one night in October 1642. Astute historians will know this was perilously close to the civil war of 1643. And indeed one year later in December, war broke out and this Royalist House was raided. The pictures to the left and right is evidence, left untainted of a cannonball which hurtled through the house!
Below is a more complete, pardon the pun, photograph of the grand staircase. The rooms upstairs are filled with such luxuries, it would be difficult to do them all justice.
One room downstairs is staged as it would have been 400 years ago. If you go in time you may notice some gruesome (model) rats scampering about on the table. While I am a sucker for oak tables, the things which really surprised me were two ornate oak chairs lining the wall. They are pictured below. They are almost as impressive as the oak panelling lining the dining room. Of course, as any tour guide worth his salt will tell you, the cesspit was situated near the parlour in Aston Hall’s prime, it must have been a sensational dining experience. And I mean that anything but positively.
Once you’re in the Orange Room, upstairs, pay particular attention to the ceiling embellished with orange trees. Having lived in Rome for a year, I became quite fond of orange trees. The Romans even planted a garden of orange trees in the centre of Rome. Giardino degli Aranci is a famous attraction near Circo Massimo and I implore you to go to see it in the summer.
.
.
.
.
Those in the know will recognise this as a posh portable potty. Steve pointed out that the original owners of Aston Hall, the Holte family, did not much concern themselves with hygiene.
However, it does serve as a talking point and certainly is glamorous. Not half as stunning as the sights which you have yet to behold.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Once in the Drawing Room, pay close attention to the tapestry. In the centre you shall see an exquisite rendering of the very Hall in which you stand. Beyond the Drawing Room, and its super ceiling lays the Long Gallery. This was my favourite room in the Hall. Stunning from every regard. 136 feet long with the vestibule. Here is a photograph:
The floors are uneven so watch your step. Worry not, few highlights remain.
The loft is particularly impressive. If you can get up the stairs, which are treacherous, be prepared for a gruesome tale. Sir Thomas Holte was not a nice character. It is said he murdered one of his cooks in a rage but got away with it on account of being Lord High Sheriff of Warwickshire. I will spare you the horror, but I’m sure any member of staff will be more than happy to enlighten you.
Above is pictured the view from the top of the stairs.
Now, my final highlight was not the solid whole piece oak chest in the kitchen. It was not the different bells linked to each roomabove the passageaway behind the kitchen. Nor was it in fact James Watt Jr.’s study (the final owner of the property before it was sold to auction).
It was in fact the fireplace in the Small Dining Room. I’ve pictured it below. It appears to be held up by Socrates and Plato! How Ingenious!
Overall, I was superbly impressed by Aston Hall. I’m grateful to Steve for having showed me around. And I’m grateful to Birmingham Museums for making it easy to get my ticket. You can get yours here.
Aston Hall is 100% worth the visit.