Aston Hall

Aston Hall stands in Aston, a district of Birmingham. Built between 1618 and 1635 for Sir Thomas Holte, it is a fine example of a Jacobean prodigy house. The house was designed by John Thorpe, a leading architect of the period. It occupies a large park which once belonged entirely to the Holte family. Part of this park later became Villa Park, home of Aston Villa football club. The park itself is listed Grade II for its historic interest. The house has a colourful past. In 1643 it was hit by cannon fire during the Civil War, and the marks remain visible. Washington Irving stayed here in the late 18th century and used the house as the model for Bracebridge Hall in his stories. The Birmingham Corporation bought the hall in 1864, making it the first historic country house to pass into public ownership. In the 1920s the city created formal gardens with fountains, terracing and a statue of Pan by William Bloye. Today Aston Hall is a community museum. Inside are period rooms furnished with items from Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. Visitors can see the damaged staircase and other traces of the 1643 attack. The grounds include the Aston Expressway, opened in 1972, which links the city centre to the M6 motorway. The hall is also known as one of the UK’s most haunted heritage sites. A weekly 5 km parkrun once took place here every Saturday morning.