File:Aston Park - Aston Hall - Lady Holte's Garden (31729908976).jpg

Heading through Aston Park in Aston, Birmingham.

From Frederick Road over to Witton Lane.

Side view of Aston Hall.

The garden area in winter.

Grade I listed building.

<a href="http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-216751-aston-hall-#.WFlmm1wayEY" rel="noreferrer nofollow">Aston Hall, Birmingham</a>

   ASTON PARK
   1. Aston PARK
   5104 Aston B6
   Aston Hall
   [formerly listed as
   Aston Hall (City of
   Birmingham Museums)]
   SP 08 NE 7/4 25.4.52
   I
   2.
   1618-35 for Sir Thomas Holte. A major early Jacobean house on a grand scale
   with a main block facing east, the forecourt enclosed by projecting flanking
   wings each with a square turret breaking slightly from the inner face. Shaped
   gables to front of wings and across symmetrical elevation of main block which
   in surmounted by an axial tower rising in 3 stages from the balustraded parapet
   to terminate in a 2 tier cupola: the dome on a square base over the original
   lower tier. Surprisingly restrained ornament to the elevations of red brick
   with darker brick diaper, the stone facings and quoins reserved for the corners.
   Well proportioned mullion and transom windows, with 2 storey canted oriel
   windows crested by strapwork to the ends of the wings. The central stone
   doorway, giving immediately into the centre of the hall, has Doric columns,
   entablature and cartouches above framed by strapwork and surmounted by ball
   finials. An inscription bears the date 1618. Plans for the ground and first
   floors survive in John Thorpe's book of drawings in the Soame Museum but there
   are differences in execution, particularly the plan of the hall, a provision
   for a polygonal end to the chapel on the south front and 3 bays on the west
   the foundations of which survive. Alterations may well have taken place following
   damage in the Civil War. Narrow wings abut the outer faces of the main forecourt
   wings but were originally of one storey only at their east and west ends
   heightened in the late C17. An arcaded loggia flanks the chapel projection
   in the centre of the south front. The west range has a 2 storey main elevation
   with a flat roof ro the Long Gallery on the first floor, the main block of
   the hall rising on the third storey behind with 6 shaped gables and a chimney
   stack with 6 grouped octagonal shafts. Archway to loggia at south end originally
   one storey but as on east front heightened late C17, corresponding archway
   added to north end in C18. The north elevation service/kitchen range with
   considerable alterations to fenestration in the late C17 and C18 and with
   early C19 service one storey additions. Very fine interior with wealth of
   decorations in contrast to almost classical restraint of exterior. Much panelling
   and architectural framework to doorways in great hall and to many of the monumental
   chimney pieces in stone end alabaster. Richly carved strapwork balustrade
   staircase in square well. One hundred and thirty six feet long, well preserved,
   long gallery. Considerable amount of original decorative plasterwork to frieze
   and ceilings but desceptively successful imitation Jacobean plasterwork carried
   out for John Watt the younger, leasee of the Hall in the 1818 to 1848.

   Listing NGR: SP0792989845

This text is a legacy record and has not been updated since the building was originally listed. Details of the building may have changed in the intervening time. You should not rely on this listing as an accurate description of the building.

Source: English Heritage

Listed building text is © Crown Copyright. Reproduced under licence.

Lady Holte's Garden