Aston Hall

I spent 2 weeks in the UK on business. During that time, I wasn’t able to do nearly the amount of exploring that I’d hoped I would. I took a train from Bedford to London and spent the entire day walking around and exploring. I spent a lot of time traveling back and forth between Bedford and Birmingham, and exploring all I could between.
Aston Hall was the only place I visited that I knew I would never forget.
I was lucky to be here on the off season, on a bright sunny day. I had the property to myself, but was unfortunately unable to poke around inside.
Aston Hall is overwhelming. The house had so much personality. The patches of lime green and crazy slippery algae in the corners of near the front door, the big beautiful gardens on either side of the property that smell of roses even before they bloom and the sound of children playing on the lawn *That on it’s own blew me away, thinking of kids back home (in America) playing in just regular parks with a swing set while these children run around playing tag in the gardens of Aston Hall.*. The towering and cracking door leading into the front hall. I could go on forever.
I don’t know what it is about this property, but I felt immediately attached to it. I just sat on the front lawn and stared, knowing that when I left I would miss it immediately.
If I had the chance to go back to the UK for just one hour, I’d spend it at Aston Hall.

This is a hidden gem of a place near to Villa Park. The grounds and Hall are both lovely, and there is a welcome lack of swarming tourists although it gets busier in November/​December on nights when it is lit by candlelight. Recommended.

My earliest memories of Aston Hall were of standing in a candlelit hallway on my 11^th Birthday, with a pair of piercing dark eyes staring at me from the wall above the stairs.
I was aware that they still offered bi-​annual «Aston Hall By Candlelight» tours, yet until 2012, I didn’t realise that you could go and visit from April to October (not sure how I missed that one!).
Being a fan of old building, in particular, those from the Jacobean period, Aston Hall is a delight for me. As well as wonderful grounds and park land (great for dog walks) it boasts a delightful kitchen garden, pleasant little café and of course, the hall itself.
The place oozes atmosphere, and the eyes on portraits of residents past, still follow you as you wonder through its ancient halls. The staff are friendly and well informed, and, in my experience, highly enthusiastic about this historic gem.
With an entrance fee of less than £5, and free entry to all on the first Sunday of the month (April — October) it really is worth a visit. There is parking outside (and even driving up the long driveway is a delight) and they even host outdoor plays during the summer months.
I’m a fan of Aston Hall, so much so that I became a friend of Birmingham Museam & Art Gallery so that I could go more often and enjoy staring at the gorgeous ceiling in the long gallery.
There’s so much to see (if you appreciate history) and as well as the hall, there is also a small museum which shows the development of Aston over the years, so entertaining for kids as well as adults.

Along with the Frankfurt Markets and the procession of barges on the city’s canals, Aston Hall by candlelight forms one of Birmingham’s central Christmas treats.
The stunning Jacobean Hall built in 1618, and one of old Warwickshire’s largest country homes, shimmers and glistens as hundreds of candles make this the embodiment of the Birmingham Christmas. However, history tells us that Aston Hall had long been used for Christmas and corporate events as long ago as the 1850s when the Birmingham Corporation were attempting to raise funds to buy the hall. One such event, which involved the tawdry death of a female tightrope walker, led to the intervention of Queen Victoria who was not amused at the gaudy goings on at the property. She put it to the council that a city of Birmingham’s wealth should be able to afford the Hall for the people. They heeded her words and bought the Hall and grounds for Birmingham in 1864, where it has been enjoyed by Brummies ever since.
Victoria’s intervention was based on personal experience, as she dined here as a young Princess in 1830 after a visit to the local factories. Pay a visit too, and see just why this glorious building was endorsed by the most powerful woman in the world.

I will be honest, Aston as a town leaves little to the imagination. Between its run-​down buildings and overcrowded communities, there isn’t really much that would attract you to the area unless you were a die-​hard Villa fan!
So when I was invited to a day time event at Aston Hall, I wasn’t expecting much. However to my surprise it was a truly stunning venue that has managed to retain what looks like all of its original characteristics.
We took a stroll through the building and it was like going back in time.
There’s also a gift shop on site which sells a number of Birmingham heritage related gifts, not just Aston Hall which I was thought was good. Normally at these kinds of places the gifts can be brand overkill so it was nice to be offered a variety of purchase options.

I have spotted the Aston Hall for the first time some years ago, in my first visit to Birmingham, when I was crossing the Aston Park to reach by Aston Villa’s pitch.
I can’t describe how impressed was to see this stunning mansion’s garden and I never would think this location would hide such an exuberant building.
So I have decided to visit inside this historical Hall properly. What a fascinating experience!
Built in 1635, The Aston Hall is considered almost like a treasure of Midlands and it was residence of The Holte Family for several years. The house also suffered a damaged during the English Civil War, in 1643.
Nowadays, the Aston Hall is open to the public as a museum and what can be seen inside this Jacobean construction is a really interesting heritage collection of furniture and rooms that express well that atmosphere in Britain, in the period covering from 17^th to 19^th centuries.
The details of the walls and the kitchen supplies of this impressive building are really lovely and visiting Aston Hall is a synonymous of a good day out with family. The admission to Aston Hall is £ 4 (adults) with free admission to children under 16, but every first Sunday of each month it‘s free for visiting.
The site is usually open from Tuesdays to Sundays, from 12 pm to 4 pm.
Take a note: The Headless Statue is an interesting and sad part of Aston Hall history. Look for more information about it before visiting the place.

I really enjoyed my visit to Aston hall — it’s great for a family day out. It was my first visit to that area of Birmingham and I was pleasantly surprised to find such a beautiful historic house in the middle of Aston. It was fairly quiet when we went so we were really able to experience the atmosphere of the place and the staff were very helpful and friendly.

A great day out for all the family, especially Dad and considering Villa Park is a stones throw away and the surroundings are is beautiful. The nearby café is perfect for a cheap lunch and town centre is a busable distance away. Check out the website or paper for weekend events.

I dressed as a maid when I went here. I was only around ¹²⁄₁₃! Memories of the place are vague but its a fun place for children to go to, they have a few interactive sessions, such as making mince pies — yum!

I’ve been to this museum once in my life and to be honest it scared the living lights out of me! However, the Hall consists of the usual things like bedrooms, living rooms, kitchen etc but the best thing about it is the history that surrounds it, the ghost story of the girl that was locked up by her fatherit is quite the haunted mansion!
Don’t let that fool you, Aston Hall is known for its beauty and not to mention all the great activities that go on each year. The Hall provides excellent workshops for variety of things like Art, Jewellery making, History etc it’s ideal for a family day out and somewhere to go on halloween.

Beware I have just been to Aston hall and I am sorry to announce that Aston Hall is closed throughout 2007 for a £10 million make over. Opening to the public again early 2008.