Aston Hall

Over het museum

Aston Hall was built between 1618 and 1635 for Sir Thomas Holte to a design by John Thorpe, and it is one of the last great houses in the Jacobean style. During the English Civil War the house was attacked by Parliamentary troops in 1643, and a cannonball hole in the great staircase can still be seen. King Charles I stayed here for a night, and Queen Victoria visited several times. The Holte family left in 1817, and James Watt junior, son of the engineer, lived in the house from 1817 to 1848.

In 1858 the hall was bought by a private company and opened to the public as a museum and park. When that company ran into financial trouble, Birmingham Corporation bought the house in 1864, and it became the first historic country house in England to pass into municipal ownership. The park was later laid out with formal gardens, completed in 1934, which include a statue of Pan by the local sculptor William Bloye.

Today Aston Hall is run by Birmingham Museums Trust. Visitors can explore more than 30 rooms, including King Charles' Chamber, the Great Stairs and the Long Gallery, which is described as one of the finest in Britain. The hall is also known for its ghost stories. Lady Holte's Garden, on the south side, and the other gardens are free to enter.

Hoogtepunten

• Long Gallery, one of Britain's finest
• Great Stairs with the Civil War cannonball damage
• King Charles' Chamber
• Over 30 period rooms across three floors
• Lady Holte's Garden and the other free gardens
• Ghost stories and Meet Me at Aston Hall audio guide

Vaste collectie

• The House – More than 30 rooms, including King Charles' Chamber, the Great Stairs and the Long Gallery.
• English Civil War at Aston Hall – How the hall was caught up in the Civil War and the damage that can still be seen in the house.
• Black is Beautiful, Blackness without Apology – A display that turns the hall's Boudoir into a young Black girl's modern dressing room.

Opgericht

1858

Beheerder

Birmingham Museums Trust

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Standard admission is £10 for adults aged 16 and over, or £11 with a Gift Aid donation. Pre-booking is advised, but tickets can also be bought on arrival if available. The gardens are free. Members of Birmingham Museums get free general admission, and National Trust members get 50% off general admission tickets bought on site, on showing a valid card. Special events may cost extra.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift: niet aanwezig
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

The hall is not fully accessible. The ground floor rooms (Great Hall, Great Parlour, Colonnade Room, Johnson Room, Small Dining Room, Servants Hall and Kitchen), the grounds and the Stables Range have level access, and the hall has a side entrance for visitors who need a level entrance. The first and second floors can only be reached by stairs, because a lift cannot be installed in the historic building, and upper floors are uneven wood. Accessible toilets are in the Stables Range and on the hall's ground floor. The free car park has 2 spaces for Blue Badge holders. Assistance dogs are welcome, and some rooms have low lighting. A 360-degree online tour shows all rooms and floors.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Doe- en voelstations
• Verschoonruimte

Families can follow room-by-room questions and mini-challenges, try on replica costumes and hunt for the cannonball hole on the Great Stairs. Outdoor Explorer Backpacks for ages 4 to 11 can be hired for £3.50 for use in the gardens. Pushchairs can be used on the ground floor and are left at the entrance when going upstairs, at the owner's risk. Baby changing is in the toilets and in the hall. Children under 3 are free. Family-friendly events at weekends and in Birmingham school holidays.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

Aston Hall is about 3 miles north of Birmingham city centre, close to junction 6 of the M6; the entrance to the park is off Witton Lane and the hall is entered through the Stables archway (sat-nav B6 6JD). Visitors travelling by National Express bus or National Rail train can claim a discount on tickets.

Service & horeca

• Café: niet aanwezig
• Restaurant: niet aanwezig

No cafe is offered at the moment. There is a picnic area in the gardens.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur
• Privéfeesten
• Zakelijke evenementen
• Bruiloften / trouwceremonies

Tot 80 personen.

The Great Hall can be hired for meetings, conferences, receptions and civil ceremonies, with space for 30 to 80 people; hire is charged for 3 or 6 hours, and the gardens are included free for hirers.

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