• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Aston Hall

Hi Grah
Thanks for that extra information you have given us, and it would be great if you could find that photograph
and put it up for us best wishes Alan,,,, Astonian,, PS, By the way how are your knees of late ,?,
 
Big G
Below is photo of the damage to the newell post on the stairs in Dec.1643. Tthis is from Oliver Fairclough's book. The book does not say where the cannon were, but I would completely agree that I cannot imagine they were anywhere approaching as far away as Cannon Hill Park.
damage to staircase at asto hall.jpg
 
Vivienne14 said:
Smashing photo Dave. Did you visit the inside of the Hall? Viv.
Click to expand...
Not on that occasion Viv. But I did tour the place when I lived in Aston. It always seemed to be in a constant state of repair, and I don't recall having access to a 100% of the place at any given time.
Dave A
 
Never understood how a canon ball could have damaged the staircase in that way without damaging other parts of the Hall. Or was there damage to other parts too ? Viv.
 
Also heard the claim that the guns in Cannon Hill fired on Prince Rupert forces on Camp Hill but it was doubtful that either were within range. Mind you on a clear day with the wind in the right direction ?
Cheers Tim
 
IMG_1836.jpg

Not sure if this has been put up before, but comes from the book by William Dugdale in 1656.

Can't see the Glasshouse!
 
Adapt2it
Many years ago they did a open tour but it was after the passage way murder
they restricted access , and i believe thinking back to the fiftys or just short of that perid
it was very limited to the rooms they would show you around
mind you around that period of the ending of the fifties they started to reorganise and do there alterations and repairs that
I can tell you i wittness the builders through the ground floor rooms windows
these was the ground windows on your left hand walk way to the fromt steps this is late fiftry
Astonian ,,,
 
Astonian said:
Adapt2it
Many years ago they did a open tour but it was after the passage way murder
they restricted access , and i believe thinking back to the fiftys or just short of that perid
it was very limited to the rooms they would show you around
mind you around that period of the ending of the fifties they started to reorganise and do there alterations and repairs that
I can tell you i wittness the builders through the ground floor rooms windows
these was the ground windows on your left hand walk way to the fromt steps this is late fiftry
Astonian ,,,
Click to expand...
It's interesting to note that at some point, heritage became important enough to spend money on. Aston Hall, was, at least in my time and neighborhood, not regarded very highly...it just happened to be in the middle of Aston Park. Who would have ever thought a few back to backs would have been saved in the name of heritage? And now we have attractions like the Black Country Museum, that are ever expanding access to our heritage, including fish & chips fried in fat....yummy!
Dave A
 
Purely out of academic interest I went on the net earlier and found an incredibly detailed and highly scientific site all about old artillery pieces. From what I could gather, the maximum range of smooth-bore cannon in the mid-17th century was around 3000 yards, which of course is way less than the distance from Aston Hall to Cannon Hill Park.

I think on one of my tours of Aston Hall many years ago the guide said that the shot which damaged the staircase came in through a window.

G
 
And did King Charles really stay there? Does anyone know what proof there is on this ? Viv.
 
Oliver Fairclough's book states he did, and this was published by the museum. It probably gives a reference. I will look tomorrow.

ADDED
Decided Had to look now, It does not give a reference , but states that in October the King's Army left Shrewsbury for London, picked up welsh levees at Wolverhampton, giving 13,000 men, and marched out of Wolverhampton on 18th. On that night the king slept at Aston Hall. He set off for Kenilworth in the morning, and some of his baggage was looted passing through Birmingham. On 28th was battle of Edge Hill
 
Last edited:
Wow, great pix! My Great Aunt Lil could be on either or both of those photos, but they're a bit too blurred to see clearly. She was also short-sighted, never went anywhere without her little round glasses, and I can't see any of those ladies wearing specs. Maybe those very short ladies were on skateboards.....

G
 
Here are a few of the photo's I took while visiting the hall on Easter Tuesday 2017.....you are not allowed to use a flash inside the hall, which makes it very hard to get a good picture due to the different lighting conditions within the different rooms....SH100003.JPG26.jpg SH100004.JPG24.jpg SH100072.JPG23.jpg
 
Here I go again...hope they will load this time SH100005.JPG28.jpg SH100006_tonemapped.jpg20.jpg SH100009_tonemapped.jpg21.jpg
 

Attachments

  • SH100013_tonemapped.jpg18.jpg
    SH100013_tonemapped.jpg18.jpg
    1.6 MB · Views: 23
Hi Aston lad
Here is another photograph for your collection they are A.R, P. Wardens of D Division [south ]
Outside the entrance to AstoN
 

Attachments

  • ScanImage001.jpg
    ScanImage001.jpg
    383.6 KB · Views: 22
H Alan. Do you know if Aston Hall was used as a base for the ARP wardens?

Here's a better view of the glasshouse/conservatory. It's from the London Illustrated News, June 1858, celebrating the visit of Queen Victoria to Aston Hall. The platform over the middle of the glasshouse was especially built for the Queen's visit and, I presume, the platform would have been removed shortly afterwards. It really was a large glasshouse. Viv.

image.jpeg
 
The 1927 whisky advertisers did well to come up with this tenuous link between Haig whisky and Aston Hall. Of course, you knew all along, they're contemporaries!!! Not too sure what the day bed's got to do with it ...... Viv.

image.jpeg
 
A closer drawing of the glasshouse and the specially built platform above for the 1858 visit. Assume the platform would have been removed immediately afterwards. But seems odd that the whole glasshouse was removed at a much later point. Wonder why? Costs perhaps? Viv.
image.jpeg
 
Maybe it was not a substantial structure - it does look somewhat temporary and as such would not withstand strong winds or other inclement weather.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top