4. Aston Hall
Aston hall is a grand
mansion located in
Birmingham built
between 1628 and
1635 by the local
squire Thomas Holte
(1571-1654) and is of
Jacobean style. Aston
Hall was built to reflect
the rank wealth and
influence of Thomas at
the time. It is an
amazing place to visit
and is now visited by
many people from all
over Britain.
5.
6. History
Thomas was a personal friend of King Charles I and
allowed the king to stay at Aston on the evening of
18th October 1642, just before he lost the Battle of
Edge hill during the English Civil War. Support for the
king resulted in a three day siege when
Parliamentarians attacked the Royalists staying there,
and the hall was badly damaged.Even today evidence
of the war can still be found, theres a hole in the
bricking where a large cannon ball was launched at the
mansion by the parliamentarians.
7.
8. History
The building was passed down the
generations to the original owners grandson
but then...
In 1817 it was leased to the eldest son of
James Watt, and, following his death in 1848
the property was sold to The Corporation of
Birmingham. It has since been renovated
externally and internally - even though most
original furniture is not there any more and
has now been converted into a museum and
car park so that people from all over can find
out about the great historic role it played in
the british civil war.
9.
10. Ghost
Stories!
There are also various ghosts
that supposedly haunt the
mansion, many if them are
said to be relatives of Holte,
such as his daughter and
many more; many people
believe they have actually
sighted the ghosts during
their visits to the mansion.
11.
12. Parliamentarians
&
Royalists
So why did the
Parliamentarians attack
Aston Hall?
Well one of the major reasons was King Charles 1’s personality, first of
all to cut the story short, when charles’s father was in reign he said he
didn’t need the parliament and then after years without them he re-
called parliament to discuss the future marriage of his son Charles to a
spanish women, they were outraged at the idea, would the family
become catholic?
They wouldn’t take it and this was one of the main reasons for the
major corruption of life for many and the many battles.
