ASTON HALL: ASTON HALL AND THOMAS HOLTE

Aston Hall is a Jacobean-style mansion in Aston, Birmingham, England. Construction commenced in April 1618 and Sir Thomas Holtemoved into the hall in 1631. Construction was completed in April 1635. It was designed by John Thorpe. It is Grade I listed.^[1]

The house was severely damaged after an attack by Parliamentary troops in 1643; some of the damage is still evident. There is a hole in the staircase where a cannonball went through a window, an open door and into the banister. The house was built for Sir Thomas Holte and remained in the family until 1817 when it was sold and leased by James Watt Jr, son of the world-famous industrial pioneerJames Watt. The house was then purchased in 1858 by a private company (the Aston Hall and Park Company Ltd) for use as a public park and museum. After financial difficulties it was then bought by the Birmingham Corporation in 1864 becoming the first historic country house to pass into municipal ownership.

Sir thomas holte

Sir Thomas Holte bt. (1571 - 1654) was the original owner of Aston Hall (a Jacobean country house in Birmingham), the man after whom the Holte End stand of Villa Park is named, and the possessor of quite a legendary temper.

The Holtes were a wealthy, land-owning family of some importance in Warwickshire. Their ancestors had owned land in the area several hundred years and it had been considerably added to with the acquisition of monastic land during the Reformation. The Holtes served as High Sheriff of Warwickshire, Justices of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenants for the county. They had influential friends and relatives both locally and in London. His father died when Thomas was only 21, and as his successor Thomas did much to further the family fortunes.

He received a knighthood from James I as the King made his way from Scotland to London to claim his throne in 1603. In 1611 Sir Thomas was able to buy the title of baronet (James I sold these new titles in order to raise money to quell trouble in Ireland). Sir Thomas now outranked all the local families. He felt a grander home should be built to reflect both his wealth and status, the result of this desire was Aston Hall.