Listed Building record MDR5440 - Aston Hall, Shardlow Road, Aston upon Trent

Aston Hall, Shardlow Road, Aston upon Trent, built in 1735. 'Aston Hall. Small country house, now part of hospital. 1735, built for Robert Holden, with early 19th century alterations and with large early 19th century addition which was in turn altered in 1907 by Edward Holden, also minor 20th century additions and alterations. Grade II*.' (1) 'Five-bay house with central Venetian windows on both main facades. Also on both, early 19th century one-storeyed Ionic porches have been added. The original house is dated 1735 on a rainwater-head. Pretty staircase of that date. The house was much enlarged in 1907 for RS Boden. On the left of the main front a fine ballroom with two bay-windows. Gardens by TH Mawson. Now a hospital.' (2) 'The present Aston Hall, built by Robert Holden in 1735, probably replaced an earlier building, possibly that which had belonged to the Hunts. They had built, before 1540, a capital mansion at Aston. When the Holdens acquired the estate they may merely have modernised the former Hunt seat, which Woolley described in 1713 as 'an old seat and a good estate' and which paid tax on nine hearths in 1670. An inventory of 1692 shows that the house had 23 rooms. The new house of 1735 was built in brick with stone dressings (of Keuper sandstone from Weston Cliff). It may be the work of Francis Smith of Warwick. The entire house was painted white before 1857 and a decorative two-storey extension to the west was added in 1907. The estate was sold in 1924 and the house eventually became a special hospital.' (3) 'Five medieval manuscripts are said to have been discovered below the floors of the present building. One is said to have been dated to 1298; a second is also of the late 13th century.' (4) 'Aston Hall is a gentleman's residence built in 1735 for Robert Holden. It is constructed of brick on a double-pile plan and consists of three storeys and a basement. An L-plan three-storeyed service range attached to the north-side appears to be original (though much altered subsequently), as does a U-plan stable and coach house block to the north-west. At an early date a two-storeyed single-bay extension was added to the Hall at the west end of the north wall. The Hall was remodelled, probably by Edward Shuttleworth Holden, in the early 19th century. Further additions and alterations took place in 1899, including the construction of a wing of two storeys and attics on the west side of the service range. After the first World War the estate was acquired by Nottingham Corporation for a Mental Deficiency Colony, opening in 1926. As specialised accommodation was built nearby, the Hall assumed a primarily administrative function.' (5) From the National Heritage List for England: 'This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 17/12/2019 SK 42 NW 4/9 PARISH OF ASTON-UPON-TRENT Aston Hall Drive Aston Hall [Formerly listed at SHARDLOW ROAD (south side)] 10.11.67 GV II* Small country house, later part of hospital. 1735, built for Robert Holden, with early C19 alterations and with large early C19 addition which was in turn altered in 1907 by Edward Holden, also with minor C20 additions and alterations. Painted red brick with hipped plain tile roofs and rendered side wall and ridge stacks. Early C18 part has gauged brick and stone dressings, stone plinth, stone plain first floor band and similar band at first floor sill level, also with moulded stone cornice and low parapets. Later part has brick or painted stone dressings, brick first and second floor bands, dentilled eaves to east and north and wide bracketed eaves to west front. Irregular plan. Early C18 house, five bays by three bays and three storeys, the remainder three storeys plus attics. East front of early C18 house has slightly advanced central bay. Ground floor has large C19 bays with full height; pilastered tripartite openings plus sashes to either side of projecting, glazed conservatory. Above, central bay has an early C18 moulded Venetian window with glazing bar sashes and to either side there are pairs of glazing bar sashes below flat gauged brick arches with stone keyblocks. Similar smaller windows over to sides and a central glazing bar sash in moulded stone surround with corniced keystone flanked by smaller sashes in raised surrounds with keystones. Attached to north is a recessed early C19 four bay wing with later additions all along the ground floor and glazing bar sashes below rusticated wedge lintels to first and second floors, also with three later roof dormers. North elevation has segment headed windows to ground and first floors, and flat headed two-light windows above. West elevation of early C18 house similar to eastern one except for a central Ionic columned porch flanked by pairs of glazing bar sashes below gauged brick arches with stone keyblocks, to ground floor. Projecting additions to north have two storey c1907 bay windows with leaded cross windows and bracketed cornices. Interior has numerous early C18 features including early C18 panelling with carved overdoors in the hall, bolection moulded fireplaces and two original staircases. The main staircase has knopped balusters with tapering columns, on vases with twisted fluting, also a ramped moulded handrail with large wreath to base and elaborately carved cheekpieces. Dado panelling with fluted pilasters on opposite wall. Back staircase has simple knopped tapering column balusters, and ramped handrail. Most original early C18 six panelled doors survive and attics have three rooms with C17 panelling. First floor has central room with early C18 panelling and cornice, and southern room with good early C19 Adam style ceiling. Two similar early C19 plasterwork ceilings in north-west range and two good early C19 Adam style fireplaces, also two C18 fireplaces of coloured marble with attached columns. Three C17 style overmantles, made up of assorted C17 pieces of carving and good quality early C20 fittings in remodelled wing. Listing NGR: SK4149829170.' (6)