Lord Mayor's Blog 9
On July 16th I had the great privilege of re-opening Aston Hall and Park after a major refurbishment. A tremendous job has been done in a scheme of over 12 million pounds. If you’ve not yet visited this magnificent Jacobean mansion you have a treat in store.
On July 16th I had the great privilege of re-opening Aston Hall and Park after a major refurbishment. A tremendous job has been done in a scheme of over 12 million pounds. If you’ve not yet visited this magnificent Jacobean mansion you have a treat in store.This is what I said at the re-opening.
"Aston Hall and its park is not only important for Birmingham and the Midlands but is a site of national significance. It is a truly remarkable survival located here in the heart of inner-city Birmingham.
Today, Aston Park extends to around fifty acres – just a little less than its original three hundred and fifty acres! But the fact that any of it survives at all is a remarkable testament to the determination and foresight of the people of Birmingham.
Following the death of James Watt Junior in 1848, Aston Hall's future looked very bleak indeed as it occupied prime building land on the edge of what was then the rapidly expanding town of Birmingham.
However, thanks first to the efforts of a group of passionate individuals, sufficient funds were raised to take over the site through a private company known as the Aston Hall and Park Company.
This very public spirited enterprise opened the Hall to the general public in 1858.
Although the company alone didn’t manage to raise all of the funds necessary to buy the Hall, support came from the highest quarter of the land.
It was thanks to the intervention of Queen Victoria herself that the Corporation of Birmingham was persuaded to step in and to complete the purchase on behalf of the people of the town.
So it was that in 1864, Aston Hall became the first historic house in the country to be purchased by a local authority and to be opened to the public as a heritage attraction. This pre-dated the foundation of the National Trust by some 30 years.
Although over a hundred years has passed since the Park and Hall were first opened to the public, the refurbishment project that we are here to celebrate this evening is very much in the spirit of these foresightful Victorian conservationists.
I am sure that you will agree with me that the superb transformation of Aston Hall and Park is fully in the spirit of our Victorian forebears and a fitting tribute to their memory.
I’m sure also that it is also an acknowledgement of the great affection with which the Hall and Park are regarded by all the people of the City of Birmingham. We owe our team from the Museum, their partners, funding agencies and all involved a debt of thanks.
And I am absolutely certain that thanks to this magnificent restoration, visitors will greatly enjoy Aston Hall and park for many years to come.
"Aston Hall and its park is not only important for Birmingham and the Midlands but is a site of national significance. It is a truly remarkable survival located here in the heart of inner-city Birmingham.
Today, Aston Park extends to around fifty acres – just a little less than its original three hundred and fifty acres! But the fact that any of it survives at all is a remarkable testament to the determination and foresight of the people of Birmingham.
Following the death of James Watt Junior in 1848, Aston Hall's future looked very bleak indeed as it occupied prime building land on the edge of what was then the rapidly expanding town of Birmingham.
However, thanks first to the efforts of a group of passionate individuals, sufficient funds were raised to take over the site through a private company known as the Aston Hall and Park Company.
This very public spirited enterprise opened the Hall to the general public in 1858.
Although the company alone didn’t manage to raise all of the funds necessary to buy the Hall, support came from the highest quarter of the land.
It was thanks to the intervention of Queen Victoria herself that the Corporation of Birmingham was persuaded to step in and to complete the purchase on behalf of the people of the town.
So it was that in 1864, Aston Hall became the first historic house in the country to be purchased by a local authority and to be opened to the public as a heritage attraction. This pre-dated the foundation of the National Trust by some 30 years.Although over a hundred years has passed since the Park and Hall were first opened to the public, the refurbishment project that we are here to celebrate this evening is very much in the spirit of these foresightful Victorian conservationists.
I am sure that you will agree with me that the superb transformation of Aston Hall and Park is fully in the spirit of our Victorian forebears and a fitting tribute to their memory.
I’m sure also that it is also an acknowledgement of the great affection with which the Hall and Park are regarded by all the people of the City of Birmingham. We owe our team from the Museum, their partners, funding agencies and all involved a debt of thanks.
And I am absolutely certain that thanks to this magnificent restoration, visitors will greatly enjoy Aston Hall and park for many years to come.
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