Monument record 934/1 - Aston Hall

Aston Hall. Sir Willoughby Aston (1640-1702) chose a new site for his manor house & in 1668 built the "Capitall house" c.300 yards further to the SW than the former hall (RN:935/1/1) (1). Ormerod described this hall as a "spacious & lofty edifice, situated on high ground above the bank of the Weaver" (2). William Webb in his itinerary of the early 17th century noted "Thomas Aston ... hath to his house a fair park & a chapel near the house of great use".(See RN: 933/1/1). The hall was pulled down in 1938 because of decay, & the discovery in it of ancient beams suggests that Sir Willoughby used some material from the medieval house (1). The grounds were landscaped by Repton c.1793 (3). Site now completely overgrown, but stone door step is still in situ. Large timbers, dressed ashlar and bricks lie scattered about the site (4).

<1> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 102/115-135 Richards R 1950 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<2> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, 1/726 (Y) (Book). SCH1389.

<3> Pevsner N & Hubbard E, 1971, The Buildings of England: Cheshire, /68 (Book). SCH3078.

<4> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Collens J 1991 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

<5> Hanshall, J. H., 1817-1823, The History of the County Palatine of Chester, /406 (Y) (Book). SCH1382.

<6> de Figueiredo P & Treuherz J, 1988, Cheshire Country Houses, /214 (Book). SCH785.

<7> Twycross E, 1850, The Mansions of the County Palatine of Chester, 2/ (Book). SCH3208.

<8> Pike W T & Head R, 1904, Cheshire at the Opening of the Twentieth Century, /68 (Book). SCH782.