File:The Driveway in Aston Park - Aston Hall and the North Lodge (4263823760).jpg

This is the driveway in Aston Park. Not really knowing which way to walk up, I followed the vehicle road up towards Aston Hall.

It looks nice and peaceful with the snow.

Getting to the top of the hill, here is my first proper view of a snowy Aston Hall. The North Lodge is directly to the right.

Aston Hall and the South and North Lodge are Grade I listed buildings.

Lodges:

Circa 1635 or possibly a slightly later C17 addition. Brick walls step down from the outer corners of the wings on the entrance front extending east to terminate in the lodges creating a symmetrical formed frame to the approach to the Hall. Weathered brick coping to walls. The lodges are small on a square plan but of 2 storeys red and diapered brick with stone dressings. Two storey oriel bays to front with strapwork cresting and shaped finialed gables as on Hall. External chimney stacks to outer sides with clustered octagonal shafts.

<a href="http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=216752&resourceID=5" rel="noreferrer nofollow">Lodges - Heritage Gateway</a>

Aston Hall:

1618-35 for Sir Thomas Holte. A major early Jacobean house on a grand scale with a main block facing east, the forecourt enclosed by projecting flanking wings each with a square turret breaking slightly from the inner face. Shaped gables to front of wings and across symmetrical elevation of main block which in surmounted by an axial tower rising in 3 stages from the balustraded parapet to terminate in a 2 tier cupola: the dome on a square base over the original lower tier. Surprisingly restrained ornament to the elevations of red brick with darker brick diaper, the stone facings and quoins reserved for the corners. Well proportioned mullion and transom windows, with 2 storey canted oriel windows crested by strapwork to the ends of the wings. The central stone doorway, giving immediately into the centre of the hall, has Doric columns, entablature and cartouches above framed by strapwork and surmounted by ball finials. An inscription bears the date 1618. Plans for the ground and first floors survive in John Thorpe's book of drawings in the Soame Museum but there are differences in execution, particularly the plan of the hall, a provision for a polygonal end to the chapel on the south front and 3 bays on the west the foundations of which survive. Alterations may well have taken place following damage in the Civil War. Narrow wings abut the outer faces of the main forecourt wings but were originally of one storey only at their east and west ends heightened in the late C17. An arcaded loggia flanks the chapel projection in the centre of the south front. The west range has a 2 storey main elevation with a flat roof ro the Long Gallery on the first floor, the main block of the hall rising on the third storey behind with 6 shaped gables and a chimney stack with 6 grouped octagonal shafts. Archway to loggia at south end originally one storey but as on east front heightened late C17, corresponding archway added to north end in C18. The north elevation service/kitchen range with considerable alterations to fenestration in the late C17 and C18 and with early C19 service one storey additions. Very fine interior with wealth of decorations in contrast to almost classical restraint of exterior. Much panelling and architectural framework to doorways in great hall and to many of the monumental chimney pieces in stone end alabaster. Richly carved strapwork balustrade staircase in square well. One hundred and thirty six feet long, well preserved, long gallery. Considerable amount of original decorative plasterwork to frieze and ceilings but desceptively successful imitation Jacobean plasterwork carried out for John Watt the younger, leasee of the Hall in the 1818 to 1848.