Discover Aston Hall’s experience during the English Civil War, and how you can still see evidence of this tumultuous time in the house!

In October 1642 (two months after Charles I declared war on his parliament and their supporters) Sir Thomas Holte was honoured with a visit by King Charles I as he made his way south from Shrewsbury where he had been raising troops to serve the Royalist cause. Shortly after leaving Aston Hall the king’s army was engaged in one of the first big battles at Edgehill. Aston Hall itself was attacked in December 1643 by a Parliamentarian force from Coventry.

Royalist soldiers had been sent from the garrison at Dudley Castle to help defend the house and earthworks were hastily thrown up in the park. A hole in the staircase was made by a cannonball when the house was under siege. Forty musketeers defended the house, but after three days of bombardment they surrendered. The cannonball that did this damage probably came in through the Withdrawing Room before crashing into the staircase. Most of the damage was fixed, but the Holtes kept one cannonball hole so they could boast of their loyal service!