DescriptionAston Hall Farm.jpg |
English: Aston Hall, a farm-house at the lower end of the village, is a half-timber L-shaped house two stories in height, with tiled roofs. The north wing, containing the kitchen and dairy, though encased in 18th-century brickwork, dates probably from the 16th century, and originally formed a rectangular cottage of the normal central chimney type. The south wing, comprising a large hall and connecting staircase with apartments above, was added early in the 17th century, the house being then transformed into one of greater importance. The timbers of this latter part of the house are exposed, and the square panels which they form are filled with lath and plaster work. Against the gabled west wall is an original square brick chimney stack with a long vertical panel on the outer face in which the brickwork is arranged in a lattice pattern. The hall has a cellar under the east part, and is now divided into two apartments with a modern chimney stack on the east. The dog-legged stairs between the hall and kitchen are of early 17th-century date, and have square newels with moulded finials, chamfered rails, and plain flat balusters. Between this and the kitchen is a doorway made through the south wall of the original building, one of the horizontal timbers being partly cut away. The kitchen has a fine ceiling with a heavy beam along the centre about 12 in. square supporting the cross members, and a wide open fireplace. The brick chimney above is mainly original. Some of the old half-timber work of this part of the house is exposed at the north gable. At the north-west of the house there is a timber barn with a thatched roof, which dates probably from the 17th century, and at the, north-east there is another of similar character and date. An old stone cider press in another barn near the house is still in use. |