Monument Type(s):

• MANOR HOUSE (14th century to 17th century - 1341 AD to 1616 AD) + Sci.Date
• BARN (Converted, 17th century to Late 18th century - 1612 AD to 1799 AD) + Sci.Date
• MILKING PARLOUR (18th century - 1700 AD to 1799 AD)

Summary

A 14th century manor house, substantially rebuilt in the 15th century and altered again in the 16th century. After a considerable period of dereliction, in the 18th century the manor building was extensively repaired and converted to agricultural use.The building is protected by Grade II* Listing.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA4960 - 1995 Evaluation of Aston Eyre Old Hall in advance of building conversion by UBAS
• ESA583 - 1960 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA584 - 1979 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA585 - 1979 building survey by Shropshire County Council
• ESA586 - 1988 field observation by the NMR
• ESA6107 - 1997 Geophysical survey at Aston Eyre Hall by GSB Prospection for Time Team
• ESA6268 - 2008 Architectural and archaeological analysis at Aston Eyre Hall by Richard Morriss
• ESA7252 - 1988 Historic building survey at Aston Eyre Hall, Aston Eyre by RCHME
• ESA7253 - 1997 Trial trenching, architectural assessment and topographic survey at Aston Eyre Hall by Time Team
• ESA7291 - 2014 WB during service trenching at Aston Eyre Hall by Castlering Archaeology
• ESA8727 - 2018 Heritage at Risk Survey by Historic England
• ESA8621 - 2015 Heritage at Risk Survey by Historic England
• ESA8361 - 2016 Heritage at Risk Survey by Historic England
• ESA8362 - 2017 Heritage at Risk Survey by Historic England
• ESA9067 - 2019 Heritage at Risk Survey by Historic England

Description

Part of the medieval house. L-shaped on plan. Mostly C15 but core probably earlier; stone with tiled roof. The main portion was the hall and beyond probably the kitchen. The solar is at right-angles to the hall on the upper floor approached by a stone stair. Much of the original fenestration remains though some windows are blocked. Very wide entrance to hall < 2>

Hall, now barn. Possibly C15. Very large entrance arch (?altered) and two tall windows with double chamfered jambs, one to the left of the big arch at ground floor level (?hall) and the other in a projecting range on first floor level (?solar). Spiral stone staircase. <5>

At Aston Eyre in Shropshire there are the remains of a manor house, probably of the 14th century. The upper cross-wing projects beyond the hall on both sides and shared an oriel chamber with it in one angle. From the fireplace position there seems to have been a second room on the upper floor, with access to a garderobe at the opposite end of the block. The lower wing near the entrance did not project on the oriel side of the hall, but extended considerably on the other, having a second room on each floor, with stone divisions below and apparently a timber one above. ->

-> A great arch, at the upper end of the hall, once led to a small rectangular chamber covering the doorway to the projecting solar wing undercroft and newel staircase on the angle. Such entrances to the solar block persist in later bay windows such as Athelhampton in the 15th century. ->

-> Staircases were often fitted into the re-entrant angle between two blocks and at Aston Eyre the staircase adjoins the oriel, leads to the solar and is contained within the oriel projection. The oriel projection contains an entrance to the undercroft. NB Oriel here means a porch covering the ground floor - not a first floor projection as is generally understood <8>

Suggestion that the spiral staircase came from the gatehouse. <18>

The Old Hall comprises a stone hall, with a screen passage and oriel, with a stone solar block (or high end) to the north, reached only by a small door and newel stair, and an unusual cross wing to the south, with evidence for domestic accommodation on two floors, with a fireplace. The west side of the complex is enclosed in a wall of uncertain date, forming a rear courtyard which has been partly converted to a cart shed, later a cow shed. The roof to the hall and solar remains intact, with tile, but is probably of early 18th century date. ->

-> This report gives the manorial history in some detail. It then reviews previous architectural interpretations of the hall building and identifies five developmental phases. With regard to previous interpretations, including those of Forrest [<9>], Pevsner [<5>], Faulkner [<20>] and Wood [<8>], which to some extent conflict, Horton points out that all have relied upon stylistic analysis, but that the complex surviving features of the building, which date from several periods, do not lend themselves to this approach. Moreover, none of the original roof survives, so dendrochronology is not possible. ->

-> Five phases are identified and described in some detail in the report. The first phase belongs to the early fourteenth century, when the first manorial complex of which standing structural remains survive was constructed (though the report clearly implies the possibility of an earlier phase, during which the moat itself was created). At the heart of this complex was a major stone (or stone and timber) structure of a quality and size rarely found in Shropshire, with a stone hall (largely rebuilt later on the same footprint) and oriel, a solar (still intact) and a cross wing (later largely rebuilt) and gatehouse. Stylistic dating on the solar window suggests late 13th or early 14th century, although this would provide an early example of an oriel in England. A possible context for this major construction would be the acquisition of the manor by the Charltons in 1314. The Charltons work at Apley Castle (1327) shares several features in common with Aston Eyre. ->

-> The second phase probably dates to the 15th century, and involved a major rebuild of the hall and service wing. This may have been associated with the transfer of the property to the Cresset family in the mid 15th century; the Charltons had not been living in the house for some time and it may have become derelict. Features surviving from this phase include two ornamental windows, medieval plasterwork and graffiti.->

-> The third phase may date to the earlier part of the 16th century and is represented by modifications to the hall plan. It seems likely that the solar and the north end of the hall were largely abandoned, and occupation was concentrated at the south end of the complex in the southern cross wing. The changes made echo a general move away from hall living to a more modern spatial arrangement. ->

-> It is possible that the building was abandoned in the mid 16th century. Certainly the next (fourth) identified phase of use, which is dated to the early 18th century, appears to have followed a long period of dereliction. At this time the manor building was extensively repaired and converted to agricultural use. The roof was completely renewed in both the solar, hall and cross-wing, the new roof being of the queen post roof design, and the height reduced: the extent of the works suggests that the medieval roof had collapsed and that the building was virtually a ruin. The function of the complex was now for storage and milking of cattle and the main hall became a milking parlour. The upper floor of the solar was used for storage, and a pitching hole was cut through the west wall. It is probable that much of the floor levels of the hall were removed at this time and replaced with dumped clay and stones. Outbuildings were added in the small courtyard west of the house ->

-> The final identified phase dates to the 20th century, when further alterations and repairs were made. The present [1995] concrete milking parlour is a 20th century replacement of the earlier arrangements. The barns ceased to be actively used on a daily basis in the 1970s. ->

-> A number of trenches were excavated in the area to be disturbed. Significant archaeological deposits were located on the floor of the solar, at the extreme NE end of the hall, in the area of the oriel foundation, and on the south side of the courtyard. The excavators concluded that it is likely that much of the medieval floor levels within the hall and cross wing and external courtyard levels have been worn away or were dug out in the 18th century <19>

Geophysical survey of land around Aston Eyre Hall Farm took place in June 1997 as part of a wider archaeological investigation being undertaken as part of the Time Team series for Channel Four television. The nature of the ground conditions during the survey meant that the geophysical results contributed little to the overall archaeological works. The survey failed to find any clear evidence of a moat ditch or the original road to the gatehouse although, it was later considered by the Time Team that the site may not have had a moat. <21>

A detailed external and internal architectural and archaeological analysis was undertaken at Aston Eyre Old Hall, in connections with proposals to restore the buildings to residential use. Aston Eyre Hall is a remarkably well-preserved manorial dwelling set within a once-defended curtilage that retains the contemporary Gatehouse. ->

-> Phase 1: The Gatehouse and the Hall were probably begun in the mid-14th century (1341-1352) by the de Charleton family after Alan de Charleton, as a child, was married to the heiress of the Eyre family; however, when the Gatehouse and the Solar block of the Hall complex were virtually finished, work stopped – probably because of Alan’s death in 1349 during the Black Death. Neither the Great Hall, South Wing nor Oriel had presumably been completed by the time work ceased, although their footings could have been laid and it appears the moulded masonry work for windows and doorways had been cut in anticipation. ->

-> Phase 2: Work seemed to have recommenced in the mid-15th century more or less the same design, when the site was acquired by the Cresset family. Stylistic and archaeological evidence strongly suggest the Hall was either rebuilt (as suggested above [<19>]) or, more likely, completed over a century after it was started. Dendrochronology concluded the joists used to complete the Hall were felled between 1469-1471; these still respect the original build started in the mid 14th century. It also appears that much of the worked stone for windows and doorways, presumably stored on site, had finally been installed during this phase of the build. ->

-> Phase 3 (The Late 16th/early 17th century period). In the early post-medieval period the status of the site declined and the Gatehouse was extended as the main dwelling and farmhouse, the hall being relegated to agricultural use. Dendrochronological analysis of timbers in the gate house extension gave a consistent felling date of 1596-1616, which is remarkably consistent with the felling date of the winter of 1612-1613 for the adjacent timber framed barn. There is no obvious evidence of any domestic upgrading of the Hall from the mid 15th century onwards, and it seems highly likely the hall complex was converted into agricultural buildings, although no significant alterations are evident until the 18th century. ->

-> Phase 4: It was re-roofed in the 18th century and new openings created, but the basic masonry structure survived. Most of these changes had been made by 1789 as evidenced by the Rev. William’s watercolour. The present roof was added, the four doors on the east side of the Great Hall had been inserted, the former east door of the screen passage blocked, and the perpendicular windows altered. The Oriel and garderobe were also gone. On the south gable of the Great hall it shows the chimney and the top stack had been removed, but the first floor opening in the stack had not yet been created and the tall first floor window to the west had not yet been back filled. The south wall of the South Wing had at this point no cart opening, with an original medieval window still intact. To the right is a low stone built piggery or shelter shed, likely replaced in the 19th century. A barn or barns were likely built elsewhere on the farm as the Old Hall buildings were not converted to a threshing barn. ->

-> Phase 5 (19th century) Further minor changes and additions seem to have been made, but are difficult to define precisely. The shelter shed was built replacing the large medieval structure in the watercolour, of which some of the footings seem to survive. It is also possible that the first floors within the South Range and the southern part of the Hall Range were removed. ->

-> Phase 6 (20th century) In the early part of the century a series of iron-framed shelters were added to the site, followed by a new milking parlour within the Hall Range in the mid 20th century. As the site declined, the buildings were mainly used for storage. Finally the piggeries and other low buildings were demolished, along with most of the steel structures. <22>

A programme of historic building was undertaken on Aston Eyre Hall (PRN 00601) by the RCHME in 1988, comprising a brief external and internal survey. <24>

Correspondance related to the Time Team programme, filmed in June 1997 includes a sketch plan created as a composite from resources consulted as part of the background to the programme (seemingly by Mark Horton and Tim Taylor). The excavation was apparently focused on the line of the demolished oriel which had previously been exposed in a 1995 evaluation to the east of the N end of the solar block (ESA 4960), the site of a possible garderobe to the west of the N end of the solar block, and within the courtyard between the gatehouse and the hall. A programme of dendrochronology, together with architectural analysis and rectified photography was undertaken in the gatehouse (PRN 17165), in the solar of the hall and in the listed barn (PRN 17380). The suggested dendrochronological date for the solar of the hall is 1469-71. Medieval masonry was seen in a number of trenches, but little further information is available. The correspondance also suggests evidence for a timber framed building preceding the hall was recorded, but this remains difficult to evaluate in the absence of a formal report. <25>
Please note: no formal report has been compiled for the Time Team excavations at this site to date and therefore only limited details are available on the investigations. <26>

A watching brief was carried out between August and October 2014 on service trenching to the E of the Old Hall. Extensive disturbance was noted across this area, associated with the conversion of the hall site to agricultural use. Much of the brick and rubble buried on the site was interpreted as deriving from demolition of agricultural buildings built between 1840 and 1883. <27>

Dendrochronological dating was carried out in 1997 as part of the Time Team programme. The felling date for timber in the solar of the Old Hall was 1469-1471. ->

-> Of the hall itself, no original timber elements remain although it has clear evidence of a walk-in oriel window reaching to eaves level at the dais end and of tracery-headed windows with pierced cusping in the side walls. Beyond the hall a curious junction between the solar cross wing and the hall makes the phasing relationship between the two blocks uncertain. As with the hall, the roof to the solar has been reconstructed, but a series of massive lodged first floor joists remain. Two of these gave a felling date range of 1469-71, but evidence for re-use on other joists make the interpretation of these dates difficult. Alan de Charlton who married the heiress Margaret Fitz Aer probably built the present hall and gatehouse. He died in 1349 in the Black Death; the manor passed to the Cressett family who may have added or altered the solar cross-wing. <28>

The complex at Hall Farm, Aston Eyre, was the subject of a Channel 4 ‘Time-Team’ programme broadcast in February 1998. The stone-built gatehouse was adapted to serve as the farmhouse presumably when the hall was relegated to farm-building status. Within the gatehouse the two large gateways remain and the estimated felling date range of 1341-52 was obtained from first and second-floor joists. The gatehouse was extended by a box-framed unit in 1596-1616. Of the hall itself, no original timber elements remain although it has clear evidence of a walk-in oriel window reaching to eaves level at the dais end and of tracery-headed windows with pierced cusping in the side walls. Beyond the hall a curious junction between the solar cross wing and the hall makes the phasing relationship between the two blocks uncertain. As with the hall, the roof to the solar has been reconstructed, but a series of massive lodged first floor joists remain. Two of these gave a felling date range of 1469-71, but evidence for re-use on other joists make the interpretation of these dates difficult. Alan de Charlton who married the heiress Margaret Fitz Aer probably built the present hall and gatehouse. He died in 1349 in the Black Death; the manor passed to the Cressett family who may have added or altered the solar cross-wing (H E Forrest, The Old Houses of Wenlock (1915), 72-6.<29>

An elegant stone block, probably of the 1320s, was built up against an aisled timber hall. The end wall of the hall became the partition wall between it and the new block, and there would have been direct access from the ground floor of the hall to that of the solar block and thence to its upper storey. The hall was later rebuilt in stone in what would appear to be a curiously retrograde fashion, but which may be seen as an architectural illustration of the late medieval distancing of the lord and his family from the rest of the community.->

->The shell of the hall and sevice block still stand. They were probably built in the 1320s by the Charltons, who long retained the manor (still holding it in the early C19) but had a second seat elsewhere which probably helped to preserve the building. Photograph of exterior.<30>

Shropshire Archives hold a watercolour of Aston Eyre Hall (Reference
6001/372/1/109), by Reverend Edward Williams, dated to 1789. A small-scale thumbnail can be found via their online catalogue: https://www.shropshirearchives.org.uk/collections/getrecord/CCA_X6001_19_372A_109 <31>

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.