Aston

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This article is about the district of Aston in Birmingham, England. For other places called Aston and other uses, see Aston (disambiguation).

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Map sources for Aston at grid reference SP072889

Aston is an area of Birmingham, England, in the north-east of the city centre. It is also a ward within the formal district of Ladywood.

1 History
2 Features
3 Famous residents
4 Trivia
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] History

Aston was first mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086 as "Estone", having a mill, a priest and therefore probably a church, woodland and ploughland. The church of St. Peter & Paul was built in medieval times to replace an earlier church. The body of the church was rebuilt by J. A. Chatwin during the period 1879 to 1890; the 15th century tower and spire, which was partly rebuilt in 1776, being the only survivors of the medieval building.

The ancient parish of Aston (known as Aston juxta Birmingham) was large. It was partly included in the borough of Birmingham in 1838, and a further part, Saltley was added in 1891. An Aston Manor urban sanitary district was formed in part of the parish. In 1894, under the Local Government Act 1894, the parish was split up, with Castle Bromwich, Erdington and Water Orton becoming separate parishes, as did Aston Manor. The Aston parish now was entirely within Birmingham. Aston Manor was granted the status of municipal borough in 1903, and was then annexed to Birmingham in 1911, along with Erdington. Castle Bromwich and Water Orton remain outside Birmingham's city limits to this day.

Besides the church and Aston Hall, Aston village consisted of few houses, taverns, farms, a mill and Aston Furnace. The Holte almshouses completed in 1656 and a fine Georgian rectory which were demolished despite objections when Aston Expressway was constructed.

The Grand Junction Railway was built in 1837 and although there was no station at Aston until 1854, the area was opened up to the rail network. A branch from Aston to Sutton Coldfield and Lichfield was opened later, this was the Birmingham Cross-City Line.

Old buildings which became popular within Aston included the Aston Hippodrome and the Bartons Arms public house.