Aston-on-Trent Historical Walk

The Aston-on-Trent have put together a historical walk – in addition to the other ten which can be found here – highlighting the heritage of Aston-on-Trent and the surrounding area in which evidence of human habitation dates back to the 2900 BC.

This route is a combination of flat surfaces in the village, some steps and some more rugged sections of terrain – so stout shoes are recommended for those more difficult sections.

Some of the key points you’ll visit on this route are:

• Lodge Mews
  • This building is the only remaining structure that was connected with the former estate of Aston Lodge. It was formerly a service wing containing stables and living quarters for staff; it’s now a number of private homes.
    • The former Aston Lodge was an impressive 18th Century stately home that is, unfortunately, no longer still standing. The site was sold off in the 1930s and dismantled, with the building pieces ending up all over Aston. Additionally, the wrought iron gates that once stood at the entrance were sold to Long Eaton Borough Council and now stand tall at the entrance to West Park, Long Eaton.
• Yeoman House
  • Starting life as a farm house constructed in the 17th century, the land would eventually be repurposed for housing developments in the latter half of the 20th Century. The people of Aston-on-Trent signed a petition in order to protect the building from demolition. The building is now Grade II Listed and only has some fairly minor alterations to the exterior as part of the changes made when converting the premises. A date stone from 1690 still stands within the wall of the first floor level.
• The Old School House
  • The old school served Aston-on-Trent for over a century, before a replacement was eventually built on Long Croft to better accommodate students in 1984. The costs for the construction of the original school building were provided by the Holden Family of the local Aston Hall, and their crest still adorns the building to this day.
• The Tramway
  • The former tramway was a light railway that helped serve the Aston brickmaking industry and connected the Brickyard gypsum mine to a wharf along the Trent and Mersey Canal, operating from 1812 until the early 1900s. Under Derby Road – the main road through the village – is a tunnel in which the tramway actually ran.
• Rectory Mews
  • A cottage dating back to the 18th century that formerly served as stables, a coach house and Groom’s quarters for the Rectory. Other cottages along the same road date to around the same time as Rectory Mews and likely contained cottage industries.
• Aston Hall
  • Built in 1735 for Robert and Elizabeth Holden, the estate remained in the hands of the Holden Family until it was purchased by William Dickinson Winterbottom in 1898. Upon his death, it was acquired by the Nottingham Corporation to serve as a mental institution, and later served as a Red Cross Hospital until it was sold again in 2005 to Richmond Retirement Village.