Explore Aston Hall, a magnificent Grade I listed Jacobean manor house which has been an iconic Birmingham landmark for nearly 400 years.

Learn how wealthy people lived in the past, including the Holte family, the Hall’s first residents, by exploring the functions and features of different rooms in the house. Compare this to the lives of their servants, who worked long hours but weren’t able to enjoy the luxuries of the Hall.

Using different rooms in the Hall, pupils will handle replica artefacts, dress up as key characters and learn a 17th-century dance in this interactive session:

• Exploring different rooms in the house, bringing them to life using costumes and handling objects.
• Discussing how the Holte family lived by visiting extravagant rooms like the Long Gallery and the Great Dining Room.
• Discovering how the lives of the servants differed by visiting the Kitchen and servants’ quarters.
• Comparing objects used by rich and poor people, such as wooden trenchers and pewter plates, and discussing how they differ.

Curriculum links

This session can be adapted to suit pupils of all ages; however, it is perfect for the KS1/2 curriculum: significant historical events, people and places in pupils own locality.

Important Information

Parts of the tour will require the use of staircases at Aston Hall. Children will also be expected to sit on the floor using cushions during the session. If your class has any access needs, please contact us in advance so that elements of the session can take place on the ground floor instead.

School visits to Aston Hall are available Wednesday - Friday.

Bring two classes from your school and spend a full day on site with self-led activities to use outside of your taught session.