Burning questions over hall's demise

Because remarkably, the burning down of Aston Hall, at Church Aston, 50 years ago this month, was entirely deliberate.

This picture was carried by the Shropshire Star on January 11, 1968, and the contemporary caption explained: "Church Aston Hall, near Newport, blazed in its six and five-eighths acre grounds last night. But the fire caused no excitement - it was the result of a contracting firm's decision to burn down the empty hall, built in Georgian times, to make way for private housing."

The hall, a mile from Newport, had been the home of the Leeke family and was subsequently acquired by Adams' Grammar School, which sold it by tender on moving to Longford Hall.

A story from October 1969 says: "It was bought by Thomas Lowe and Sons Ltd., who demolished the house to develop the well-wooded grounds as a small exclusive estate of quality houses. Roads and sewers have now advanced sufficiently for the building of the houses to get under way..."

There's another snippet on the Discovering Shropshire's History website: "Aston Hall, Church Aston. Once the Dower House of Longford Estate then a boarding house for Adams' Grammar School (1947-67), demolished, now Pinewoods housing estate."

This does raise some questions, such as, why bother to set fire to it if the plan was to demolish it, and it would have to be demolished either way? What was the advantage of burning it down?

If you can shed further light on the life - and fiery death - of Aston Hall, drop a line to Toby Neal at toby.neal@shropshirestar.co.uk