By degrees, the park was reduced
to 370 acres, which, with the Hall, were offered to the town in 1850 for
the sum of L130,000; but the Town Council declined the bargain, though
less than one-half of the Park (150 acres) was sold immediately after
for more than all the money. In 1857 a "People's Park" Company was
started to "Save Aston Hall" and the few acres close round it, an
agreement being entered into for L35,000. Many of the 20s. shares were
taken up, and Her Majesty the Queen performed the opening ceremony June
15, 1858. The speculation proved a failure, as out of about L18,000
raised one-half went in repairs, alterations, losses, &c., and it would
have been lost to the town had not the Corporation bought it in
February, 1864. They gave L33,000 (L7,000 being private subscriptions),
and it was at last opened as a free park, September 22, 1864. The
picture gallery is 136ft. long, by 18ft. wide and 16ft. high. In this
and various other rooms, will be found a miscellaneous museum of
curiosities, more or less rare, including stuffed birds and animals,
ancient tapestry and furniture, &c.
~Aston Lower Grounds,~ the most beautiful pleasure grounds in the
Midland counties, cover 31 acres, and were originally nothing more than
the kitchen and private gardens and the fish-ponds belonging to Aston
Hall, and were purchased at the sale in 1818 by the Warwick bankers, who
let them to Mr.
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