Little Aston
Encyclopedia
Little Aston is an affluent area of the district of Lichfield
, in Staffordshire
, England
. At the last UK census
there were 935 homes in the village, well over 10% of which were multi-million pound properties. The area is locally known as an enclave of footballers and successful businessmen
.
in Birmingham
, and is thus part of the West Midlands Conurbation
.
Little Aston is contained within four corners, formed by local landmarks: Blake Street Station
rail bridge in the south-east, the end of lands owned by Aston Wood golf club to the north-east, a naturally flowing stream
to the north-west and an Anglican
church
, in the south-west.
winning football manager Ron Atkinson
, and platinum album selling singer Tony Christie
, frequent the village's golf clubs.
. Often referred to as "Millionaire's Row", it contains around 100 uniquely designed houses. It also contains one of the village's golf clubs,Little Aston Golf Club, and St.Peter's Church. The park is built around the historic, rhododendron
-lined Roman Road.
Its private roads and gated entrances are maintained by LAPRA (Little Aston Park Residents Association), to which home-owners contribute.
In addition to the lane's own housing, it also contains the entrance to The Grove. A cul-de-sac
within Little Aston Lane, The Grove contains 51 large, detached homes, similar to those on the lane itself.
The Little Aston Village Hall, is also on the lane, providing services and facilities to the small community. A crown green bowling club and a tennis club are on the Hall site.
Forge lane also contains the entrance to Little Aston's recreation site, a large area of landscaped grassland, popular for dog walking and sports activities. In addition to this, the entrance to Little Aston's vicarage is also in the lane, which has been the home of many of the village's vicars.
. Seven blocks of superior apartments were constructed on the site during the mid-1980s, each containing six luxury living spaces. The size of the construction was increased soon after with more apartments, known as Lady Aston Park.
The complex is set back from the road on a private drive and situated in many acres of grassland and landscaped gardens.
's electoral wards, although it is separated from the city by open country and is in Tamworth Parliamentary Constituency. Little Aston's current Member of Parliament is Christopher Pincher.
Church was built at the expense of, and on land donated by, Edward Swynfen
Parker Jervis. The new church designed by architect G E Street, was consecrated in 1874.
and Maserati
dealership which took over from the old Evans Halshaw Porsche
dealership. A private BUPA
hospital is located on the former Little Aston Hall
's estate and Little Aston also features the Midlands' foremost residential estate, Little Aston Park
. Little Aston also has its own primary school, Little Aston Primary School.
Lichfield (district)
Lichfield is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. It is administered by Lichfield District Council, based in Lichfield.The dignity and privileges of the City of Lichfield are vested in the parish council of the 14 km² Lichfield civil parish...
, in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. At the last UK census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
there were 935 homes in the village, well over 10% of which were multi-million pound properties. The area is locally known as an enclave of footballers and successful businessmen
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
.
Location and boundaries
Little Aston is located in the very south of Staffordshire, contiguous with Sutton ColdfieldSutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield is a suburb of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham but has borders with Erdington and Kingstanding. Sutton is in the northeast of Birmingham, with a population of 105,000 recorded in the 2001 census...
in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, and is thus part of the West Midlands Conurbation
West Midlands conurbation
The West Midlands conurbation is the name given to the large conurbation that includes the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton and the large towns of Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Solihull, Stourbridge, Halesowen in the English West Midlands....
.
Little Aston is contained within four corners, formed by local landmarks: Blake Street Station
Blake Street railway station
Blake Street railway station serves the Hill Hook area of Sutton Coldfield, England. It is situated on the Cross-City Line, located on the county boundary between the West Midlands and Staffordshire...
rail bridge in the south-east, the end of lands owned by Aston Wood golf club to the north-east, a naturally flowing stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
to the north-west and an Anglican
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
church
Church Body
A local church is a Christian religious organization that meets in a particular location. Many are formally organized, with constitutions and by-laws, maintain offices, are served by pastors or lay leaders, and, in nations where this is permissible, often seek seek non-profit corporate status...
, in the south-west.
Current residents
- Graham TaylorGraham Taylor (football manager)Graham Taylor OBE is a football pundit, ex-football manager, and a former player. He is best known as the manager of the England national football team, as well as being manager of Watford, a club he took from the Fourth Division to the First in the space of five years, then from bottom of the...
OBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, premier league and England football manager. - Liam RidgewellLiam RidgewellLiam Matthew Ridgewell is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Birmingham City. He is primarily a centre half but can also play at left back. Previously a player for Birmingham's arch-rivals Aston Villa, Ridgewell also spent a spell on loan at A.F.C. Bournemouth in 2002.-Early...
, winner of the FA Youth CupFA Youth CupThe Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
Carling Cup, and UEFA Intertoto CupUEFA Intertoto CupThe UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
, lives in the village and plays for local championshipChampionshipChampionship is a term used in sport to refer to various forms of competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.- Title match system :...
team, Birmingham CityBirmingham City F.C.Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. - Trevor EveTrevor EveTrevor John Eve is a British film and television actor. In 1979 he gained fame as the eponymous lead in the detective series Shoestring and is also known for his role as Detective Superintendent Peter Boyd in BBC television drama Waking the Dead.-Early life:Eve was born in Sutton Coldfield,...
, double Laurence Olivier Award winning actor, and star of Waking The DeadWaking the Dead (TV series)Waking the Dead is a British television police procedural crime drama series produced by the BBC featuring a fictional Cold Case Unit comprising CID police officers, a psychological profiler and a forensic scientist. A pilot episode aired in September 2000 and there have been a total of nine series...
.
Former residents
- Peter SchmeichelPeter SchmeichelPeter Bolesław Schmeichel MBE is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and was voted the "World's Best Goalkeeper" in 1992 and 1993...
, voted the greatest goalkeeper of the 20th century. - Double league cupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
winning international goalkeeper, Mark BosnichMark BosnichMark Bosnich is a retired Australian football player and football pundit. He represented Australia 17 times and played for English Premier League clubs Aston Villa, Manchester United and Chelsea.-Manchester United :...
, owned one of Little Aston's numerous mansions during his time at Aston Villa football club. - Premier league and international footballer, Ugo EhioguUgo EhioguUgochuku "Ugo" Ehiogu is an English former footballer who played as a centre back, most recently for Sheffield United...
, lived in Little Aston during his English career. - Captain of the Irish football teamRepublic of Ireland national football teamThe Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
and former Irish Footballer of the Year, Mark KinsellaMark KinsellaMark Anthony Kinsella is an Irish former professional footballer and current football coach. He played as a central midfielder for most of his career....
, owned one of the village's mansions while playing for West Bromwich Albion. - Scottish Footballer and former Sky Sports presenter Andy Gray, during his time at Aston Villa football club.
Others
Double FA CupFA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
winning football manager Ron Atkinson
Ron Atkinson
Ronald Ernest Atkinson, commonly known as "Big Ron" and "Bojangles" is an English former football player and manager. In recent years he has become one of Britain's best-known football pundits...
, and platinum album selling singer Tony Christie
Tony Christie
Tony Christie is an English musician, singer and actor. He is best known for his track, "Is This The Way To Amarillo", a double UK chart success.-Career:Tony Christie has sold over 10 million albums Worldwide...
, frequent the village's golf clubs.
Residences
Little Aston's small community is divided between four main areas: Little Aston Park, Little Aston Lane, Forge Lane and the Little Aston Hall Estate.Little Aston Park
Located in the south of the village is Little Aston ParkLittle Aston Park
Little Aston Park is a private residential estate, ranked in the most expensive areas in England and Wales, set in a woodland setting, located approximately seven miles north of Birmingham in Little Aston...
. Often referred to as "Millionaire's Row", it contains around 100 uniquely designed houses. It also contains one of the village's golf clubs,Little Aston Golf Club, and St.Peter's Church. The park is built around the historic, rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
-lined Roman Road.
Its private roads and gated entrances are maintained by LAPRA (Little Aston Park Residents Association), to which home-owners contribute.
Little Aston Lane
At the heart of the village is Little Aston Lane. Running opposite expanses of fields and the grounds of Aston Wood golf course, the lane consists of around 50 large, detached houses, of individual architect design. A newly constructed, landscaped recreation area also runs parallel to the lane.In addition to the lane's own housing, it also contains the entrance to The Grove. A cul-de-sac
Cul-de-sac
A cul-de-sac is a word of French origin referring to a dead end, close, no through road or court meaning dead-end street with only one inlet/outlet...
within Little Aston Lane, The Grove contains 51 large, detached homes, similar to those on the lane itself.
The Little Aston Village Hall, is also on the lane, providing services and facilities to the small community. A crown green bowling club and a tennis club are on the Hall site.
Forge Lane
Running out of the Little Aston Park and into the surrounding countryside is Forge Lane. It is lined by around 40 detached and semi-detached houses, situated on both sides of the road. The village's Little Aston Primary School is located on the lane.Forge lane also contains the entrance to Little Aston's recreation site, a large area of landscaped grassland, popular for dog walking and sports activities. In addition to this, the entrance to Little Aston's vicarage is also in the lane, which has been the home of many of the village's vicars.
Little Aston Hall Estate
This small area of residence is situated within what used to be the grounds of Little Aston HallLittle Aston Hall
Little Aston Hall, in Little Aston, Staffordshire, England, was constructed around 1730 by Richard Scott of nearby Great Barr Hall, in a Georgian style with a park and lake...
. Seven blocks of superior apartments were constructed on the site during the mid-1980s, each containing six luxury living spaces. The size of the construction was increased soon after with more apartments, known as Lady Aston Park.
The complex is set back from the road on a private drive and situated in many acres of grassland and landscaped gardens.
Electoral ward
Little Aston is one of LichfieldLichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
's electoral wards, although it is separated from the city by open country and is in Tamworth Parliamentary Constituency. Little Aston's current Member of Parliament is Christopher Pincher.
Parish
Little Aston was for a long time a part of the parish of Shenstone, until St PetersChurch was built at the expense of, and on land donated by, Edward Swynfen
Parker Jervis. The new church designed by architect G E Street, was consecrated in 1874.
Commerce and education
It has two golf clubs: the championship Little Aston Golf Club and the new Aston Wood Golf Club. There is also an official Stratstone FerrariFerrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
and Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
dealership which took over from the old Evans Halshaw Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
dealership. A private BUPA
Bupa
Bupa is a large British healthcare organisation, with bases on three continents and more than ten million customers in over 200 countries. It is a private healthcare company, in direct contrast to the UK's National Health Services, which are tax-funded healthcare systems and do not require private...
hospital is located on the former Little Aston Hall
Little Aston Hall
Little Aston Hall, in Little Aston, Staffordshire, England, was constructed around 1730 by Richard Scott of nearby Great Barr Hall, in a Georgian style with a park and lake...
's estate and Little Aston also features the Midlands' foremost residential estate, Little Aston Park
Little Aston Park
Little Aston Park is a private residential estate, ranked in the most expensive areas in England and Wales, set in a woodland setting, located approximately seven miles north of Birmingham in Little Aston...
. Little Aston also has its own primary school, Little Aston Primary School.