Little Aston
| Little Aston | |
  Little Aston |
|
| District | Lichfield |
|---|---|
| Shire county | Staffordshire |
| Region | West Midlands |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Staffordshire |
| Fire | Staffordshire |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| EU Parliament | West Midlands |
|
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Coordinates: 52°35′59″N 1°51′23″W / 52.5997°N 1.8564°W
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.[1] The area is locally known as an enclave of footballers and successful businessmen.[2]
Location and boundaries
Little Aston is located in the very south of Staffordshire, contiguous with Sutton Coldfield 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.
Famous residents
Current residents
- Graham Taylor, English football manager.
- Liam Ridgewell, English footballer.
- Darren Bent, English footballer.
Danielle Lloyd, Model Jamie O'Hara, Footballer Gabby Abonglahor, Footballer Peter Odimwinge, Footballer
.
Former residents
- Trevor Eve, English actor
- Roy Hodgson, England manager lived on Little Aston Park Road when managing West Bromwich Albion FC.
- Peter Schmeichel, voted the greatest goalkeeper of the 20th century.[3]
- Double league cup winning international goalkeeper, Mark Bosnich, owned one of Little Aston's numerous mansions during his time at Aston Villa football club.
- Premier league and international footballer, Ugo Ehiogu, lived in Little Aston during his English career.
- Captain of the Irish football team and former Irish Footballer of the Year, Mark Kinsella, 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.
- Actor Roger Moore owned and occasionally took residence in a property on Rosemary Hill Road in the mid 80's when in the area.
Others
Double FA Cup winning football manager Ron Atkinson, and platinum album selling singer Tony Christie, 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 Park. Often referred to as "Millionaire's Row",[4] 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.
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 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.
Aldridge Road
Continuing on from Walsall Road, Aldridge road begins on the junction of Forge Lane and Roman Road ending at the A452 Chester Road. It is lined by around 170 houses both detached and semi detached. The majority of Aldridge road overlooks the northerly side of the Little Aston Golf Range although it is hidden by trees. A long stream running alongside hole 12 and 13 of the golf course runs underneath a small bridge on Aldridge Road which was struck by lightning in the mid 80's causing the closure of Aldridge Road for many months. The stream runs into Lowlands Wood to the rear of a section of properties on Aldridge Road which is privately owned by one Aldridge Road resident.
Little Aston Hall Estate
This small area of residence is situated within what used to be the grounds of Little Aston Hall. 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.
Administration
Electoral ward
Little Aston is one of Lichfield'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 Peters 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.
Commerce and education
It has two golf clubs: the championship Little Aston Golf Club and the new Aston Wood Golf Club. A private BUPA hospital[5] 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.