The White House, Aston Munslow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The White House |
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South side; oldest part at the right
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Aston Munslow, Shropshire |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 52°28′35″N 2°43′21″W / 52.4765°N 2.7225°W |
The White House is an old building in Aston Munslow, Shropshire, England. It's a special type of medieval house called a 'hall house'. Over many years, it has been changed quite a lot. Today, it is a 'Grade II* listed building', which means it's a very important historical place that needs to be protected.
Contents
Exploring The White House's History
The outside of The White House shows three different times it was built or changed. Each part tells a story about how the house grew over the centuries.
The Oldest Part: East End
The oldest part of the house is the East end. It was built a very long time ago, in the 1300s or 1400s. This section was originally a 'hall house'. This means it had a big open room inside, like a large hall. It was supported by special wooden frames called 'cruck trusses'. Later, a floor was added inside, dividing the big hall into two levels. The walls were first made of wood and plaster, but they were later rebuilt using stone.
The Middle Section: 16th and 17th Century
The central part of the building was added later, in the late 1500s or early 1600s. This section was built using a common method for that time. It has a strong wooden frame, like a box, with the spaces filled in.
The Newest Part: West End
The West end of the house was built much later, in the late 1700s. This part was added in the Georgian style. It included a new drawing room and a bedroom. During this time, the front of the building (the North side) was also updated. This update covered up some of the older wooden framing from the 1500s.
What Was Here Before?
The wooden frames in the East end suggest something interesting. They show that this part was once connected to an even older building. This older building was probably taken down when the house was changed in the 1500s. It's even possible that the cellars under the middle part of the house are from this very old building. This earlier building might have been the main house for the Aston Munslow area.
The name "The White House" was first written down in 1694. This tells us that the house was painted white around that time.
Who Lived at The White House?
The White House was home to the Stedman family for about 300 years. After that, it passed to other families, first the Smiths and then the Farmers, through marriage.
In 1947, a man named Walter Purser bought the house. His daughter, Miss J. C. Purser, spent a lot of time studying the building and its history. She even turned the house into a museum! It was called the County Life Museum. Here, she showed old farm tools and household items.
When Miss Purser got older, she couldn't run the museum anymore. So, she gave the building to the Landmark Trust. This is a charity that saves important historic buildings. Today, The White House is rented out for holidays. The money from these rentals helps to keep the building in good condition.
The Old Dovecote
In the grounds of The White House, there's another very old structure. It's a 'scheduled ancient monument' called a dovecote. This dovecote was built in the 1300s or 1400s, around the same time as the oldest part of the house.
It has thick, round walls and is about 4.8 meters (16 feet) wide inside. Originally, there were about 500 small holes inside the walls. These were nests for pigeons! People used to raise pigeons here for meat.
Sadly, before 1920, the roof of the dovecote fell in. Later, part of its walls also collapsed. But thanks to the Landmark Trust, it has been repaired and is now protected.
