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Aston Hall Adult entry is usually £8, but on 10 Sept there is free entry (part of Heritage Open Days; booking required). birminghammuseums.org.uk/astonVOLUNTEERS FROM THE ARTS SOCIETY ARDEN HAVE LEARNT NEW SKILLS WHILE ASSISTING CONSERVATORS RESTORING JACOBEAN BEDHANGINGSA STITCH IN TIME“ I’D LIKE TO EXTEND MY THANKS TO THE VOLUNTEERS” JANE THOMPSON WEBB, BIRMINGHAM MUSEUMS TRUSTVisiting Aston Hall in Birmingham is to step back nearly 400 years. Completed shortly before the Civil War, it was visited not only by King Charles I in 1642 as he sought to raise troops, but also by a Parliamentarian force a year later (the staircase even has a hole made by a cannonball).It was Sir Thomas Holte, High Sheriff of Warwickshire, who commissioned Aston Hall. Knighted in 1603 by James I, Holte later bought himself a baronetcy and felt he needed an appropriate home. Now operated by Birmingham Museums Trust, in recent years Aston Hall has been restored to its former Jacobean splendour.During a major redevelopment in 2012, the Trust’s conservation department discovered that a set of 17th-century crewel work bedhangings on display (the right period for Aston, but not original to it or the bed) had been incorrectly pieced together. The redevelopment provided a good opportunity to clean and repair the hangings – comprising pelmet, bed cover and parts of two curtains – and restore them to something closer to their original arrangement. Volunteers from The Arts Society Arden who had previously undertaken other conservation work for the Trust were invited to be part of the project, which began in December 2013. They were more than happy to be involved and have benefited by learning new skills, including appropriate stitching, fabric manipulation and conservation cleaning. They are proud to have contributed to the conservation of an important part of the country’s heritage. Jane Thompson Webb, Conservation Team Leader at Birmingham Museums Trust, said: “There is no doubt that if we had not had a volunteer team, this project could not have been undertaken. It needed a body of people to work on the hangings in a dedicated manner. It has been wonderful to be able to extend the life of an object and make it more engaging for the public. I’m hopeful that the hangings may be in place for next season so visitors can enjoy the volunteers’ hard work. I’d like to extend my thanks to the volunteers, their time and commitment is greatly valued.”1 Aston Hall in Birmingham2 Some of the volunteers with a section of the bedhangings12IMAGES: COURTESY BIRMINGHAM MUSEUMS TRUST52PROJECTSThe Arts Society ReviewAutumn 2017