Acton Scott Hall Music Machines House Tour

Acton Scott Hall is a Grade II*-listed Elizabethan Manor House built in brick for Richard Acton (d. 1590). The house is an exceptionally early example of a double pile plan set in the beautiful Shropshire hills with stunning views over Wenlock Edge, made famous by A E Housman’s “ A Shropshire Lad”.

The Acton Family continues to maintain the house, estate buildings and land. Acton Scott Hall has oak-panelled reception rooms containing many interesting artefacts including Jacobean woodwork and friezes, unique fireplaces and a collection of fascinating family heirlooms. There is the site of a Roman Villa on the estate and documented information on the excavation carried out there by Frances Stackhouse Acton in 1817 and 1844.

This tour will create some of the sounds of the past which bring to life the stories and history of this characterful family home.

Your tour of the principal rooms of Acton Scott Hall will be led by Francis and Alison Acton and will include demonstrations of some of the fascinating music machines belonging to the family. Some are in good working order while others have their own personalities!

We have a recent addition of a Columbia Graphophone complete with our own version of a horn crane! All will be revealed.

There is a charming collection of phonograph and gramophone memorabilia including wax cylinders, needles and records. You will also see a fine set of piano rolls for The Piano Player - a device from the 1890s, which plays a piano using mechanical fingers. An original Piano Player forms part of the family collection.

Tickets £25 including tea/coffee/soft drinks with home-made cake served in the Georgian Conservatory or garden.

Please see our cancellation policy below.

Visitors' views:

• I’ve visited many historic homes before but never had such a warm welcome. We were greeted like old friends and shown round with pride, knowledge and enthusiasm by members of the family. An exceptional experience.
• A group of us booked a tour of the Hall with Invitation to View… It was marvellous. We… rate it as one of the best house visits we have done. We particularly liked being shown round by family who knew so much about the beautiful house and its recent occupants. Highly recommended!
• A fantastic tour of a beautiful house and gardens, with lots of fascinating anecdotes and personal history from the charming hosts. Well worth a visit. Thank you!
• We have had such a superb visit today and Alison and Francis have such a mammoth task restoring their property and grounds, that I know that every penny they receive will go to a very good cause! I have to say, having now visited at least five properties that the four visits led by the owners, striving to ensure that the property survives for subsequent generations, stand out. Their love for their home and innate knowledge of its history, weighed down by the burden of responsibility for it’s survival, give so much more authenticity and enjoyment to the tour than the one which was led by a volunteer.

Visitors are invited to book one of the beautiful, newly renovated en-suite bedrooms at Acton Scott Hall. The rooms are only available for guests booked on a tour or private event and you will have exclusive access to the private grounds. Your breakfast will be prepared and served by owners Francis and Alison and served in the Drawing Room. There are several local eateries for you to enjoy your evening meal. To book an overnight stay please contact Alison and Francis directly on contact@actonscott.com

Cancellation policy:
If you cancel more than two weeks before the tour is scheduled to take place, we will fully refund your ticket money excluding any phone booking fees. If it’s less than 14 days before a tour, for any reason, we regret that we cannot refund your ticket money or transfer your booking unless we can resell your ticket(s). If we cancel at any time, we will fully refund your ticket money. Although we make every effort to avoid it, sometimes a tour has to be cancelled at short notice due to circumstances beyond our control. In this case, we cannot accept responsibility for, or refund, any consequential losses, such as money spent on travel or accommodation.

Location

Acton Scott Hall, SY6 6QQ

Event organiser is Acton Scott Hall.