Ashley Village

The pretty village of Ashley comprising just over 200 people nestles in the Welland Valley surrounded by farmland and gentle rolling hills. Ashley is on the northern edge of Northamptonshire, adjoining Leicestershire with the county of Rutland very close by. The village is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Ascele, meaning “a clearing in the woods” as it was a hamlet within the large hunting grounds of Rockingham Forest.

 Thanks to considerable re-building of the village during Victorian times, much of Ashley’s beauty lies in the lovely rich local ironstone which graces the centre of the village around the impressive Grade 1 listed church of St Mary the Virgin. A number of thatched cottages can also be seen around the village. Part of the village is a designated conservation area.

 The Palmer family has been the non-resident lords of the manor in Ashley for over 500 years. One of the country seats belonging to the family was in East Carlton which adjoins Ashley. The family built the Rectory (now known as Ashley Court), the Manor House and no doubt contributed hugely to the construction, maintenance and upkeep of the Church. The Palmer family left this part of Northamptonshire after WW2; their influence on the village having declined from the mid C19 onwards. The Pulteney family, father and son, both rectors for a total of 65 years between them, refashioned and rebuilt the village and church to its present state as seen today.

 In common with most towns and villages, change is constant and Ashley is no exception. Since the end of WW2, the number of houses in Ashley has almost doubled, the village school, shop, post office, railway and independent chapel have all closed but the Church, Public House 'The George' and an active, modern Village Hall have thrived. Farming and its related services are no longer the main source of occupation in this rural community. Only two farmers remain resident and active in the village. Today, home workers in the IT and other support services account for nearly 30% of home dwellers.

From Ashley, there are several walks– suitable for all abilities- with many of them having a pub at the half way point! You can also download more than 130 Northamptonshire walks from www.walkinginnorthants.co.uk

Check out the free sudoku weblink under Useful Information/Weblinks - keep that brain active!

Looking for somewhere different to eat? Check out the weblink under Useful Information/Weblinks