West Ashton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids West Ashton |
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 Parish church of St John the Evangelist |
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 West Ashton
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| Population | 737 (2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | ST879557 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Trowbridge |
| Postcode district | BA14 |
| Dialling code | 01225 |
| Police | Wiltshire |
| Fire | Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament |
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West Ashton is a small village located in Wiltshire, England. It's about 2 kilometers (or 2 miles) southeast of a larger town called Trowbridge. The village is close to the A350 road, which helps people travel between Melksham and Yarnbrook.
West Ashton is also a "civil parish." This means it's a local area with its own council that helps manage local services. The parish includes a few smaller areas called hamlets, like Dunge, East Town, and Rood Ashton.
Historically, West Ashton was part of a much larger area called Steeple Ashton. Over time, in the late 1800s, these areas became their own separate parishes. Today, West Ashton has its own primary school, West Ashton Church of England Primary School, and a village hall where community events take place.
The Village Church
The main church in West Ashton is the Anglican Church of St John the Evangelist. It was built in 1846. A man named T.H. Wyatt designed it, and Walter Long helped pay for it.
Inside the church, the east window is a special memorial from 1920, honoring those who served in the war. An expert named Pevsner believed it was made by the artist Henry Payne. The church is considered a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical building. It also contains a special family crypt and monuments for the Long family, who used to live at Rood Ashton House.
The church has been part of a larger group of churches since the 1960s. Today, it works together with churches in Trowbridge, including St Thomas and Holy Trinity.
Rood Ashton House and Long's Park Castle
Rood Ashton House was once a grand country house that belonged to the Long family for 200 years. In 1930, after Lord Long passed away, the house and its huge estate (about 4,100 acres or 16.6 square kilometers) were sold. A group of his tenants bought the land.
Later, in the 1960s, the house was sold again. Sadly, the new owner removed many valuable parts of the house, like the lead roof, wooden panels, and fireplaces. This left the house as an empty shell without a roof. Today, only the north wing of the house remains, and it is also a Grade II listed building.
Near the village, on the A350 road, you can find a unique building called Long's Park Castle. It's a "folly," which means it was built to look like a castle but wasn't meant for defense. It was originally a lodge, or gatehouse, for Rood Ashton House. Now, this interesting building is used as holiday accommodation.
