Ashley is a picturesque stone village set in the beautiful Welland Valley close to the border between Northamptonshire and Leicestershire. It is surrounded by farmland and gently rolling hills. It has a friendly community and active village life.
The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Ascele, meaning "a clearing in the woods". It was originally a hamlet within the large hunting grounds of Rockingham Forest.
In the 19th century, much of the village was demolished and rebuilt by the wealthy rector, the Rev. R.T. Pulteney. He commissioned the architect, Sir George Gilbert Scott, to design a new layout for the village. The result is a picturesque stone village with a linear housing pattern and the church occupying the highest ground.
The Roman road called Via Devana in the part from Ratae (now Leicester) to Duroliponte (now Cambridge) ran just north of the village.
More information about the village can be found on the Village Website
