Steeple Ashton
| Steeple Ashton | |
|---|---|
 The village, seen from across a field |
|
 Steeple Ashton
|
|
| Steeple Ashton shown within Wiltshire | |
| Population | 935 (in 2011) |
| OS grid reference | ST907569 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | TROWBRIDGE |
| Postcode district | BA14 |
| Dialling code | 01380 |
| Police | Wiltshire |
| Fire | Dorset and Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | Parish Council |
Steeple Ashton is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Trowbridge.
In the north of the parish are the hamlets of Ashton Common and Bullenhill.
Until the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Steeple Ashton was a manor of Romsey Abbey. It was also part of the hundred of Whorwellsdown.
The first element of the village's name may represent a former steeple of the church. However the prefix "Staple" or "Steeple-" sometimes indicates the privilege of holding a market, with a stapol or pole being set up to advertise its location to all passing through. Steeple Ashton was indeed once a market town, holding a weekly market, the market cross for which still stands on the village green.
A great fire destroyed the textile mills within the small town, and when it came to rebuilding they moved to the nearby town of Trowbridge, where the River Biss provided better power. The business of the market then moved to neighbouring towns such as Market Lavington.
In 1818 the parish extended north and west to include Great Hinton, Semington, and West Ashton. In the late 19th century separate civil parishes were created for each of those three villages, greatly reducing the area of Steeple Ashton parish.
The parish had 955 inhabitants in 1991 but had had twice as many in 1981. This is due to the parish boundary of Trowbridge being moved to include new housing estates which had been built at the edge of the town but within the parish of Steeple Ashton.
...
Wikipedia