Ashampstead, Berkshire

Flower Delivery to Ashampstead with Clare Florist

Lying about eight and a half miles (around 14 km) from the northeast of Newbury, Ashampstead is a parish in the North Wessex Downs Area of Natural Beauty – which is a unique and breathtaking landscape that includes open downland, ancient woodland, and chalk streams in the centre of southern England.

Given that Ashampstead is in the North Wessex Downs, you can't help but think that it's a good place for some romantic outings. For example, walking on Bridleway 27 – which runs through Lay Fields wood – gives you an area where you can see lots of Ashampstead flowers. You'll see false oxlip, primroses, cowslips and bedstraws – just to name a few.

Ashampstead is a parish without a post office, shop, pub or school. That said, it does make a lovely starting point for your exploration of the outdoors.

HISTORY OF ASHAMPSTEAD

The parish looks to have been settled a little late. There is evidence of occupation during the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods as evidenced by stone implements found in the area. No artefacts surfaced from the Iron Age nor from Roman and Saxon occupation. This may be attributed to the lack of surface water in the parish as it has to stream or reliable springs.

Ashampstead and Hartridge seem to have been established even before the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Bradfield to Aldworth road looks prehistoric.

In the 13th century, Ashampstead and Burnt Hill Commons were turned into a deer park. There was also a well-established pottery industry on Ashampstead Common.

The Commons were used as convoy camps – evidenced by the remains of numerous huts and others – during World War II.

Today, Yattendon Estates – a modern mixed agriculture and farming business – mostly owns the parish. They produce cereals, crops, milk, timber and firewood. Additionally, they are one of the largest producers of Christmas trees in the country.

SAINT CLEMENT CHURCH

Saint Clement is a Church of England parish church in Ashampstead. It traces its history back to the 12th century. The church has 13th century frescoes, as well as a 15th century wooden bell turret.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

If you can't get enough of the many flowers in Ashampstead that you see in the North Wessex Downs, there are nearby attractions that you can visit. These include:

Beale Park – offers lots of fun for everyone, including adventure playgrounds, paddling pools and wildlife (meerkats, lemurs, birds and much more).

Basildon Park – a Georgian mansion located in Reading that is surrounded by parkland. It's a Grade I listed building built for Sir Francis Sykes between 1776 and 1783. The mansion is done in the Palladian style. It was never fully completed, but now it's noted for its mid-twentieth century renaissance and restoration.

Modern Artists Gallery – a contemporary art gallery that showcases British and international artists. This gallery is located in Berkshire and features the work of artists such as Stuart Buchanan, Sadie Brockbank and Mirren Kessling.

Englefield House – an Elizabethan country house with a surrounding estate. It is owned by the Benyon family and its gardens are open to the public all year round.

Wyld Court Rainforest – also called The Living Rainforest. It's an indoor greenhouse tropical rainforest locaed in Hampstead Norreys in Berkshire.

Nothing says romance more than being in the presence of scenic views and that's what you can get access to here in Ashampstead. Of course, you can also send flowers to Ashampstead to make the occasion more meaningful.

However, the parish is not just for lovers. Whether you like the outdoors or would like to try different kinds of pathways, Ashampstead definitely has a lot to offer.

Share this location:

• Twitter
• Facebook