England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Aston Le Walls St Leonard

The Parish

The parish of Aston le Walls lies in southwestern Northamptonshire, indeed it forms part of the border with neighbouring Oxfordshire and is close to neighbouring Warwickshire too. Aston le Walls is a compact nucleated village and is located about 8 miles northeast of the Oxfordshire market town of Banbury. Aston le Walls sits just to the west of the A361 road which connects Banbury with Daventry. On the northeastern edge of Aston le Walls runs the evocatively named "Welsh Road", now a lane this was an ancient droveway taking animals from the Welsh hills to London. The area around Aston le Walls is largely used for arable farming although there was some quarrying of the oolitic limestone so characteristic of the area. Aston le Walls is drained by small tributaries of the River Cherwell, these head southwards, through Banbury before joining the Thames to the northwest of Oxford thence to the North Sea. Aston le Walls is sited on a ridge at around 140 metres above sea level, some 30 metres above the stream level, land is gently undulating rather than deeply incised. South Northamptonshire parishes are much of a size and Aston le Walls is no exception, it covered just over 1,500 acres and supported a population of around 250 parishioners. In Domesday times Aston le Walls was held by one Geoffrey de Mandeville and boasted just 9 ploughs and some meadow.

The Church

St Leonard's church sits at the heart of the village where the two main lanes which branch off the Welsh Road meet at a junction. The church is largely 13th century and makes extensive use of the local limestones. Pevsner also picks out details that indicate an earlier Norman origin, notably round-headed arches on doorways and windows around the tower. The later western porch, quite an unusual feature and very much a "bolt-on" hides much of the detail from the exterior. Otherwise the church follows the traditional design of chancel, nave and western tower with additional arcades. The church sits on a corner site, the main entrance being from Main Street where a metal gate grants access. There is one particularly dominating tree which restricts angles somewhat but without preventing adequate photography of the building.