Ashton Hayes

In 1086, the village was recorded in the Domesday Book as comprising 12 households and lying within the hundred of Rushton in the county of Cheshire.{{cite web | url=https://opendomesday.org/place/SJ5069/ashton/ | title=Ashton | Domesday Book }}

Ashton was formerly a township and chapelry in the parish of Tarvin,{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/place/4501|title=History of Ashton, in Chester and Cheshire|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=29 August 2023}} in 1866 Aston became a civil parish,{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10152446|title=Relationships and changes Ashton CP/Tn through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=29 August 2023}} on 1 April 2015 the parish was abolished to form Ashton Hayes and Horton-cum-Peel, part of it also went to Mouldsworth.{{cite web|url=http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/CHS/ashtonhayes|title=ASHTON HAYES|publisher=GENUKI|access-date=24 March 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/cheshire%20west%20and%20chester.html|title=Cheshire West and Chester Registration District|publisher=UKBMD|accessdate=29 August 2023}}

In 1933 a pottery kiln, which had been in use between the 13th and 15th century, was discovered in the garden of Smithy House. When excavated, it was found to consist of an oval structure with a stoke-hole on the southeast side. It contained thousands of fragments of broken pottery. Some of these have been reconstructed, forming about 30 objects, mainly jugs and pitchers, which are now in the Grosvenor Museum, Chester. The site of the kiln is a scheduled monument.{{PastScape|mnumber=71295|access-date = 11 February 2009|mode=cs2}}{{Citation | url = http://rcp.cheshire.gov.uk/SingleResult.aspx?uid=MCH863 | title = Revealing Cheshire's Past: Ashton Medieval Kiln | access-date = 11 February 2009}}

In November 2005, the Ashton Hayes Parish Council agreed that the village should try to become England's first carbon neutral village and launched a programme starting 26 January 2006.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ashton-hayes-celebrates-10-years-10755503|title=Ashton Hayes celebrates 10 years of Carbon Neutral Project|last=de Lucia|first=Carmella|date=19 January 2016|work=Cheshire Live|access-date=27 September 2019}} The move is supported by the local community, businesses, the local council and The Energy Saving Trust. In July 2006 the total annual output of carbon dioxide from the village was calculated by students from the University of Chester at 4,765.76 tonnes.

With the aid of a DEFRA grant, a film was made explaining the issues and the villagers' efforts, and intended to receive its premier in the village on 25 January 2007.{{citation|url=http://www.energysaving.org.uk/aboutest/news/dailynews/index.cfm?mode=view&articleid=18025199 |title=Daily News: Green village to premiere 'eco-film' |publisher=Energy Saving Trust |date=5 January 2007 |access-date=29 January 2007 }}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

It is hoped that the film will increase awareness and encourage other communities to adopt the concept.{{citation|url=http://www.gnn.gov.uk/content/detail.asp?NewsAreaID=2&ReleaseID=224908 |title=North West takes on the climate challenge |publisher=Department for Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (North West) |date=5 September 2006 |access-date=29 January 2007 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930165548/http://www.gnn.gov.uk/content/detail.asp?NewsAreaID=2&ReleaseID=224908 |archive-date=30 September 2007 }}

Measures taken to offset or reduce this have included installing house insulation, installing energy saving light bulbs and wind turbines, and a large number of trees have been planted.{{citation|url=http://iccheshireonline.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/chesterchronicle/tm_method=full%26objectid=17070666%26siteid=50020-name_page.html|title=Students study 'green' village|publisher=Chester Chronicle, icnetwork.co.uk|date=12 May 2006|access-date=29 January 2007}}{{Dead link|date=October 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In the first year of the programme the village reduced its carbon footprint by 20%. In the 10 years since, the figure rose to 40%. The programme has inspired other towns and cities to adopt similar models.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p045lwz1|title=How do you become England's first carbon neutral village?|date=23 August 2016|publisher=BBC News|access-date=27 September 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/22/science/english-village-becomes-climate-leader-by-quietly-cleaning-up-its-own-patch.html|title=English Village Becomes Climate Leader by Quietly Cleaning Up Its Own Patch|last=Schlossberg|first=Tatiana|date=21 August 2016|work=The New York Times|access-date=27 September 2019}}

{{Portal|Cheshire}}

• Listed buildings in Ashton Hayes
• Carbon footprint
• Bioenergy Village
• Sustainable energy
• Energy use and conservation in the United Kingdom
• Baywind Energy Co-operative
• 2000 Watt society

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Ashton Hayes}}

• [http://www.ashtonhayespc.co.uk/ Ashton Hayes Parish Council]
• [http://www.sylviamilne.co.uk/ashton.htm Ashton Hayes near Chester, England]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927001547/http://www.school-portal.co.uk/GroupHomepage.asp?GroupID=126629 Ashton Hayes County Primary School]
• [http://www.goingcarbonneutral.co.uk Ashton Hayes Going Carbon Neutral Project]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928043007/http://www.sustainablecheshire.org.uk/documents/ashtonhayes.pdf Going Carbon Neutral (PowerPoint presentation)]
• {{OpenDomesday|SJ5069|ashton|Ashton}}

{{Cheshire, Cheshire West and Chester}}

{{Cheshire}}

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Category:Villages in Cheshire

Category:Former civil parishes in Cheshire

Category:Energy conservation in the United Kingdom

Category:Cheshire West and Chester