Our Community

Welcome to the Devon Villages of Ashreigney and Riddlecombe

Location

Ashreigney is a beautiful, rural Parish located in North Devon on the eastern edge of the Torridge District Council area.

It is situated between the towns of Chulmleigh and Winkleigh on one of the high Culm ridges between the Taw and Torridge rivers.  The nearest large towns are Barnstaple (15 miles) and Great Torrington (12 miles). 

A natural, peaceful parish, it includes the settlement of Riddlecombe and several small hamlets including Cottwood and Bridge Reeve.   The deeply rural, rolling landscape is made up of farmland intersected by steep sided and heavily wooded valleys. 

History

The village of Ashreigney was recorded in the Domesday Book and there are several properties in the Parish that bear the heart of that history.

The Village Hall lies in the centre of Ashreigney. Originally the Village School, it opened in 1861 and became a Junior School in 1937.  In 1972, the School closed and all the pupils transferred to Winkleigh. 

On 4th June 1973, the Parishioners bought both the School and the adjacent School House for the sum of £8000.  The money for the purchase being raised in a variety of ways including dances, social events and the sale of Ewes and their Lambs at market.

In July 2020 the Village Hall became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.

Population

According to the 2021 Census* the population of the Parish is 492. There is an almost 50/50 split between males and females. 14% are aged 15 or under, 61% between 16 and 64 and the remaining 25% are over 65.

95% of local residents were born in the UK. 97% are recorded as white British. 58% identify as Christian.

There has been very little change in the population over the previous decade with an increase of only 0.99%

For more detail click on the following link…

*Source: https://citypopulation.de

Economy

Farming and agriculture continue to be a significant source of employment in the Community. 

However a large number of the population commute out to the larger surrounding conurbations for work.   The average weekly gross pay in Torridge is registered as £385 which ranks as the 6th lowest in the UK. The 2019 Indices of Deprivation ranked Torridge as the 67th most deprived area in England. 

Why is our Village Hall so important?

Our Village Hall’s importance lies in the fact that apart from our local Church it is the only social space in which local residents can meet together. In such a small, rural and isolated parish as Ashreigney, where public transport is limited and with no other local amenities available, it provides a hub where people can meet to socialise, support each other, provide guidance and reassurance.

It truly is the heart of our community.

When planning the renovation of this much loved part of village life, we consulted widely among people in all corners of the Parish. One of the questionnaires asked people…


” What does our Village Hall mean to you?”

Here are just a few of the responses…

‘The heart of the Village providing a much-needed facility for various events and clubs.’

‘Without the Hall the Village would have nowhere to hold events, classes, meetings etc it is the heart and soul.’

Without the Hall we would feel disconnected.’

‘It is vital to the well-being of our community.’

Very important to me, please keep it going, it brings people together and helps those who are isolated and lonely.’


These are the words and feelings of real people living in our Community. They clearly express the true importance of our Hall and make the strongest possible case for preserving it for future generations.

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