The Astons Recreation Ground - Chalk Hill, Aston Tirrold, Oxfordshire

Management of the recreation ground

The recreation ground is jointly owned by the two parish councils of Aston Tirrold and Upthorpe but managed and maintained by a committee of the parish councils. It includes representatives of village groups and clubs and interested individuals and meets regularly in the Village Hall.

Members of the public are welcome at these meetings.

Publications Scheme. See Parish Councils page (Link to come)

The pavilion, playground and play areas are inspected each month by ARC, and annually by RoSPA - however if you become aware of any fault or problem please contact the Parish Councils.

We ask all visitors to the recreation ground to help us keep this beautiful village facility clean and tidy by either taking litter home, or by using the bins provided.

Facilities

We have a good range of sporting and leisure facilities at the recreation ground :

• cricket pitch
  
• football pitch
  
• two boules pitches
  
• multi-game all weather hard surface
  
• adventure playground
  
• BMX area
  
• pavilion
  

The grounds are well used by a range of village clubs plus general leisure use by the villagers.

Use of the recreation ground

The Astons Cricket Club plays a full fixtures list each summer.

Football has a long history in the Astons, and continues to be played throughout the summer and winter months for both adult and junior players.

Our hugely popular Bonfire Night has been held each November since 1989 and is a major fund raiser for recreation ground funds.

The Annual Astons Boules Tournament has been an extremely successful addition to the villages' sporting calendar, raising funds for the maintenance of the pitch and for a charity chosen each year by the Tournament Committee.

The annual village fete is held here of course, providing funds for both the village churches and the recreation ground.

History of the recreation ground

The recreation ground was bought by the villages in 1897 to celebrate the Ruby Jubilee of Queen Victoria. Five acres of land were bought by public subscription for £150, with an extra £100 being spent on fencing and new trees.

Since then the grounds' facilities have gradually been added to by succeeding generations of enthusiastic villagers.

The current adventure playground was begun in 1977 when the tunnel mound was created to celebrate the Queen's Silver Jubilee. Then in 1988 a group of parents clubbed together to raise funds for a sand pit, swings and climbing frames while a village resident very kindly added a slide to the mound. It was at this stage that the playground was enclosed for added security, and to make it dog proof. In 1996 another group of parents got together and added the fort and junior 'assault course'.

The Millennium saw a Village Recreation Plan drawn up both villages which in 2001 led to the addition of a youth shelter, a BMX mound, Boules pitch, and hard surface play area.

The Pavilion

The Millennium Plan also proposed a new and better pavilion to improve access and catering arrangements.

The current pavilion is in fact the third 'pavilion' at the rec. - the first a thatched pavilion back in the 1950s sited where the playground is now. When this burnt down a corrugated one existed briefly in a position facing the current pavilion site.

The current pavilion was built by the village football team in 1969.

We are currently fund-raising and applying for grants for a brand new pavilion and garage more suited to the wide range of sporting and social events catered for at our rec.

Proposed Pavillion - Artists Impression

Proposed Pavillion - Layout

Adventure Playground in Winter

Annual Village Fete