The church has records of patrons and rectors going back to the 13th century and there is reason to believe that a religious building was on the site of the present church well before that. The building holds an outstanding and nationally important collection of painted glass windows by Charles Eamer Kempe. These were installed as part of the Victorian restoration of the church between 1877 and 1878.
Ashe House was formerly the Rectory and has a strong connection with Jane Austen. During Jane’s time in Steventon, Ashe Rectory was occupied by the Lefroy family. “Madam” Lefroy, as she was known, was Jane’s “beloved friend” and mentor. Jane was devastated when Madam Lefroy died after a fall from her horse in December 1804. It is known that Jane spent many happy hours at Ashe Rectory. One of Jane’s favourite nieces, Anna Austen, married Bejamin Lefroy, the youngest son of “Madam” Lefroy. The church contains several monuments relating to members of the Austen and Lefroy families.
The River Test is a chalk stream world-famous for its trout fishing. It is generally regarded as the birthplace of modern fly fishing. It has one of the richest fauna and flora of any lowland river in England. More than 100 species of flowering plant have been recorded along its banks and 232 members of the invertebrate group in the river itself.
The river rises near Ashe church, 7 miles (11 km) to the west of Basingstoke (at grid reference SU 532,498), and flows west through the villages of Overton, Laverstoke, and the town of Whitchurch, before joining with the Bourne rivulet and turning in a more southerly direction.
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