The parish was historically known under a variety of names; the earliest recorded is "Astanescote", from the 12th century. The name evolved and was recorded as just "Ascote" in 1372; in 1667 it was first recorded as "Chappell Ascott". The etymology of the name is unclear: one theory is that the name derives from "Ēadstan's cote". Another suggests it comes from "Aelfstan's cottages"; Aelfstan being a man granted land in Bishop's Itchington.[4]
Chapel of St Helen
There was a medieval chapel in the parish.[4] There is a 20-metre-long, 10 metre-wide mound in a field. A chapel is known to have existed in 1208 at the earliest; it was probably abandoned by 1595, and subsequently torn down in 1632.[5] Drainage works in the field revealed medieval-era skeletons.[6]
Geography
Climate
Chapel Ascote has a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb),[7] meaning it has a narrow temperature range, with moderate summers and relatively mild and cool winters.[8]
The Met Office provides a forecast service for adjacent Bishop's Itchington.[9]
