The two Astons merge comfortably at the foot of the Berkshire Downs beneath Blewburton Hill to the west and Lowbury Hill to the south. Both villages appear in the Domesday Book.
Aston Upthorpe's All Saints Church is built on Saxon foundations, has an 11th century nave, a filled Norman door and a 15th century porch. St Michael's Church in Aston Tirrold dates back to 1080, was remodelled in the 13th century, and the tower and south transept were added in the 14th century. A third church, the Presbyterian Chapel, was built in 1728 and continues still as the United Reformed Church.
Training stables and racing stud in Aston Upthorpe reflect the Astons' long connection with horse racing. There is now just one public house serving the two villages. The Chequers, an 18th century building, has been an inn or a pub through most of its history.
