Aylesford | |
|---|---|
  Aylesford Location of Aylesford, Nova Scotia | |
| Coordinates:45°02′0″N64°50′00″W / 45.03333°N 64.83333°W /45.03333; -64.83333 | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Nova Scotia |
| County | Kings |
| Electoral Districts Federal | West Nova |
| Provincial | Kings West |
| Elevation | 32 m (105 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 834 |
| Time zone | UTC-4 (AST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-3 (ADT) |
| Canadian Postal code | B0P 1C0 |
| Area code | 902 782 |
| Telephone Exchange | 847 |
| NTS Map | 021H02 |
| GNBC Code | CABCE |
Aylesford, is a village situated in westernKings County in theAnnapolis Valley ofNova Scotia,Canada. The settlement was named after thefourth Earl of Aylesford,Heneage Finch, who was Lord Of The Bedchamber toGeorge III from 1772-1777.[2] The community is located between the North and South Mountains, and is roughly a 15 minute drive to Canadian Forces BaseGreenwood, and a 10 minute drive to its closest neighbour, theTown Of Berwick. Aylesford is located on theEvangeline Trail (Trunk 1) scenic tourist route, which was named after the epic 1847H.W. Longfellow poem entitledEvangeline, A Tale of Acadie.
Aylesford is one of the oldest surviving settlements inKings County, originally settled by Ulster Scots (Scots-Irish) during the early 1770s. Between 1772 and 1781, the population of Nova Scotia actually fell - from 19,000 to 12,000 - but by 1784, after the continued arrival ofUnited Empire Loyalists during theAmerican Revolution, the population had reached 32,000. A number of Loyalists, aka "The King’s Loyal Americans" put down roots in Aylesford and the surrounding area. Aylesford emerged as a major centre for packing, processing and exporting apples after the arrival of theWindsor and Annapolis Railway in 1869.
In the2021 Census of Population conducted byStatistics Canada, Aylesford had a population of 834 living in 399 of its 428 total private dwellings, a change of0.1% from its 2016 population of 833. With a land area of 4.08 km2 (1.58 sq mi), it had a population density of204.4/km2 (529.4/sq mi) in 2021.[1]
Aylesford's economy relies primarily on the local agricultural industry. It is a service centre for the surrounding agricultural district. An important crop iscranberries cultivated on the extensive peat bogs.Peat moss harvesting operations are also active.
Aylesford's largest tourist attraction, theOaklawn Farm Zoo (located just outside the village inMillville), was home to Rutledge, the heaviest livinglion in captivity, as certified byGuinness World Records in 1997. Rutledge died in February 2009, three months short of his 18th birthday.[3] Thezoo also has a variety of other animals includingtigers,dromedary camels, and a variety ofmonkeys. Other attractions in Aylesford include a public beach at Aylesford Lake, Crystal Falls hiking trail, and Clairemont Provincial park.
A farm called Dempsey's Corner has a fee-based self-pick service for fruits and vegetables. They also have a petting zoo and educate their visitors on the history of farming. Many other area farms provide a self-pick service offering strawberries, apples, pears, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches and other produce.[4]
There is also an Elementary School, St. Mary's Elementary (grades from primary to 5), along with West Kings District High School (grades 9-12). The Middle School youth attend Pine Ridge Middle School in neighbouring Kingston.
There is a thriving Scouting group in Aylesford, 1st Aylesford Scouting, which is about to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2024.
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