Ashford, Surrey
Encyclopedia
Ashford is a town almost entirely in the Surrey
borough of Spelthorne
in England
, with a small part falling within Greater London
. It is a suburban development situated 15 miles (24 km) west south-west of Charing Cross in London
and forms part of the London commuter belt
. It is often referred to as Ashford, Middlesex
to distinguish it from the larger town of Ashford, Kent
, because it fell within the historic county
of Middlesex. Since 1965, when Middlesex County Council was dissolved, it has been part of Surrey and the small London section part of the London Borough of Hounslow
.
Domesday
map as Exeforde. It was held by Robert, Count of Mortain. Its Domesday Assets were: 1 plough, meadow for 1 plough; a separate manor in 1066, it was part of the manor of Kempton in 1086. It rendered (in total): 14s 0d.
The settlement was most likely founded in Saxon times Bronze Age
artifacts
have been found in Ashford (at 51.432708N, 0.485174W), and a henge
may have been present in Bronze Age times.
The present parish church of St Matthew was built in 1858 with financial assistance from the Welsh School (now St David's School) which had just moved to Ashford. A daughter church to St Matthew was built on the corner of Stanwell Road and Woodthorpe Road, commencing in 1913, in order to serve the needs of the rapidly growing community of dwellings built around the railway station. Although the original design of this new church included a magnificent spire which would have been one of the most significant landmarks in the area, this was never built. The church without its spire was completed in 1928 and consecrated to St Hilda. Initially assigned the status of a Conventional District under the Parish Church of St Matthew, St Hilda's Church is now a Parish in its own right. Ashford also has an imposing Roman Catholic Church designed by the architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott RA, which is dedicated to St Michael. The foundation stone of the building was laid in 1927 at the site on the corner of Fordbridge Road and Clarendon Road and the partially completed church was consecrated in 1928. Further work to extend the building was carried out in 1938 but the second world war intervened and the building was not completed to the original design until 1960.
For long a village, Ashford was always associated with Staines
, its nearest neighbour.
, Ashford became part of the Staines Rural District
of Middlesex
. In 1930 the rural district was abolished and Ashford was added to the Staines Urban District
. In 1965, under the London Government Act 1963, Middlesex County Council was abolished and the urban district was transferred to Surrey
. In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972
, Staines Urban District was abolished and its area combined with that of Sunbury-on-Thames Urban District
to create the present-day borough of Spelthorne.
housing built between 1930 and 1960.
The high street
- actually called Church Road - mainly comprises local businesses, with Co-op
, Tesco Express Subway, KFC, Costa Coffee and now a Sainsbury's. In the highstreet there are three funeral directors, many different eateries and hairdressers. Church Road is also home to the Ashford Campus of Brooklands College (formerly Spelthorne College
), Ashford Library and a World War 2
memorial. Ashford, in common with most of London suburbia, has very low unemployment rates. A great deal of local employment is directly related to Heathrow Airport. BP International is another major employer. Many other Ashfordians work in London
or in the Thames Valley
.
The town is served by South West Trains
services from Waterloo station
calling at Ashford railway station which lies to the south of the A30 road
. There are many bus services provided by Abellio
, as well as some other London Buses
routes run by other operators.
There are many local primary and secondary schools. Echelford Primary School on Feltham road is one of the best primary schools in the area. There is also a further education college for ages 16 to 18; Spelthorne College which became a Brooklands College Campus in 2007.
There are active sports clubs in Ashford - Football (Ashford Town F.C. (Middlesex)
), Cricket (http://www.ashfordcc.co.uk/), Hockey, Tennis, Table Tennis, Aikido, Karate, Acrobatic Gymnastics, Sailing, Golf & Bowls. Ashford Manor Golf Club is the only golf course in the town. It is an average golf course despite being described as flat and fairly boring. Spelthorne Atoms (previously known as Ashford Atoms) are one of the best youth basketball teams in the country having been to the national finals on a number of occasions. Spelthorne Elite Acrobatics club is one of the premier clubs for Acrobatic Gymnastics in the World, having won 8 World Title gold medals.
Ashford has the only river, River Ash which runs under a roundabout at the far end of Fordbridge Road.
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
borough of Spelthorne
Spelthorne
Spelthorne is a local government district and borough in Surrey, England. It includes the towns of Ashford, Laleham, Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell and Sunbury...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, with a small part falling within Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
. It is a suburban development situated 15 miles (24 km) west south-west of Charing Cross in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and forms part of the London commuter belt
London commuter belt
The London commuter belt is the metropolitan area surrounding London, England from which it is practical to commute to work in the capital. It is alternatively known as the Greater South East, the London metropolitan area or the Southeast metropolitan area...
. It is often referred to as Ashford, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
to distinguish it from the larger town of Ashford, Kent
Ashford, Kent
Ashford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most...
, because it fell within the historic county
Historic counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
of Middlesex. Since 1965, when Middlesex County Council was dissolved, it has been part of Surrey and the small London section part of the London Borough of Hounslow
London Borough of Hounslow
-Political composition:Since the borough was formed it has been controlled by the Labour Party on all but two occasions. In 1968 the Conservatives formed a majority for the first and last time to date until they lost control to Labour in 1971. Labour subsequently lost control of the council in the...
.
History
Ashford appears on the MiddlesexMiddlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
Domesday
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
map as Exeforde. It was held by Robert, Count of Mortain. Its Domesday Assets were: 1 plough, meadow for 1 plough; a separate manor in 1066, it was part of the manor of Kempton in 1086. It rendered (in total): 14s 0d.
The settlement was most likely founded in Saxon times Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
artifacts
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
have been found in Ashford (at 51.432708N, 0.485174W), and a henge
Henge
There are three related types of Neolithic earthwork which are all sometimes loosely called henges. The essential characteristic of all three types is that they feature a ring bank and ditch but with the ditch inside the bank rather than outside...
may have been present in Bronze Age times.
The present parish church of St Matthew was built in 1858 with financial assistance from the Welsh School (now St David's School) which had just moved to Ashford. A daughter church to St Matthew was built on the corner of Stanwell Road and Woodthorpe Road, commencing in 1913, in order to serve the needs of the rapidly growing community of dwellings built around the railway station. Although the original design of this new church included a magnificent spire which would have been one of the most significant landmarks in the area, this was never built. The church without its spire was completed in 1928 and consecrated to St Hilda. Initially assigned the status of a Conventional District under the Parish Church of St Matthew, St Hilda's Church is now a Parish in its own right. Ashford also has an imposing Roman Catholic Church designed by the architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott RA, which is dedicated to St Michael. The foundation stone of the building was laid in 1927 at the site on the corner of Fordbridge Road and Clarendon Road and the partially completed church was consecrated in 1928. Further work to extend the building was carried out in 1938 but the second world war intervened and the building was not completed to the original design until 1960.
For long a village, Ashford was always associated with Staines
Staines
Staines is a Thames-side town in the Spelthorne borough of Surrey and Greater London Urban Area, as well as the London Commuter Belt of South East England. It is a suburban development within the western bounds of the M25 motorway and located 17 miles west south-west of Charing Cross in...
, its nearest neighbour.
Status
In 1894, under the Local Government Act 1894Local Government Act 1894
The Local Government Act 1894 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level under the Local Government Act 1888...
, Ashford became part of the Staines Rural District
Staines Rural District
Staines was a rural district of Middlesex in England from 1894 to 1930.It was created in 1894 based on the former Staines rural sanitary district...
of Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
. In 1930 the rural district was abolished and Ashford was added to the Staines Urban District
Staines Urban District
Staines was a local government district from 1894 to 1974 around the town of Staines. Apart from Staines itself, it also covered Ashford, Laleham and Stanwell....
. In 1965, under the London Government Act 1963, Middlesex County Council was abolished and the urban district was transferred to Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
, Staines Urban District was abolished and its area combined with that of Sunbury-on-Thames Urban District
Sunbury-on-Thames Urban District
Sunbury on Thames - also known as Sunbury - was a local government district from 1894 to 1974 around the town of Sunbury-on-Thames, also covering Littleton and Shepperton....
to create the present-day borough of Spelthorne.
Ashford today
Although the town's origins are ancient, Ashford's housing stock is chiefly a mixture of detached and semi-detachedSemi-detached
Semi-detached housing consists of pairs of houses built side by side as units sharing a party wall and usually in such a way that each house's layout is a mirror image of its twin...
housing built between 1930 and 1960.
The high street
High Street
High Street, or the High Street, is a metonym for the generic name of the primary business street of towns or cities, especially in the United Kingdom. It is usually a focal point for shops and retailers in city centres, and is most often used in reference to retailing...
- actually called Church Road - mainly comprises local businesses, with Co-op
The Co-operative Group
The Co-operative Group Ltd. is a United Kingdom consumer cooperative with a diverse range of business interests. It is co-operatively run and owned by its members. It is the largest organisation of this type in the world, with over 5.5 million members, who all have a say in how the business is...
, Tesco Express Subway, KFC, Costa Coffee and now a Sainsbury's. In the highstreet there are three funeral directors, many different eateries and hairdressers. Church Road is also home to the Ashford Campus of Brooklands College (formerly Spelthorne College
Spelthorne College
Spelthorne College was a sixth form college in Ashford, Surrey, England, positioned on the High Street.-Former school:It was originally founded as Ashford County Grammar School, for 11-18 year olds, in 1911 in what was then the county of Middlesex....
), Ashford Library and a World War 2
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
memorial. Ashford, in common with most of London suburbia, has very low unemployment rates. A great deal of local employment is directly related to Heathrow Airport. BP International is another major employer. Many other Ashfordians work in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
or in the Thames Valley
Thames Valley
The Thames Valley Region is a loose term for the English counties and towns roughly following the course of the River Thames as it flows from Oxfordshire in the west to London in the east. It includes parts of Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, North Hampshire, Surrey and west London...
.
The town is served by South West Trains
South West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
services from Waterloo station
Waterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
calling at Ashford railway station which lies to the south of the A30 road
A30 road
The 284 miles A30 road from London to Land's End, historically known as the Great South West Road used to provide the most direct route from London to the south west; more recently the M3 motorway and A303 road performs this function for much of the route and only parts of A30 now retain trunk...
. There are many bus services provided by Abellio
Abellio (UK bus company)
Abellio London and Abellio Surrey operate buses in London and Surrey. They are part of the Abellio Group owned by the Nederlandse Spoorwegen.-History:...
, as well as some other London Buses
London Buses
London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
routes run by other operators.
There are many local primary and secondary schools. Echelford Primary School on Feltham road is one of the best primary schools in the area. There is also a further education college for ages 16 to 18; Spelthorne College which became a Brooklands College Campus in 2007.
There are active sports clubs in Ashford - Football (Ashford Town F.C. (Middlesex)
Ashford Town F.C. (Middlesex)
Ashford Town F.C. are an English football club based in Ashford, Surrey. The club are currently members of Division One Central of the Southern League and play at Short Lane...
), Cricket (http://www.ashfordcc.co.uk/), Hockey, Tennis, Table Tennis, Aikido, Karate, Acrobatic Gymnastics, Sailing, Golf & Bowls. Ashford Manor Golf Club is the only golf course in the town. It is an average golf course despite being described as flat and fairly boring. Spelthorne Atoms (previously known as Ashford Atoms) are one of the best youth basketball teams in the country having been to the national finals on a number of occasions. Spelthorne Elite Acrobatics club is one of the premier clubs for Acrobatic Gymnastics in the World, having won 8 World Title gold medals.
Ashford has the only river, River Ash which runs under a roundabout at the far end of Fordbridge Road.
Notable people
- Sarah AytonSarah AytonSarah Lianne Ayton Dempsey OBE is an English professional sailor.She won a gold medal in the Yngling sailing class in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, together with Shirley Robertson and Sarah Webb, and another gold medal in the Yngling sailing class in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing,...
, Olympic gold medallist in the YnglingYnglingThe Ynglings were the oldest known Scandinavian dynasty. It can refer to the clans of the Scylfings , the semi-legendary royal Swedish clan during the Age of Migrations, with kings such as Eadgils, Onela and Ohthere...
sailing class, 2004 and 2008 - Bobby DavroBobby DavroBobby Davro is a British actor and comedian. He is mainly known for his work as an impressionist...
, born Robert Nankeville, TV impressionist and actor - Ray DorsetRay DorsetRay Dorset is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and founder of Mungo Jerry...
, singer-songwriter with Mungo JerryMungo JerryMungo Jerry is an English rock group whose greatest success was in the early 1970s, though they have continued throughout the years with an ever-changing line-up, always fronted by Ray Dorset. They are remembered above all for their hit "In the Summertime". It remains their most successful and most... - Robert EvansRobert Evans (politician)Robert John Emlyn Evans was a Member of the European Parliament for the Labour and Co-operative Parties, representing London from 1994–2009...
, politician, Labour MEP 1994-2009 - Russell GrantRussell GrantRussell John Dammerall Grant is a British astrologer and media personality. He has written several books on Astrology, provides syndicated newspaper horoscopes and operates premium rate astrology phone lines. In March 2010, he began offering a "Pet Psychic" service...
, astrologerAstrologerAn astrologer practices one or more forms of astrology. Typically an astrologer draws a horoscope for the time of an event, such as a person's birth, and interprets celestial points and their placements at the time of the event to better understand someone, determine the auspiciousness of an...
and resident of Staines, became Lord of Ashford in 1996 - Roger JohnsonRoger Johnson (footballer)Roger Johnson is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers....
, footballer - Scott RendellScott RendellScott David Rendell is an English footballer who plays for Wycombe Wanderers. His position is striker.-Career:Rendell was born in Ashford, Surrey but lived in Basingstoke, Hampshire, and he started his career with Staines Albion where he played until the age of 16. After Staines, Scott was signed...
, footballer currently playing for League OneFootball League OneFootball League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
team Wycombe WanderersWycombe Wanderers F.C.Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play... - Sarah WebbSarah WebbSarah Kathleen Webb Gosling OBE is a British professional sailor and two-time Olympic gold medalist.-Sailing career:...
, Olympic gold medallist in the YnglingYnglingThe Ynglings were the oldest known Scandinavian dynasty. It can refer to the clans of the Scylfings , the semi-legendary royal Swedish clan during the Age of Migrations, with kings such as Eadgils, Onela and Ohthere...
sailing class, 2004 and 2008 - SpelboundSpelboundSpelbound are a gymnastic troupe from the United Kingdom who rose to fame in 2010, winning the fourth series of Britain's Got Talent. The prize was £100,000 and the opportunity to appear at the 2010 Royal Variety Performance. They also performed in the Britain's Got Talent Live tour...
, acrobatic group, 2010 Britain's Got TalentBritain's Got TalentBritain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
winners - Norman WillisNorman WillisNorman David Willis was the General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress in the United Kingdom from 1984–1993, and President of the European Trade Union Confederation 1991–93.-Early life:...
, General Secretary of the Trades Union CongressTrades Union CongressThe Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
(TUC) 1984-92 and president of the European Trade Union ConfederationEuropean Trade Union ConfederationThe European Trade Union Confederation is a trade union organization which was established in 1973 to represent workers and their national affiliates at the European level....
1991-93
External links
- St Matthew's Church Website
- St Hilda's Church Website
- St Michael's Catholic Church Website
- Ashford Town Football Club
- Ashford Campus of Brooklands CollegeBrooklands CollegeBrooklands College is a further education college in Weybridge and Ashford. In August 2007, Brooklands merged with Spelthorne College in Ashford. The Weybridge campus is set in the grounds of Hugh F. Lock-King's historic mansion at Brooklands. The Ashford campus is located on Ashford's high...
- Stained Glass Windows at St. David's School Chapel Ashford, Surrey
- Ashford Eating Guide