Ashton Park
Encyclopedia
Ashton Park is situated in Ashton-on-Ribble
to the west of Preston, Lancashire, England
. It has two bowling greens, two play areas, with swings, roundabouts and climbing frames, several football pitches within a large, main field, and contains within it a magnificent country house. It also has a beautiful woodland area, ornamental gardens and many flower beds. Ashton House, the large country house within the park, has recently undergone extensive repair and restoration and is particularly well used as a children's nursery school. Extensive parking facilities are provided in the park which is located immediately to the south of Blackpool Road, which proceeds westwards to Cottam. Nearby on the southern side are the docks, and Riversway
complex, containing many offices and shops including Morrisons
, McDonalds, and Pets at Home. To the west are the Larches and Savick estates and Lea
.
When Edward Pedder died in 1861, it became apparent that there were not sufficient funds to pay all the demands on the bank and so the estate and its contents had to be sold.
The park was then purchase by Edmund Robert Harris, who became Preston's greatest public benefactor and left the mansion to the governors of Queen Anne's Bounty
for the benefit of poor clergy, which evolved into the Church Commissioners.
After the death of Harris in 1877 the estate was sold again. After many changes of ownership, the Calverts, mill owners, sold the mansion to English Electric
at the end of World War I
, who used it as a social club and for sporting activities. The best known from this period was Dick, Kerr's Ladies football team.
In 1937, Preston Town Council finally bought Ashton Park for the sum of £27.00 and the mansion, Ashton House was sold to Lancashire County Council
who turned it into a care home for the elderly. In the 1990s the house was sold to its present owners of the pre-school.
Ashton-on-Ribble
Ashton-on-Ribble is a suburb of Preston, Lancashire, England.The terms Ashton-on-Ribble and Ashton are often used synonymously, although Ashton is a specific electoral ward whilst Ashton-on-Ribble is a term applied more generally to much of the west of Preston...
to the west of Preston, Lancashire, 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...
. It has two bowling greens, two play areas, with swings, roundabouts and climbing frames, several football pitches within a large, main field, and contains within it a magnificent country house. It also has a beautiful woodland area, ornamental gardens and many flower beds. Ashton House, the large country house within the park, has recently undergone extensive repair and restoration and is particularly well used as a children's nursery school. Extensive parking facilities are provided in the park which is located immediately to the south of Blackpool Road, which proceeds westwards to Cottam. Nearby on the southern side are the docks, and Riversway
Riversway
Riversway is an electoral ward in Preston, Lancashire, England. The ward is named for its location close to the River Ribble, and the historical links to the former Port of Preston...
complex, containing many offices and shops including Morrisons
Morrisons
Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc is the fourth largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, headquartered in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The company is usually referred to and is branded as Morrisons formerly Morrison's, and it is part of the FTSE 100 Index of companies...
, McDonalds, and Pets at Home. To the west are the Larches and Savick estates and Lea
Lea, Lancashire
Lea and Cottam are villages in the City of Preston, Lancashire, England. Together they form the civil parish of Lea, which has a population of 5,962.-Geography:...
.
History
Ashton Park has a colourful history started by the Pedders family, who had made their fortune by founding the Old Preston Bank (located on Church St), built the Ashton Estate and Mansion in 1810 and lived there until 1861. Nearby Pedders Street and Pedders Lane are testimony to the importance of the family.When Edward Pedder died in 1861, it became apparent that there were not sufficient funds to pay all the demands on the bank and so the estate and its contents had to be sold.
The park was then purchase by Edmund Robert Harris, who became Preston's greatest public benefactor and left the mansion to the governors of Queen Anne's Bounty
Queen Anne's Bounty
Queen Anne's Bounty was a fund established in 1704 to augment the incomes of the poorer clergy of the Church of England. The bounty was funded by the tax on the incomes of all Church of England clergy, which was paid to the Pope until the Reformation, and thereafter to the Crown.In 1890, the total...
for the benefit of poor clergy, which evolved into the Church Commissioners.
After the death of Harris in 1877 the estate was sold again. After many changes of ownership, the Calverts, mill owners, sold the mansion to English Electric
English Electric
English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
at the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, who used it as a social club and for sporting activities. The best known from this period was Dick, Kerr's Ladies football team.
In 1937, Preston Town Council finally bought Ashton Park for the sum of £27.00 and the mansion, Ashton House was sold to Lancashire County Council
Lancashire County Council
Lancashire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire, England. It currently consists of 84 councillors, and is controlled by the Conservative Party, who won control of the council in the local council elections in June 2009, ending 28 years of...
who turned it into a care home for the elderly. In the 1990s the house was sold to its present owners of the pre-school.