Step into the past....
Ashbourne became a busy and fashionable social centre for the wealthy during the Georgian period, with six coaching roads meeting here, including the route from London to Carlisle. The legacy of over 200 listed buildings, fine coaching inns and mellow town houses combine to create a unique atmosphere.
A stroll down the main street takes you past historic almshouses, the 16th century Old Grammar School and the Mansion where Dr Johnson visited his friend Dr Taylor. Pause awhile to visit the lovely parish church of St Oswald, with its graceful 212ft spire, or follow the Heritage Trail around the town, and reward yourself afterwards with a visit to one of the many traditional tearooms.
Little has changed in Ashbourne since the 18th century as you can see in the "Past" and "Present" images of the town below, click on a link to jump to the relevant scene:
Market Place - Victoria Square - The Green Man - Ashbourne Hall - The Station
Compton - St John Street - Grammar School - Penelope Boothby
The Market Place
Ashbourne had a market Charter as early as 1257.
In 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie (the Young Pretender) came to Ashbourne. He declared
Charles (the Old Pretender) King of England, Scotland and Ireland in the Market Place.
The Memorial in the Market Place is for Francis Wright of Osmaston Manor, who built St John's Church.
Market Place - Victoria Square - The Green Man - Ashbourne Hall - The Station
Compton - St John Street - Grammar School - Penelope Boothby
Victoria Square
In Medieval times, Victoria Square was known as ‘The Shambles' where butchers cut up the meat to sell.
The Lamplight restaurant was formally known as The Tiger Inn . This medieval building has fine timber framework.
The Public House ‘The Horns' is named after the Marquis of Hartington, the eldest son of the Duke of Devonshire, see coat of arms
Market Place - Victoria Square - The Green Man - Ashbourne Hall - The Station
Compton - St John Street - Grammar School - Penelope Boothby
The Green Man
The full name of the Green Man Hotel is ‘The Royal Green Man and Blackamore's Head Commercial and Family Hotel'.
This is in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest worded inn sign in the world.
Market Place - Victoria Square - The Green Man - Ashbourne Hall - The Station
Compton - St John Street - Grammar School - Penelope Boothby
Ashbourne Hall
The little girl on the famous tomb in St Oswald's is Penelope Boothby, only daughter of Sir Brooke Boothby of Ashbourne Hall.
Market Place - Victoria Square - The Green Man - Ashbourne Hall - The Station
Compton - St John Street - Grammar School - Penelope Boothby
The Station
The North Staffordshire Railway Company opened on 29 May 1852 in Ashbourne.
Market Place - Victoria Square - The Green Man - Ashbourne Hall - The Station
Compton - St John Street - Grammar School - Penelope Boothby
Compton
As the Romans transported the pigs of lead from the Derbyshire mines to their port at Chester to take back to Rome, they rested in a wooded valley near a river overnight before setting off next morning up Spital Hill to Long Lane (the Roman Road).
They named this camp ‘Campdene' – or as we call it today ‘Compton'
Market Place - Victoria Square - The Green Man - Ashbourne Hall - The Station
Compton - St John Street - Grammar School - Penelope Boothby
St John Street
St John St, St John's House and St John's Church are all named after the Monastery of St John
which was located in the vicinity of Cockayne Avenue and Green Road
Market Place - Victoria Square - The Green Man - Ashbourne Hall - The Station
Compton - St John Street - Grammar School - Penelope Boothby
Grammar School
The Charter of the Grammar School is dated 1585
Market Place - Victoria Square - The Green Man - Ashbourne Hall - The Station - Compton - Grammar School - Penelope Boothby - St John Street
Penelope Boothby
The little girl on the famous tomb in St Oswald's is Penelope Boothby, only daughter of Sir Brooke Boothby of Ashbourne Hall.
The painting, ‘The little Girl in the Mob Cap' is also Penelope Boothby and was painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds.
It originally hung in Ashbourne Hall but is now in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
Market Place - Victoria Square - The Green Man - Ashbourne Hall - The Station
Compton - St John Street - Grammar School - Penelope Boothby |
