Ashby-de-la-Zouch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ashby-de-la-Zouch/Ashby |
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| Town and civil parish | |
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Top to bottom, left to right: Ashby de la Zouch Castle, St Helen's Church & Market Street |
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 Ashby-de-la-Zouch/Ashby
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| Population | 15,120 (2021 Census) |
| OS grid reference | SK3516 |
| • London | 115 SE |
| Civil parish |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Ashby-de-la-Zouch |
| Postcode district | LE65 |
| Dialling code | 01530 |
| Police | Leicestershire |
| Fire | Leicestershire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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| Website | Ashby de la Zouch Town Council |
Ashby-de-la-Zouch is a lively market town. It is located in Leicestershire, England. The town is close to the borders of Derbyshire and Staffordshire. In 2021, about 16,491 people lived here.
Ashby de la Zouch Castle was a very important fort. It played a big role from the 1400s to the 1600s. In the 1800s, making ribbons was the town's main business. Ashby-de-la-Zouch is also in the middle of the National Forest. It is about 24 miles south of the Peak District National Park.
Contents
History of Ashby-de-la-Zouch
The town was first known as Ashby in 1086. This name comes from an old Anglo-Danish word. It means "Ash-tree farm" or "Ash-tree settlement." The longer name, "de la Zouch," was added later. This happened after the Norman Conquest of England. The town became owned by the La Zouche family around the time of King Henry III.
Ashby de la Zouch Castle was built in the 1100s. In 1464, the Hastings family took over the town and castle. William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings made the castle stronger starting in 1473. During the English Civil War, Ashby was a key base for the Cavaliers. They were led by Colonel Henry Hastings, 1st Baron Loughborough. The town fell after a long siege in March 1646. This was a big relief to the nearby areas.
Many buildings on Market Street, the main road, have hidden timber frames. These are covered by newer brick fronts. The Bull's Head pub still has its old Elizabethan timber look. A shop, now a LOROS Charity Shop, also shows its original Elizabethan timbers. You can also see Regency-style buildings on this street. Bath Street has Rawdon Terrace, a row of Classical-style houses. They were built in the 1820s when Ashby was a popular spa town.
Important Buildings in Ashby
Churches in Ashby
St Helen's Church is the oldest Anglican church in Ashby. It is a beautiful Gothic building from the late 1400s. It has special memorials for the Hastings family. The church also has a rare 300-year-old "finger pillory."
Holy Trinity Church was built between 1838 and 1840. It is a Gothic Revival style building. It has galleries supported by iron columns. The front part of the church was added in 1866.
The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Lourdes was built from 1908 to 1915. It was paid for by the 15th Duke of Norfolk. It has a neo-Norman style with three rounded ends and a tower.
The Congregational Church was built in 1825. It has a neoclassical style with Tuscan columns. There is also a Christadelphian meeting hall in town.
Ivanhoe Baths and Royal Hotel
The Ivanhoe Baths was a large building from 1822. It was designed in a Greek style. It was a spa where people came to use the special salty water. This water was found by coal miners in 1805. The Royal Hotel was built in 1826 for visitors to the spa. The Ivanhoe Baths building was taken down in 1962. The Royal Hotel closed in 2018.
Water Tower
The old water tower from the 1800s is now a Grade II-listed building. This means it is protected for its history. It is in the town's cemetery. The tower has been changed into a house. This change was a bit debated because of the modern parts added to it.
Loudoun Monument
In 1879, the Loudoun monument was built in Ashby. It honors Edith Rawdon-Hastings, the 10th Countess of Loudoun. This eight-sided monument was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott. It looks like the old Eleanor crosses. It is located where Bath and South Streets meet.
Ashby-de-la-Zouch Town Hall
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Ashby-de-la-Zouch Town Hall was built in 1857. It was built at the same time as the market hall behind it.
Education in Ashby
Ashby has two main secondary schools:
- Ashby School: This school was first called Ashby Grammar School. It was started in 1567. It teaches students aged 11 to 18.
- Ivanhoe School: This school was once called Ivanhoe College. It opened in 1954. It is for students aged 11 to 16. The school is named after the famous book Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. The story is set near Ashby Castle. In the book, Prince John holds an archery contest in Ashby. Robin Hood takes part and wins!
Manor House School was a private school in Ashby. It taught children from ages four to 16. The school was located between St Helen's Church and the old castle ruins. It closed down in December 2018.
Businesses in Ashby
In the 1800s, Ashby was known for making leather goods. There were also factories for cotton textiles and glue. Even though Ashby was near coal mines, it was never a coal mining town itself.
Today, the biggest employer in Ashby is United Biscuits. They have a large distribution center and a KP Snacks factory. These provide about 2,000 jobs. The company used to be even bigger in Ashby. The McVitie's biscuit factory closed in 2004, which meant 900 jobs were lost.
Other companies in Ashby include Tesco, Ashfield Commercial & Medical Services, and Timeline Communications. Standard Soap Ltd, a big employer since 1928, closed in 2012. Ashby also has many high-tech companies. The video game company Ultimate Play the Game started in Ashby. It is now called Rare and has moved nearby.
Fun and Sports in Ashby
Ashby United Community Football Club is a club for all ages. They have junior and senior teams. They are known for including everyone in football and sports.
Willesley Park Golf Course is a beautiful course. It covers 230 acres of rolling hills. The course opened in 1921. The first hole follows an old road. This road once led from the castle to the old Willesley Hall.
Ashby Hastings Cricket Club started before 1831. Their home ground, the Bath Grounds, is in the center of Ashby. This ground hosts matches for Leicestershire CCC's second team every year. The club has several teams for different leagues and ages. A second club, Ashby Town Cricket Club, was formed in 1945.
Ashby RFC is the town's rugby club. They play in the League Midland 3 East (North). They also have teams for younger players, both girls and boys.
The town also has a bridge club and a hockey club.
A greyhound racing track opened in Ashby on April 3, 1931. Races were held on Tuesday and Saturday evenings. The track likely closed around 1935.
Ivanhoe Runners started in 1985. It is a popular running club in Ashby. The club organizes the yearly Ashby 20-mile road race. This race is often held five weeks before the London Marathon. It is a challenging race with a hilly route. Runners get a special Ashby 20 hoody instead of a medal. The race has won awards for being well-organized. Many local groups help with the race each year.
Getting Around Ashby
The Ashby Canal was meant to reach Ashby in 1804. However, it only went as far as the village of Moira. The town used to have a railway station on the Leicester–Burton upon Trent line. Passenger services stopped, and the station closed in 1964. The railway still carries freight. Other train lines to Melbourne, Market Bosworth, and Nuneaton also closed between the 1950s and 1980s. Parts of these old lines are now footpaths.
In the 1990s, there were plans to bring back passenger trains between Leicester and Burton. This project was called the Ivanhoe Line. However, these plans were put on hold. In 2009, a proposal was made to restart passenger services. This would include reopening a station in Ashby.
The closest active train station is in Burton-on-Trent, about 8 miles away. For faster trains to London, Tamworth station is 12 miles from Ashby.
The A50 and A453 used to go through the town center. Now, the A42 and A511 bypasses take most of the heavy traffic away. This makes the town center much quieter.
Buses offer regular services to nearby towns like Burton-upon-Trent, Coalville, and Swadlincote. You can also get to East Midlands Airport and Leicester by bus. For longer journeys, National Express coaches are available from Leicester.
East Midlands Airport is about 9 miles north-east of Ashby. It has flights to other parts of the UK and Europe. For international flights, Birmingham Airport is about 26 miles away.
Media in Ashby
Television signals come from the Sutton Coldfield TV transmitter. You can also get BBC East Midlands and ITV Central through cable and satellite TV.
Local radio stations include BBC Radio Leicester, Smooth East Midlands, and Capital Midlands. There is also Hermitage FM, a community radio station.
Local newspapers are Ashby Nub News and the Leicester Mercury.
Culture and Events
Every May, Ashby holds an arts festival. It features local artists, musicians, and storytellers. Exhibitions, music, and workshops take place around town. The town center is decorated with flags and outdoor art.
Ashby Statutes is a funfair held every September. It started as a "hiring fair" where people would find jobs for the year. Today, Market Street is closed for almost a week for the fair. Locals simply call it "The Statutes."
A song called "Ashby de la Zouch (Castle Abbey)" was recorded in 1946. It jokingly says, "If you wanna smooch and be happy as a pooch, go to Ashby de la Zouch by the sea." This is funny because Ashby-de-la-Zouch is very far from the sea! In 1946, jazz musician Charles Mingus also recorded a song called "Ashby de la Zouch."
Ashby-de-la-Zouch is a twin town with Pithiviers in France.
The town is mentioned in the famous novel Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. He writes about "the lists at Ashby" or "the lists at Ashby-de-la-Zouch." This suggests that jousting (knightly contests) might have happened there long ago. The computer game Defender of the Crown also mentions Ashby-de-la-Zouch, inspired by Scott's novel.
Notable People from Ashby
- Robin Beanland (born 1968), a composer for video games.
- Mark Chadbourn (born 1960), an author and screenwriter.
- Joseph Hall (1574–1656), a writer and bishop.
- Frank Abney Hastings (1794–1828), a British naval officer.
- Russell Hoult (born 1972), a footballer.
- Lara Jones (1975–2010), a children's author.
- Grant Kirkhope (born 1962), another video game music composer.
- Niall Mackenzie (born 1961), a Grand Prix motorcycle racer.
- James Martin (1933–2013), an IT consultant and author.
- Dolly Shepherd (1887–1983), an aviator who parachuted from balloons.
- Tim and Chris Stamper, who founded the video game companies Ultimate Play the Game and Rareware.
- Paul Taylor (born 1964), an England cricketer.
- Bernard Vann (1887–1918), a brave army officer in World War I.
- Roger Williamson (1948–1973), a Formula One racing driver.
- Alastair Yates (1952–2018), a TV news presenter.
- Young Knives, a band formed in Ashby.
Location
Neighbouring communities include Lount, Normanton le Heath, Smisby, Packington, Donisthorpe, Oakthorpe, Moira, Measham and Coleorton.
Images for kids
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A511 Ashby bypass
See also
In Spanish: Ashby-de-la-Zouch para niños
