Ashford, Surrey

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, but mainly because it is geographically located in the ancient County of Middlesex. Since 1965, when Middlesex County Council was dissolved, it has been administered by Surrey County Council and the London Borough of Hounslow.

History

Ashford appears on the Middlesex "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. [ [http://www.gwp.enta.net/surrnames.htm Surrey "Domesday Book"] ]

The settlement was most likely founded in Saxon times. Bronze Age artefacts 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 [http://www.stmatthewashford.org.uk] was built in 1858 with financial assistance from the "Welsh School" (now St David's School) which had just moved to Ashford. For long a village, Ashford was always associated with Staines, its nearest neighbour.

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In 1894, under the Local Government Act 1894, Ashford became part of the Staines Rural District of Middlesex. [Vision of Britain - [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10107635&c_id=10001043 Staines Rural District] ] 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. [Vision of Britain - [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10221420 Staines Urban District] ] 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.

Ashford today

Although the town's origins are ancient, Ashford's housing stock is chiefly a mixture of villas and castle-like houses built between 1930 and 1960.

The high street mainly comprises local businesses, with Somerfield, Tesco Express and Woolworths and now a Subway also present. In particular, down the highstreet there is a funeral director, many different eateries and hairdressers. The main street is also home to the Ashford Campus of Brooklands College (formally 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 Travel Surrey, as well as some other London Buses routes run by other operators.

There are many local primary and secondary schools. 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, Hockey, Tennis, Table Tennis, Aikido, Karate, Acrobatic Gymnastics, Sailing, Golf & Bowls. Spelthorne Elite Acrobatics club is one of the premier clubs for Acrobatic Gymnastics in the World, having won 8 World Title gold medals.

Famous people from Ashford

* Ray Dorset, singer / songwriter with 1970s chart-toppers Mungo Jerry.
* Norman Willis, General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) 1984-92 and president of the European Trade Union Confederation 1991-93.
* Roger Johnson, footballer currently with Cardiff City
* Sarah Ayton, Olympic gold medal winners in the Yngling sailing class 2004 Summer Olympics and 2008 Summer Olympics
* Sarah Webb, Olympic gold medal winners in the Yngling sailing class 2004 Summer Olympics and 2008 Summer Olympics
* Anthony Burgess, Lord of Ashford 1914
* Bobby Davro, born Robert Nankeville, 1990s TV impressionist
* Lynda Chater, author of novels published by Simon & Schuster
* Russell Grant (astrologer and resident of Staines) became Lord of Ashford in 1996.
* Jack Swaybe , former governor in 1967

References

* [http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspublications.nsf/591f7dda55aad72a80256c670041a50d/1c602ea59c869c9180256e600054b26c/$FILE/Town%20populations.pdf Population figures (PDF)]
* [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=11249 Ashford Henge]

External links

* [http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/SWTrains/Destinations/AFS.htm Train Times To Ashford]
* [http://www.stdavidsschool.com Official St.David's School Website]
* [http://www.stmatthewashford.org.uk St Matthew's Church Website]
* [http://www.aboutacc.com Ashford Congregational Church Website]
* [http://www.ashfordtownmiddlesexfc.com Ashford Town Football Club]
* [http://www.geocities.com/ashford_sports Ashford Sports Club]
* [http://www.ashfordhockeyclub.co.uk Ashford Hockey Club]
* [http://www.ashfordcc.co.uk Ashford Cricket Club]
* [http://www.ashfordtennis.org Ashford Tennis Club]
* [http://www.aikidoryu.org.uk Ashford Aikido Club]
* [http://www.spelthorne-acrobatic-gymnastics.com Spelthorne Elite Acrobatics club]
* [http://www.brooklands.ac.uk/ashford.asp Brooklands College Ashford Campus]