Ashford
Ashford is a Town in the county of Kent.
There are great places to visit near Ashford including some great towns, cities, airports, beaches, historic buildings, parks, museums, castles, shopping centres, ruins, country parks, coastal parks and lakes.
Ashford's best nearby towns can be found at Faversham, Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Chatham, Margate, Dover, and Royal Tunbridge Wells.
Ashford is near some unmissable cities like Canterbury,
There are a several good airports in the area around Ashford like Lydd Airport.
Beaches to visit near Ashford include Viking Bay, Dumpton Gap, and Sandwich Bay.
Don't miss The Old Curiosity Shop, The Palace Cinema, The Look Out House, Bleak House, Home for Smack Boys, Sailor's Church, and Rock Gardens and Cliff Stairs's historic buildings if visiting the area around Ashford.
Ashford is near some unmissable parks like Victoria Gardens,
Ramsgate Maritime Museum is a great place to visit close to Ashford if you like museums.
Ashford's best nearby castles can be found at Dover Castle, Rochester Castle, Leeds Castle, Tonbridge Castle, and Deal Castle.
Don't miss Royal Victoria Place, and Bluewater Shopping Centre's shopping centres if visiting the area around Ashford.
Tonbridge Castle is one of Ashford's best, nearby ruins to visit in Ashford.
The area around Ashford features a number of interesting country parks including Haysden Country Park, and Barton's Point Coastal Park.
Barton's Point Coastal Park is one of Ashford's best, nearby coastal parks to visit in Ashford.
The area close to Ashford boasts some of the best lakes including Barden Lake.
Ashford History
There are some historic monuments around Ashford:
Places to see near Ashford
History of Ashford
The present town originates from an original settlement established in 893 AD by inhabitants escaping a Danish Viking raid, who were granted land by a Saxon Lord for their resistance. The name comes from the Old English ascet, indicating a ford near a clump of ash trees. At the time of the Domesday Book of 1086 it was still known by its original Saxon name of Essetesford (or Eshetisford, Esselesford, Asshatisforde, Essheford). The manor was owned by Hugh de Montfort, Constable of England and companion of William the Conqueror, and had a church, two mills and a value of 150 shillings (£7.50) at the time. One of the earliest houses in the area still in existence is Lake House at Eastwell Park to the north of the town, which contains the grave of Richard Plantagenet. Ashford’s importance as an agricultural and market town grew in the 13th century, and in 1243, King Henry III granted the town a charter to hold a market for livestock. The pottery industry expanded in the 13th and 14th centuries, with the main works based at what is now Potter’s Corner, a few miles west of the town centre. Later evidence from examining waste suggests that production was on a large scale. The Kent Archaeological society have discovered sandy ware at this location dating from around 1125 - 1250. Jack Cade, who led the Cade’s Rebellion against corrupt Royal officials in 1450, is believed to be from Ashford. In William Shakespeare’s Henry VI, Part 2, Cade is shown conversing with “Dick, the Butcher from Ashford”.
