Ashford
Ashford is a Town in the county of Kent.
There are great places to visit near Ashford including some great towns, historic buildings, beaches, parks, museums, castles, shopping centres, cities, ruins, country parks, lakes, coastal parks and airports.
Towns to visit near Ashford include Faversham, Broadstairs, St Peter's, Ramsgate, Chatham, Margate, and Dover.
Ashford has some unmissable historic buildings nearby like Nuckell's Alsmshouses, The Old Curiosity Shop, The Palace Cinema, Clock Tower Broadstairs, The Look Out House, Bleak House, and Home for Smack Boys.
The area around Ashford boasts some of the best beaches including Viking Bay, and Dumpton Gap.
Victoria Gardens is one of Ashford's best, nearby parks to visit in Ashford.
Museums to visit near Ashford include Ramsgate Maritime Museum.
Ashford's best nearby castles can be found at Dover Castle, Rochester Castle, Leeds Castle, and Tonbridge Castle.
The area around Ashford boasts some of the best shopping centres including Royal Victoria Place, and Bluewater Shopping Centre.
Places near Ashford feature a number of interesting cities including Canterbury.
Places near Ashford feature a number of interesting ruins including Tonbridge Castle.
There are a several good country parks in the Ashford area like Haysden Country Park, and Barton's Point Coastal Park.
Places near Ashford feature a number of interesting lakes including Barden Lake.
Coastal Parks to visit near Ashford include Barton's Point Coastal Park.
Places near Ashford feature a number of interesting airports including Lydd Airport.
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”.
