Ashbourne Town Council
Representing Ashbourne
The historic Derbyshire market town of Ashbourne lies in the lovely valley of the Henmore on the southern edge of the Peak District. A panoramic view of the town can be seen from the brow of the Derby Road.
Named “Gateway to Dovedale”, Ashbourne provides a springboard to the Derbyshire Dales and also to the beautiful hills of the Staffordshire Moorlands.
In the Domesday Book, the original name for Ashbourne was Essiburn. Two reasons are known for the derivation Ashbourne, one is that the mediaeval town consisting of wooden buildings was burnt down and the new town was bourne on ashes – therefore “Ashbourne’. The other is thought to be the local brook with its many Ash trees.
In coaching days, Ashbourne was a busy town for six coaching roads met here.
Coaching Inns flourished and the observer might note one or two entrances to the yards adjacent to old inns which have old coaching entrances, for example The Green Man and Black’s Head Royal Hotel and The Wellington. Those with keen eyes will also note that these yards still have the original setts, as have many of the yards which can be found throughout the town.
The Green Man, as it is locally known, also has one of the few ‘Gallows’ signs left in the country.
Architecturally Ashbourne has a rich legacy of Georgian houses and Church Street, a wide and elegant street, is considered to be the finest street of Georgian buildings in Derbyshire.
