Ashington
Encyclopedia
Ashington is a town and civil parish
in Northumberland
, England
with a population of around 27,000 people; it was once a centre of the coal mining industry. The town is located some 15 miles (24.1 km) north of Newcastle upon Tyne
off the A189. The south of the town is bordered by the River Wansbeck
. The North Sea
coast at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea
is about 3 miles (4.8 km) from the town centre.
Many inhabitants have a distinctive accent
and dialect
known as Pitmatic
. This varies from the regional dialect known as Geordie
.
. But it could also have come from "Valley of Ash Trees" - these would have lined the valley and the Saxon word Dene means valley giving the name 'Ash Dene'. In the 1700s all that existed of Ashington was a small farm with a few dwellings around.
to come and work at his nearby collieries. As in many other parts of Britain, "deep pit" coal mining in the area declined during the 1980s and 1990s leaving just one colliery, Ellington
which closed in January 2005. In 2006 plans for an opencast mine on the outskirts of the town were put forward, although many people objected to it. During the heyday of coal-mining, Ashington was considered to be the "world's largest coal-mining village". There is now a debate about whether Ashington should be referred to as a town or a village; if considered as a village it would be one of the largest villages in England
.
to make use of their tin-mining skills.
With the growing coal industry came the need for a railway link. Ashington was linked to the Blyth and Tyne Railway in the 1850s, and also to the East Coast Main Line
near Ulgham . The railway was also used by passenger trains until the Beeching Axe
in 1964 closed the railway station, called Hirst station when opened in the 1870s. The railway runs south towards the steep-sided River Wansbeck
valley, originally crossed by a wooden viaduct, which was replaced by today's steel-built Black Bridge.
In 1913 the Ashington hospital was built. It is about ¼ mile (400 metres) from the town centre. The hospital was expanded in the 1950s and 60s with large new wings. Several schools opened in Ashington too. A new state of the art Wansbeck General Hospital has been built on the outskirts of the town and is now in the process of being added to with all hospital facilities being available on one new site as the old Ashington Hospital has now been demolished.
Traditionally the area to the east of the railway was called Hirst and that to the west was Ashington proper. Although collectively called Ashington both halves had their own park: Hirst Park (opened in 1915) in the east and The People's Park in the west.
The colliery-built houses followed a grid plan. The streets in the Hirst End running north to south were named after British trees, such as Hawthorn Road, Beech
Terrace, and Chestnut Street. The east-west running streets were numbered avenues, starting with First Avenue near the town centre, finishing at Seventh Avenue towards the southern end. After the 1920s houses in Ashington were built by the council, and were most often semi-detached houses, such as Garden City villas. These occupied much of the fields in the Hirst area. New estates were built in different areas. The biggest building programme was in the late 1960s and saw Ashington extend south from Seventh Avenue opposite the Technical College towards North Seaton and south eastwards towards the A189. Some of the houses at the top end of Alexandra Road were private homes. During this building programme several new schools were built, for example Coulson Park, Seaton Hirst Middle. Community shops and a social club (The Northern) were built off Fairfield Drive. The late 1970s and early 1980s saw construction of Nursery Park opposite North Seaton Hotel. This south to the banks of the River Wansbeck. The late 1980s and 1990s saw the building of the Wansbeck Estate between the River Wansbeck and Green Lane.
In the late 1960s the area by the railway station was developed into Wansbeck Square, housing a supermarket, council offices and a public library, built partly over the railway line.
In 1981 the Woodhorn
pit closed and its chimney was demolished. In the late 1980s this became a museum. In 1988 Ashington Pit was closed and is now occupied by a business park. In 2004 the hospital was demolished with the new hospital located near Woodhorn being used instead. In the early 2000s maisonette flats in various parts of Hirst were demolished and parts of the Moorhouse and Woodbridge estate opposite Woodhorn pit were demolished.
The railway is still used by the Alcan aluminium plant nearby and there have been calls to restore the railway station for passenger use with services to Newcastle.
An Ashington urban district
was created in 1896, covering part of the parish of Ashington and Sheepwash and part of the parish of Bothal Demesne, and incorporating Hirst. In 1900 the urban district was enlarged to include North Seaton; then Sheepwash, most of Woodhorn and the remainder of Bothal Demesne in 1935. The urban district survived until 1974, when under the Local Government Act 1972
it became part of the Wansbeck
district.
In October 2008, plans to opencast 2m tonnes of coal in Ashington were approved. UK Coal
's plans which were first submitted in 2005, would create 60+ jobs.
period when ancient tropical swamp forests were buried and formed the coal seams that have given this area its significance. The local geology is of yellow sandstone
. The topography of the town is quite flat. The land to the north west of the town is slightly undulating due to mining subsidence
, which sometimes causes farmland to be flooded. The south east part of the town is slightly raised giving views to the north across Ashington. From certain parts of town the Cheviot Hills
are visible about 30 miles (48.3 km) to the north.
The town is of roughly a square shape lying north to south. The town centre is to the North of the town. South of this are residential areas. Farmland is on both east and west flanks. The south part is residential with the River Wansbeck to the south. To the east of the town is the small coastal town of Newbiggin and to the West is the small village of Bothal on the River Wansbeck. South of the town is the small village of North Seaton which once had its own pit. North of the town about 2 miles is the village of Linton and north east of the town is Lynemouth.
To the north of the town is Queen Elizabeth II Country Park which contains a lake surrounded by pine woodland plantation. The original Ashington colliery was on the north west of the town and the smaller Woodhorn pit was on the north east.
of the 1960s, Ashington was on the British Rail
passenger network, with passenger trains to Newbiggin and Newcastle. The railway is used now by freight trains, but there have been calls for the station to re-open. The nearest mainline railway station is Pegswood on the East Coast Main Line, about 3 miles from the town centre. Local services from here go to Newcastle, Cramlington
, Morpeth
, Alnmouth
.
At the east end of the main shopping street is the bus and coach station, with local buses around Northumberland and to Newcastle. National Express
services also arrive and depart from the station.
Ashington is well served by roads. The A189
(Spine Road) to the east of Ashington runs south via Blyth and North Tyneside to Newcastle and the A19
Tyne Tunnel to South Tyneside and the A1(M). The A189 also runs north along the coast to Alnwick and Berwick. The A196 runs west towards Morpeth and the A1 which goes north to Scotland and Edinburgh or south to the A1(M) near Newcastle on towards Durham and Yorkshire.
The nearest airport is Newcastle Airport
which provides scheduled domestic flights, flights covering most major cities of Europe and also holiday charter flights. There is a ferry port in Newcastle with services to Rotterdam
and Norway
.
is adjacent to Wansbeck Square. The local museum is at Woodhorn
pit. It is mainly a museum of the town's mining history, with pictures and models. There are also various arts exhibits in the museum and information on local history.
now plays its games at Woodhorn Lane having moved from Portland Park to make way for the new Asda super store. rugby
club and cricket
is played off Kenilworth Road not far from the town centre.
In recent years a new community facility has been created from the former Miners Welfare on Alexandra Road. The Hirst Welfare Centre is a multi-use community facility, with training facilities, office space, a cafe, community hall, gym and dance studio. The Centre also has an external all-weather floodlight synthetic football pitch with additional grass pitches.
The People's Park near the leisure centre off Institute Road is a large green field suitable for recreation. Hirst Park is located off Hawthorn Road; it provides summer floral displays, bowling greens and is sheltered by tall trees, to the north of the park is a large green sports field.
At Woodhorn
is the Queen Elizabeth II Park. This is surrounded by pine wood and has a large lake with a narrow gauge railway. Walks from here head out towards Linton and eastwards towards the seaside town of Newbiggin following the old railway line.
Ashington enjoys a good location within Northumberland allowing good access to the countryside. The town is situated near the coast, enabling short journey times to beaches such as Druridge Bay
and Cresswell
. Northumberland National Park is also close by..
, middle school
and high school
is used in this area. There are about 10 state schools in Ashington. Schools were first built by the Ashington coal company, but many have since been replaced. There are also two Roman Catholic schools in Ashington. Further Education (after 16) can be taken at Ashington Technical College, which offers A levels, NVQs, vocational courses and various evening classes too. Higher Education, can be taken in Newcastle at Newcastle University which has a medical school or at Northumbria University
also in Newcastle.
(GP) surgeries in Ashington. The main Wansbeck General Hospital
in Ashington, which has A&E
is located at the north east of the town near Woodhorn. Major treatments are provided at hospitals in Newcastle.
, The Journal
. These papers cover Tyneside and south east Northumberland. The Newspost Leader covers mostly Wansbeck
.
There are also several radio regional stations provide local broadcasts. Local news on television is provided by ITV Tyne Tees and BBC Look North
. These TV stations cover most of the north east, County Durham
, Teeside, Tyneside
and Northumberland.
. the local member of parliament is Ian Lavery
of the Labour party
.
coal extraction is carried out at Butterwell Opencast.
The former site of Ashington Colliery became part of regeneration project and saw the development of Wansbeck Business Park. This park now houses a number of companies with local, national and international profiles. These include Polar Krush NICC Ltd, Thermacore Ltd, Clarity IT Consulting (ClarityWEB) Ltd, Sugarfayre Ltd, Zodiac Automotive (UK) Ltd and Torque Tension Systems Ltd. The park includes a variety of wildlife with a large pond at its centre.
Ashington's close proximity to Newcastle upon Tyne makes it an ideal commuter town for people working in Newcastle. Ashington is situated near the coast, allowing easy access to Druridge Bay
". In the 1970s the group's work was "rediscovered" and popularised as "workers' art" and given international exhibitions. On 26 October 2006 a new £16m museum housing the work was opened in Ashington by The Princess Royal
.
The book Pitman Painters by William Feaver, recording the development of the Ashington Group, 1934 to 1984, has been made into a stage play
by Lee Hall
, well known for Billy Elliot
. The play premiered at the Live Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne, in 2007, and subsequently was produced at the Royal National Theatre, London in 2008 and 2009. A German translation by Michael Raab premiered at the Volkstheater in Vienna, Austria, in April 2009. In 2011 Oscar/BAFTA award winning Film Director Jon Blair made a film for ITV1's Perspectives Arts series, entitled Robson Green and The Pitmen Painters giving an insight into the live's and work of The Ashington Group including rare film footage of the group in their Hut including interviews with Oliver Kilbourne and Harry Wilson.
Ashington has appeared in various films and TV programmes, such as Spender
starring Jimmy Nail
, Our Friends in the North
in 1996, The Fast Show
on BBC1 and the Alcan chimneys were seen in Billy Elliot.
'We Never Had It So Good' by David Williams published by Zymurgy is a collection of short stories about a young boy growing up in Ashington in the late 1950s.
The mining workers of Ashington gave a 'Hooky mat' to their friends in Ashington, West Sussex
, where it is now displayed in the village hall.
and has produced no less than 10 professional footballers Jack Milburn
, Jackie Milburn
, Mark Cullen
, Jimmy Adamson
, Jackie Charlton, Bobby Charlton
, Colin Ayre
, David Thompson
, Chris Adamson
, Martin Taylor and Peter Ramage
.
Premier League referee Michael Oliver (referee)
, the youngest in the leagues history, was born in the town.
Cricketing brothers Steve Harmison
and Ben Harmison
are also from the town.
Property developer Sir John Hall
, former Chairman and Life President of Newcastle United Football Club was born in North Seaton village on the outskirts of the town in 1933.
Golfer Kenneth Ferrie
who has played on the PGA Tour
originates from Ashington.
UK Basketball player and coach Alan Hoyle was born in Ashington and formerly ran his basketball club from Northumberland College.
Motorcycle speedway racing was staged at the football ground in 1972 when two meetings took place. The team, which raced one match, were known as the Ashington Arrows.
The Cambois Rowing Club is now situated in Ashington
Ashington Road club cycling team was formed in the 80's Chris Baird,John Bootland,Jimmy Clarke,and Les Kindley formed it.It's now over 25 years old.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
with a population of around 27,000 people; it was once a centre of the coal mining industry. The town is located some 15 miles (24.1 km) north of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
off the A189. The south of the town is bordered by the River Wansbeck
River Wansbeck
The River Wansbeck runs through the county of Northumberland, England. It rises above Sweethope Lough on the edge of Forelaws Forest in the area known locally as The Wanneys ; runs through the town of Ashington before discharging into the North Sea at Sandy Bay near Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.The River...
. The North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
coast at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea
Newbiggin-by-the-Sea
Newbiggin-by-the-Sea is a small town in Northumberland, England, lying on the North Sea coast. Once an important port for shipping grain and a coal mining town, it is still a small fishing port making use of traditional coble boats.- History :...
is about 3 miles (4.8 km) from the town centre.
Many inhabitants have a distinctive accent
Accent (linguistics)
In linguistics, an accent is a manner of pronunciation peculiar to a particular individual, location, or nation.An accent may identify the locality in which its speakers reside , the socio-economic status of its speakers, their ethnicity, their caste or social class, their first language In...
and dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
known as Pitmatic
Pitmatic
Pitmatic , also colloquially known as "yakka", is a dialect of English used in the counties of Northumberland and Durham in England. It developed as a separate dialect from Northumbrian and Geordie partly due to the specialised terms used by mineworkers in the local coal pits...
. This varies from the regional dialect known as Geordie
Geordie
Geordie is a regional nickname for a person from the Tyneside region of the north east of England, or the name of the English-language dialect spoken by its inhabitants...
.
Early history
The name Ashington possibly originates from Essendene which has been referenced since 1170, but may instead have originated from Æsc, a Saxon invader who sailed from Northern Germany to the River Wansbeck and settled in the deep wooded valley near SheepwashSheepwash
Sheepwash is a village in Bedlingtonshire, Northumberland. It is adjacent to Stakeford and Guide Post and across the River Wansbeck from Ashington....
. But it could also have come from "Valley of Ash Trees" - these would have lined the valley and the Saxon word Dene means valley giving the name 'Ash Dene'. In the 1700s all that existed of Ashington was a small farm with a few dwellings around.
Coal mining
The first evidence of mining is from bell-shaped pits and monastic mine workings discovered in the 20th century during tunnelling. Ashington developed from a small hamlet in the 1840s, as the Duke of Portland built housing to encourage people escaping the Irish potato faminePotato famine
Potato famine may refer to:* Great Famine , the famine in Ireland between 1845 and 1852* Highland Potato Famine, a major agrarian crisis in the Scottish Highlands from 1846 to 1857...
to come and work at his nearby collieries. As in many other parts of Britain, "deep pit" coal mining in the area declined during the 1980s and 1990s leaving just one colliery, Ellington
Ellington, Northumberland
Ellington is a small village on the coast of Northumberland, England. Ellington is four miles from Ashington, six miles from Morpeth and twenty miles north of Newcastle upon Tyne....
which closed in January 2005. In 2006 plans for an opencast mine on the outskirts of the town were put forward, although many people objected to it. During the heyday of coal-mining, Ashington was considered to be the "world's largest coal-mining village". There is now a debate about whether Ashington should be referred to as a town or a village; if considered as a village it would be one of the largest villages in England
Largest village in England
Several places claim to be the largest village in England. This title is disputed as there is no standard definition of a village and size might be determined by population or area....
.
Growth of the town
As coal mining expanded, more people left the countryside and settled in Ashington. This led the Ashington Coal Company to build parallel rows of colliery houses. Some newcomers came from as far as CornwallCornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
to make use of their tin-mining skills.
With the growing coal industry came the need for a railway link. Ashington was linked to the Blyth and Tyne Railway in the 1850s, and also to the East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
near Ulgham . The railway was also used by passenger trains until the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
in 1964 closed the railway station, called Hirst station when opened in the 1870s. The railway runs south towards the steep-sided River Wansbeck
River Wansbeck
The River Wansbeck runs through the county of Northumberland, England. It rises above Sweethope Lough on the edge of Forelaws Forest in the area known locally as The Wanneys ; runs through the town of Ashington before discharging into the North Sea at Sandy Bay near Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.The River...
valley, originally crossed by a wooden viaduct, which was replaced by today's steel-built Black Bridge.
In 1913 the Ashington hospital was built. It is about ¼ mile (400 metres) from the town centre. The hospital was expanded in the 1950s and 60s with large new wings. Several schools opened in Ashington too. A new state of the art Wansbeck General Hospital has been built on the outskirts of the town and is now in the process of being added to with all hospital facilities being available on one new site as the old Ashington Hospital has now been demolished.
Traditionally the area to the east of the railway was called Hirst and that to the west was Ashington proper. Although collectively called Ashington both halves had their own park: Hirst Park (opened in 1915) in the east and The People's Park in the west.
The colliery-built houses followed a grid plan. The streets in the Hirst End running north to south were named after British trees, such as Hawthorn Road, Beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
Terrace, and Chestnut Street. The east-west running streets were numbered avenues, starting with First Avenue near the town centre, finishing at Seventh Avenue towards the southern end. After the 1920s houses in Ashington were built by the council, and were most often semi-detached houses, such as Garden City villas. These occupied much of the fields in the Hirst area. New estates were built in different areas. The biggest building programme was in the late 1960s and saw Ashington extend south from Seventh Avenue opposite the Technical College towards North Seaton and south eastwards towards the A189. Some of the houses at the top end of Alexandra Road were private homes. During this building programme several new schools were built, for example Coulson Park, Seaton Hirst Middle. Community shops and a social club (The Northern) were built off Fairfield Drive. The late 1970s and early 1980s saw construction of Nursery Park opposite North Seaton Hotel. This south to the banks of the River Wansbeck. The late 1980s and 1990s saw the building of the Wansbeck Estate between the River Wansbeck and Green Lane.
In the late 1960s the area by the railway station was developed into Wansbeck Square, housing a supermarket, council offices and a public library, built partly over the railway line.
In 1981 the Woodhorn
Woodhorn
Woodhorn is a village in Northumberland, England about east of Ashington. The village is sometimes identified with Wucestre, given to St Cuthbert by King Ceolwulf when he gave up his throne in 737 to become a monk at Lindisfarne. A medieval bell at Woodhorn, inscribed "Ave Maria", is said to be...
pit closed and its chimney was demolished. In the late 1980s this became a museum. In 1988 Ashington Pit was closed and is now occupied by a business park. In 2004 the hospital was demolished with the new hospital located near Woodhorn being used instead. In the early 2000s maisonette flats in various parts of Hirst were demolished and parts of the Moorhouse and Woodbridge estate opposite Woodhorn pit were demolished.
The railway is still used by the Alcan aluminium plant nearby and there have been calls to restore the railway station for passenger use with services to Newcastle.
An Ashington urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
was created in 1896, covering part of the parish of Ashington and Sheepwash and part of the parish of Bothal Demesne, and incorporating Hirst. In 1900 the urban district was enlarged to include North Seaton; then Sheepwash, most of Woodhorn and the remainder of Bothal Demesne in 1935. The urban district survived until 1974, when under the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
it became part of the Wansbeck
Wansbeck
Wansbeck was a local government district in south-east Northumberland, England. Its main population centres were Ashington, Bedlington and Newbiggin-by-the-Sea....
district.
In October 2008, plans to opencast 2m tonnes of coal in Ashington were approved. UK Coal
UK Coal
UK Coal plc is the largest coal mining business in the United Kingdom. The Company is based in Harworth, in Nottinghamshire. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a former constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
's plans which were first submitted in 2005, would create 60+ jobs.
Geography
Ashington is located in south east Northumberland, which is a largely urban area adjacent to Newcastle. Most of the area is of flat non-undulating ground, formed during CarboniferousCarboniferous
The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Permian Period, about 299.0 ± 0.8 Mya . The name is derived from the Latin word for coal, carbo. Carboniferous means "coal-bearing"...
period when ancient tropical swamp forests were buried and formed the coal seams that have given this area its significance. The local geology is of yellow sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
. The topography of the town is quite flat. The land to the north west of the town is slightly undulating due to mining subsidence
Subsidence
Subsidence is the motion of a surface as it shifts downward relative to a datum such as sea-level. The opposite of subsidence is uplift, which results in an increase in elevation...
, which sometimes causes farmland to be flooded. The south east part of the town is slightly raised giving views to the north across Ashington. From certain parts of town the Cheviot Hills
Cheviot Hills
The Cheviot Hills is a range of rolling hills straddling the England–Scotland border between Northumberland and the Scottish Borders.There is a broad split between the northern and the southern Cheviots...
are visible about 30 miles (48.3 km) to the north.
The town is of roughly a square shape lying north to south. The town centre is to the North of the town. South of this are residential areas. Farmland is on both east and west flanks. The south part is residential with the River Wansbeck to the south. To the east of the town is the small coastal town of Newbiggin and to the West is the small village of Bothal on the River Wansbeck. South of the town is the small village of North Seaton which once had its own pit. North of the town about 2 miles is the village of Linton and north east of the town is Lynemouth.
To the north of the town is Queen Elizabeth II Country Park which contains a lake surrounded by pine woodland plantation. The original Ashington colliery was on the north west of the town and the smaller Woodhorn pit was on the north east.
Climate and soil
The climate is cool temperate. Summers are drier than on the west coast of Britain, but cooler than southerly areas. Winters are cold at times sometimes with snow. The soil is of a dark brown colour free draining and gritty. It is very good for growing vegetables. Tender perennials are rare; some palms will only grow with winter protection. Although Phormiums (New Zealand flax) grow in displays in Newbiggin, salt-laden winds may afford them some protection. The most exposed part of the town is to the east. High trees in Hirst Park give considerable shelter. The west part is much more sheltered especially the wooded valley of the River Wansbeck.Environs and villages surrounding Ashington
Working in a clockwise direction from the north west of Ashington are the following places.- Linton, a small village, originally developed for mineworkers at the Linton Colliery. This village looks unusual from the air: it is almost square and its streets are in a parallel grid-plan.
- EllingtonEllington, NorthumberlandEllington is a small village on the coast of Northumberland, England. Ellington is four miles from Ashington, six miles from Morpeth and twenty miles north of Newcastle upon Tyne....
, a newer village which was located next to Ellington Colliery. - LynemouthLynemouthLynemouth is a village in Northumberland, England. The village is situated northeast of Ashington, and is in close proximity to the village of Ellington which is located to the north west...
, close to the coast; this village is next to the Alcan Lynemouth Aluminium SmelterAlcan Lynemouth Aluminium SmelterThe Alcan Lynemouth Aluminium Smelter is situated near Ashington, Northumberland, on the coast of North East England, south of the village of Lynemouth. The smelter is owned by Canadian aluminium company Alcan, which is part of Rio Tinto...
and Lynemouth Power StationLynemouth Power StationAlcan Lynemouth Power Station is a coal and biomass fired power station which provides electricity for the Alcan Lynemouth Aluminium Smelter and the National Grid. It is located on the coast of Northumberland, north east of the town of Ashington in North East England...
. - WoodhornWoodhornWoodhorn is a village in Northumberland, England about east of Ashington. The village is sometimes identified with Wucestre, given to St Cuthbert by King Ceolwulf when he gave up his throne in 737 to become a monk at Lindisfarne. A medieval bell at Woodhorn, inscribed "Ave Maria", is said to be...
, a tiny hamlet with a church on the road to Newbiggin. Some of the area of Ashington adjacent to Woodhorn pit museum is also called Woodhorn. - Newbiggin-by-the-SeaNewbiggin-by-the-SeaNewbiggin-by-the-Sea is a small town in Northumberland, England, lying on the North Sea coast. Once an important port for shipping grain and a coal mining town, it is still a small fishing port making use of traditional coble boats.- History :...
, a small town or village, this is a former seaside resort, visited by locals. It has a beach, but following coastal erosion a large sea wall was built in the late 1980s. Newbiggin offers bed and breakfasts, cafes and some shops. - CamboisCamboisCambois is a village in south-east Northumberland, England. It is situated on the north side of the estuary of the River Blyth between Blyth and Ashington on the North Sea coast.-History:According to Paul L...
is a small village south of the River WansbeckRiver WansbeckThe River Wansbeck runs through the county of Northumberland, England. It rises above Sweethope Lough on the edge of Forelaws Forest in the area known locally as The Wanneys ; runs through the town of Ashington before discharging into the North Sea at Sandy Bay near Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.The River...
. It is quite spread about. Cambois has some fishing cottages at the mouth of the river. It has a beach, and views along the coast towards north Blyth and BlythBlyth, NorthumberlandBlyth is a town and civil parish in southeast Northumberland, England. It lies on the coast, to the south of the River Blyth and is approximately 21 kilometres northeast of Newcastle upon Tyne...
. - North Seaton, a village on the north bsnks of the River Wansbeck. It was formerly a mining village, but most of its population moved to Ashington. North Seaton had its own small colliery.
- StakefordStakefordStakeford is a village in south east Northumberland, England, about north of Newcastle upon Tyne. It lies across the River Wansbeck from Ashington, the nearest town. The village takes its name from the former river crossing to the north of the village, this was a crossing through the mudflats...
, originally a small village south of the River Wansbeck, this is mainly an area of residential estates. - Guide PostGuide PostGuide Post is a village in south east Northumberland, England, about 17 miles north of Newcastle upon Tyne. It lies across the River Wansbeck from Ashington, along with Stakeford. It is placed between Ashington and Morpeth or more notably to the locals between Choppington and Stakeford...
, a residential village on the road towards MorpethMorpeth, NorthumberlandMorpeth is the county town of Northumberland, England. It is situated on the River Wansbeck which flows east through the town. The town is from the A1, which bypasses it. Since 1981, it has been the administrative centre of the County of Northumberland. In the 2001 census the town had a population...
, it has a school and some shops. - Sheepwash, a crossing point on the River Wansbeck, before it flows west towards Bothal.
- BothalBothalBothal is a village in Northumberland, in England. It is situated between Morpeth and Ashington. There is a castle, a church, a vicarage opposite the church gates, some stepping stones over the River Wansbeck, a few houses and that's about it really. A nice quiet place.Bothal was the headquarters...
, a quaint historic village on the wooded banks of the River Wansbeck. Bothal has cottages and a 14th century castle, Bothal CastleBothal CastleBothal Castle stands by the River Wansbeck in the village of Bothal, between Morpeth and Ashington in Northumberland, England. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building.It is possibly the site of a Norman castle....
. Riverside walks can be taken along the wooded riverbank. - PegswoodPegswoodPegswood is a mining village in Northumberland, England, and the site of the former Pegswood colliery. Pegswood is two miles east of Morpeth and three miles west of Ashington, with a population of around 3260. Pegswood is on a small hill above the valley in which Morpeth is situated, close to the...
, village on the main East Coast Main LineEast Coast Main LineThe East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
. The village has a station served by local trains. - Longhirst, a small hamlet on the East Coast Main Line.
Transport and road links
Until the Beeching AxeBeeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
of the 1960s, Ashington was on the British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
passenger network, with passenger trains to Newbiggin and Newcastle. The railway is used now by freight trains, but there have been calls for the station to re-open. The nearest mainline railway station is Pegswood on the East Coast Main Line, about 3 miles from the town centre. Local services from here go to Newcastle, Cramlington
Cramlington
Cramlington is a town and civil parish in the county of Northumberland, North East England, situated north of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne. The town's name suggests a probable founding by the Danes or an Anglo-Saxon origin, the word "ton" meaning town. The population was estimated as 39,000 in...
, Morpeth
Morpeth, Northumberland
Morpeth is the county town of Northumberland, England. It is situated on the River Wansbeck which flows east through the town. The town is from the A1, which bypasses it. Since 1981, it has been the administrative centre of the County of Northumberland. In the 2001 census the town had a population...
, Alnmouth
Alnmouth
Alnmouth is a village in Northumberland, England. It is situated just off the main A1068 road , about south-east of Alnwick.Located at the mouth of the River Aln, the village has been an important trading port in Northumberland's past, mainly involved in the export of grain, and smuggling. Due to...
.
At the east end of the main shopping street is the bus and coach station, with local buses around Northumberland and to Newcastle. National Express
National Express
National Express Coaches, more commonly known as National Express, is a brand and company, owned by the National Express Group, under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are operated,...
services also arrive and depart from the station.
Ashington is well served by roads. The A189
A189 road
The A189 is a road in North East England, linking Gateshead to southeast Northumberland. The section within southeast Northumberland is also known as the Spine Road; and West-Central Route is used to describe its route around Newcastle City Centre...
(Spine Road) to the east of Ashington runs south via Blyth and North Tyneside to Newcastle and the A19
A19 road
The A19 is a major road in England running approximately parallel to and east of the A1 road, although the two roads meet at the northern end of the A19, the two roads originally met at the southern end of the A19 in Doncaster but the old route of the A1 was changed to the A638. From Sunderland...
Tyne Tunnel to South Tyneside and the A1(M). The A189 also runs north along the coast to Alnwick and Berwick. The A196 runs west towards Morpeth and the A1 which goes north to Scotland and Edinburgh or south to the A1(M) near Newcastle on towards Durham and Yorkshire.
The nearest airport is Newcastle Airport
Newcastle Airport
Newcastle International Airport is located in Woolsington in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, north-west of the city centre. In 2010 it was the 11th busiest airport in the United Kingdom....
which provides scheduled domestic flights, flights covering most major cities of Europe and also holiday charter flights. There is a ferry port in Newcastle with services to Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
Museums and libraries
A reasonable sized public libraryPublic library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
is adjacent to Wansbeck Square. The local museum is at Woodhorn
Woodhorn
Woodhorn is a village in Northumberland, England about east of Ashington. The village is sometimes identified with Wucestre, given to St Cuthbert by King Ceolwulf when he gave up his throne in 737 to become a monk at Lindisfarne. A medieval bell at Woodhorn, inscribed "Ave Maria", is said to be...
pit. It is mainly a museum of the town's mining history, with pictures and models. There are also various arts exhibits in the museum and information on local history.
Sports
Ashington has several sports facilities and numerous sports clubs. Ashington Leisure Centre is on Institution Road on the north west of the town. The centre has a 25 metre swimming pool and a smaller shallow pool. Hirst Park provides two good quality bowling greens, tennis and basketball courts. The local league football clubAshington A.F.C.
Ashington A.F.C. is an English non-league football club from Ashington, Northumberland, currently playing in the Northern League Division One. The team, nicknamed "The Colliers", play their home matches at Woodhorn Lane....
now plays its games at Woodhorn Lane having moved from Portland Park to make way for the new Asda super store. rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
club and cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
is played off Kenilworth Road not far from the town centre.
In recent years a new community facility has been created from the former Miners Welfare on Alexandra Road. The Hirst Welfare Centre is a multi-use community facility, with training facilities, office space, a cafe, community hall, gym and dance studio. The Centre also has an external all-weather floodlight synthetic football pitch with additional grass pitches.
Accommodation
There are some bed and breakfasts in Ashington. To the north side of Queen Elizabeth lake is a motel with pub and restaurant. There is also a holiday centre/caravan site near Sandy Bay off the A189 about 3 miles to the south east of the town centre.Parks walks and green spaces
Riverside Park provides a peaceful riverside setting to relax or take walks. The park runs along the Wansbeck River. There are public footpaths and bridleways from here towards the quaint village of Bothal with its photogenic castle above the river.The People's Park near the leisure centre off Institute Road is a large green field suitable for recreation. Hirst Park is located off Hawthorn Road; it provides summer floral displays, bowling greens and is sheltered by tall trees, to the north of the park is a large green sports field.
At Woodhorn
Woodhorn
Woodhorn is a village in Northumberland, England about east of Ashington. The village is sometimes identified with Wucestre, given to St Cuthbert by King Ceolwulf when he gave up his throne in 737 to become a monk at Lindisfarne. A medieval bell at Woodhorn, inscribed "Ave Maria", is said to be...
is the Queen Elizabeth II Park. This is surrounded by pine wood and has a large lake with a narrow gauge railway. Walks from here head out towards Linton and eastwards towards the seaside town of Newbiggin following the old railway line.
Ashington enjoys a good location within Northumberland allowing good access to the countryside. The town is situated near the coast, enabling short journey times to beaches such as Druridge Bay
Druridge Bay
Druridge Bay is a long coastal bay in Northumberland, England, stretching from Amble in the north to Cresswell in the south.Northumberland Coast Country Park is situated within the bay, and part of the bay is owned by the National Trust...
and Cresswell
Cresswell, Northumberland
Cresswell is a village in Northumberland, England. It is about to the north of Ashington, on the North Sea coast.It is a popular bird watching area with Cresswell pond and bird hide nearby and the Druridge Bay Country Park less than away....
. Northumberland National Park is also close by..
Education
The system of first schoolFirst School
First school and lower school are terms used in some areas of the United Kingdom to describe the first stage of primary education. Some English Local Education Authorities have introduced First Schools since the 1960s...
, middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
and high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
is used in this area. There are about 10 state schools in Ashington. Schools were first built by the Ashington coal company, but many have since been replaced. There are also two Roman Catholic schools in Ashington. Further Education (after 16) can be taken at Ashington Technical College, which offers A levels, NVQs, vocational courses and various evening classes too. Higher Education, can be taken in Newcastle at Newcastle University which has a medical school or at Northumbria University
Northumbria University
Northumbria University is an academic institution located in Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England. It is a member of the University Alliance.- History :...
also in Newcastle.
Healthcare
There are many General PractitionerGeneral practitioner
A general practitioner is a medical practitioner who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. They have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues and comorbidities...
(GP) surgeries in Ashington. The main Wansbeck General Hospital
Wansbeck General Hospital
Wansbeck General Hospital is a district general hospital based in Ashington, Northumberland. It is one of two "low energy" built hospitals in the United Kingdom, and is the most northerly General hospital in England. Wansbeck General Hospital is part of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust, the two...
in Ashington, which has A&E
Emergency department
An emergency department , also known as accident & emergency , emergency room , emergency ward , or casualty department is a medical treatment facility specialising in acute care of patients who present without prior appointment, either by their own means or by ambulance...
is located at the north east of the town near Woodhorn. Major treatments are provided at hospitals in Newcastle.
Local media
The local newspapers are: the Evening ChronicleEvening Chronicle
The Evening Chronicle is a daily, evening newspaper produced in Newcastle upon Tyne, covering Tyne and Wear, southern Northumberland and northern County Durham. It was founded in 1885 by Joseph Cowen...
, The Journal
The Journal
The Journal was a popular current affairs newsmagazine on CBC Television from 1982 to 1992. It aired weeknights at 10:22 pm, following The National at 10:00 pm, and expanding on stories presented on there with in-depth interviews, documentaries, and televised "town hall" meetings...
. These papers cover Tyneside and south east Northumberland. The Newspost Leader covers mostly Wansbeck
Wansbeck
Wansbeck was a local government district in south-east Northumberland, England. Its main population centres were Ashington, Bedlington and Newbiggin-by-the-Sea....
.
There are also several radio regional stations provide local broadcasts. Local news on television is provided by ITV Tyne Tees and BBC Look North
BBC Look North
BBC Look North is a name used by the BBC for its local regional news programme in three regions in the North of England:*BBC Look North for the BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire region*BBC Look North for the BBC Yorkshire region...
. These TV stations cover most of the north east, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, Teeside, Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
and Northumberland.
Politics
Ashington is represented on Northumberland County CouncilNorthumberland County Council
Northumberland County Council is a unitary authority in North East England. It was originally formed in 1889 as the council for the administrative county of Northumberland and reformed in 1974 to cover a the newly formed non-metropolitan county of Northumberland...
. the local member of parliament is Ian Lavery
Ian Lavery
Ian Lavery is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Wansbeck since the 2010 general election. He was previously the President of the National Union of Mineworkers.-Early life:...
of the Labour party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
.
Industry and employment
Until 1988 the majority of the town's male population was employed in the mining industry. The closure of the pits led to large scale unemployment. However limited coal mining was carried out until recently at Ellington Colliery and opencastOpencast
Opencast is a term to describe audio and video content, primarily in an academic context. It combines the terms "Open" for Open Source and/or Open Access and "Broadcast"...
coal extraction is carried out at Butterwell Opencast.
The former site of Ashington Colliery became part of regeneration project and saw the development of Wansbeck Business Park. This park now houses a number of companies with local, national and international profiles. These include Polar Krush NICC Ltd, Thermacore Ltd, Clarity IT Consulting (ClarityWEB) Ltd, Sugarfayre Ltd, Zodiac Automotive (UK) Ltd and Torque Tension Systems Ltd. The park includes a variety of wildlife with a large pond at its centre.
Ashington's close proximity to Newcastle upon Tyne makes it an ideal commuter town for people working in Newcastle. Ashington is situated near the coast, allowing easy access to Druridge Bay
Druridge Bay
Druridge Bay is a long coastal bay in Northumberland, England, stretching from Amble in the north to Cresswell in the south.Northumberland Coast Country Park is situated within the bay, and part of the bay is owned by the National Trust...
Arts and culture
In 1934 some of the Ashington miners enrolled in painting classes as an alternative pastime, and then began to produce paintings to sell at local markets to supplement their poor wages. They achieved unexpected success and approval from the art community and were given prestigious gallery exhibitions during the 1930s and 1940s under the name "The Pitmen Painters", although the group had called themselves the "Ashington GroupAshington Group
The Ashington Group was a small society of artists from Ashington, Northumberland, which met regularly between 1934 and 1984. Despite being composed largely of miners with no formal artistic training, the Group and its work became celebrated in the British art world of the 1930s and...
". In the 1970s the group's work was "rediscovered" and popularised as "workers' art" and given international exhibitions. On 26 October 2006 a new £16m museum housing the work was opened in Ashington by The Princess Royal
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
.
The book Pitman Painters by William Feaver, recording the development of the Ashington Group, 1934 to 1984, has been made into a stage play
The Pitmen Painters
The Pitmen Painters is a play by Lee Hall, inspired by a book by William Feaver about the Ashington Group. Following a sell out run at both the Live Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne in 2007 and its transfer to the Royal National Theatre, and returned to the National for a limited season before heading...
by Lee Hall
Lee Hall (playwright)
Lee Hall is an English playwright and screenwriter. He is best known for the 2000 film Billy Elliot.-Early life:...
, well known for Billy Elliot
Billy Elliot
Billy Elliot is a 2000 British drama film written by Lee Hall and directed by Stephen Daldry. Set in the fictional town of "Everington" in the real County Durham, UK, it stars Jamie Bell as 11-year-old Billy, an aspiring dancer, Gary Lewis as his coal miner father, Jamie Draven as Billy's older...
. The play premiered at the Live Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne, in 2007, and subsequently was produced at the Royal National Theatre, London in 2008 and 2009. A German translation by Michael Raab premiered at the Volkstheater in Vienna, Austria, in April 2009. In 2011 Oscar/BAFTA award winning Film Director Jon Blair made a film for ITV1's Perspectives Arts series, entitled Robson Green and The Pitmen Painters giving an insight into the live's and work of The Ashington Group including rare film footage of the group in their Hut including interviews with Oliver Kilbourne and Harry Wilson.
Ashington has appeared in various films and TV programmes, such as Spender
Spender
Spender is a BBC television drama set in Newcastle upon Tyne, written by Ian La Frenais and Jimmy Nail, who also starred. The series was produced by Martin McKeand . The series was broadcast on BBC between 1991 and 1993...
starring Jimmy Nail
Jimmy Nail
James Bradford "Jimmy" Nail is an English singer-songwriter, actor, musician, film producer, film score composer and television writer....
, Our Friends in the North
Our Friends in the North
Our Friends in the North is a British television drama serial, produced by the BBC and originally broadcast in nine episodes on BBC Two in early 1996...
in 1996, The Fast Show
The Fast Show
The Fast Show, known as Brilliant in the US, was a BBC comedy sketch show programme that ran for three series from 1994 to 1997 with a special Last Fast Show Ever in 2000. The show's central performers were Paul Whitehouse, Charlie Higson, Simon Day, Mark Williams, John Thomson, Arabella Weir and...
on BBC1 and the Alcan chimneys were seen in Billy Elliot.
'We Never Had It So Good' by David Williams published by Zymurgy is a collection of short stories about a young boy growing up in Ashington in the late 1950s.
The mining workers of Ashington gave a 'Hooky mat' to their friends in Ashington, West Sussex
Ashington, West Sussex
Ashington is a village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It lies on the A24 road 3 miles northeast of Storrington.The parish has a land area of 805 hectares...
, where it is now displayed in the village hall.
Sport
The town is home to Ashington A.F.C.Ashington A.F.C.
Ashington A.F.C. is an English non-league football club from Ashington, Northumberland, currently playing in the Northern League Division One. The team, nicknamed "The Colliers", play their home matches at Woodhorn Lane....
and has produced no less than 10 professional footballers Jack Milburn
Jack Milburn (footballer born 1908)
John "Jack" Milburn was an English footballer who played 408 games for Leeds United. He was also a football manager.-Biography:...
, Jackie Milburn
Jackie Milburn
John Edward Thompson 'Jackie' Milburn, , also known to fans as Wor Jackie and 'the first World Wor' in reference to his global fame, was a football player for Newcastle United and England...
, Mark Cullen
Mark Cullen (footballer)
Mark Cullen is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Bury, on loan from Hull City.-Career:Born in Ashington, Northumberland, Cullen joined the Hull City youth system on a two-year scholarship in June 2008. He made his first team debut as a 67th minute substitute in a 4–1 defeat against...
, Jimmy Adamson
Jimmy Adamson
James "Jimmy" Adamson was an English professional footballer and football manager. He was born in Ashington, Northumberland...
, Jackie Charlton, Bobby Charlton
Bobby Charlton
Sir Robert "Bobby" Charlton CBE is an English former professional football player, a member of the England team who won the World Cup and Ballon d'Or for European Footballer of the Year in 1966...
, Colin Ayre
Colin Ayre
Colin Ayre was an English professional footballer, playing as a winger in the English, Dutch and Austrian football leagues....
, David Thompson
David Thompson (footballer born 1968)
David Thompson is an English former professional football player. He played as a defender.-References:*...
, Chris Adamson
Chris Adamson
Christopher "Chris" Adamson is an English football goalkeeper who was a player and coach for Hereford United but was released in May 2010. Adamson is currently training with Boston United and played 80 minutes of their 3-1 friendly win over Belper Town on 31 July 2010...
, Martin Taylor and Peter Ramage
Peter Ramage
Peter Iain Ramage is an English footballer who plays for Crystal Palace on loan from Queens Park Rangers as a defender. He broke into the first team playing at centre back but is versatile enough to play at full back as well. Ramage began his career with Newcastle United as an academy player...
.
Premier League referee Michael Oliver (referee)
Michael Oliver (referee)
Michael Oliver is an English football referee who officiates in the Premier League since being promoted to the Select Group of Referees in 2010. Later that year he became the youngest-ever referee to take charge of a Premier League game...
, the youngest in the leagues history, was born in the town.
Cricketing brothers Steve Harmison
Steve Harmison
Stephen James Harmison MBE is an English cricketer. Primarily a fast bowler, he represented England in 63 Tests, 58 ODI's, and 2 T20's. He also plays county cricket for Durham....
and Ben Harmison
Ben Harmison
Ben William Harmison is an English cricketer who plays first-class cricket for Durham. The former England Under-19 left-handed batsman scored a century on his first-class debut in 2006. He finished the season with 563 runs at an average of 37.53 with 2 hundreds, though both hundreds came in games...
are also from the town.
Property developer Sir John Hall
John Hall (businessman)
Sir John Hall is a property developer in North East England. He is also life president and former chairman of Newcastle United.-Biography:...
, former Chairman and Life President of Newcastle United Football Club was born in North Seaton village on the outskirts of the town in 1933.
Golfer Kenneth Ferrie
Kenneth Ferrie
Kenneth Ferrie is an English professional golfer.Ferrie was born in Ashington, Northumberland. He won the British Boys Championship in 1996 and made his first appearance in a European Tour event that year as an invitee at his local event, the Slaley Hall Northumberland Challenge...
who has played on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
originates from Ashington.
UK Basketball player and coach Alan Hoyle was born in Ashington and formerly ran his basketball club from Northumberland College.
Motorcycle speedway racing was staged at the football ground in 1972 when two meetings took place. The team, which raced one match, were known as the Ashington Arrows.
The Cambois Rowing Club is now situated in Ashington
Ashington Road club cycling team was formed in the 80's Chris Baird,John Bootland,Jimmy Clarke,and Les Kindley formed it.It's now over 25 years old.
Notable residents
In addition to the sporting personalities mentioned above, these include:- John Ashenden, astrologer c 1368
- Robert Huntley (policeman), first Head of Scotland Yard's Bomb Squad
- Ian LaveryIan LaveryIan Lavery is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Wansbeck since the 2010 general election. He was previously the President of the National Union of Mineworkers.-Early life:...
, President of the National Union of Mineworkers - Jackie MilburnJackie MilburnJohn Edward Thompson 'Jackie' Milburn, , also known to fans as Wor Jackie and 'the first World Wor' in reference to his global fame, was a football player for Newcastle United and England...
, EnglandEngland national football teamThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and Newcastle United footballer - Simon Smith (cricketer)Simon Smith (cricketer)Simon James Stevenson Smith is a Scottish cricketer. A wicketkeeper, Smith is the understudy to his namesake Colin Smith and has appeared in the Intercontinental Cup for Scotland four times...
, Scottish cricketer - William Timlin, author and architect
- Jack CharltonJack CharltonJohn "Jack" Charlton, OBE, DL is a former footballer and manager who played for Leeds United in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and was part of the England team who won the 1966 World Cup...
, EnglandEngland national football teamThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and Leeds United footballer - Sir Bobby Charlton, EnglandEngland national football teamThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and Manchester United footballer
External links
- Ashington Colliery Band
- Ashington Community website
- Northumberland College
- Ashington Salvation Army
- Northumberland Communities (Accessed: 5 November 2008)