Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Encyclopedia
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, — Zouch being pronounced ˈzuːʃ "Zoosh" — often shortened to Ashby, is a small market town
and civil parish in North West
Leicestershire
, England, within the National Forest
. It is twinned with Pithiviers
in north-central France.
Ashby-de-la-Zouch castle was of importance from the 15th to the 17th centuries. In the 19th century the town became a spa town
and before the growth of Coalville
it was the chief town in north-west Leicestershire.
In the 19th century its main industries were ribbon manufacture, coal mining and brickmaking. The town was served by Ashby Canal from 1804 and the Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line
of the Midland Railway
from 1845.
The civil parish includes the hamlet
of Shellbrook west of the town. Nearby villages include Normanton le Heath
, Packington
, Donisthorpe
, Oakthorpe
, Measham
, Coleorton
and Moira
.
origin, meaning "Ash-tree farm" or "Ash-tree settlement". The Norman French addition dates from the years after the Norman conquest of England
, when the town became a possession of the La Zouche
family during the reign of Henry III
.
Ashby de la Zouch Castle was built in the 12th century. The town and castle came into the possession of the Hastings family in 1464 and William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings
enhanced its fortifications from 1473. In the English Civil War
the town was one of the Royalists' chief garrisons under the control of Colonel Henry Hastings, 1st Baron Loughborough
and commander of the North Midlands Army. When the town fell after a long siege in March, 1646 it was counted a great relief to the surrounding towns and villages.
Many of the buildings in Market Street, the town's main thoroughfare, are timber framed, but most of this is hidden by later brick facades. The Bull's Head public house
retains its original Elizabethan
half-timbering. There are also Regency
buildings in this street. Bath Street has a row of Classical
-style houses dating from the time that the town was a spa.
The local upper school
, Ashby School
, previously Ashby Grammar School, is a mixed comprehensive school
for 14 to 18-year-olds that was founded in 1567. There were formerly two other endowed boys' schools of 18th century foundation.
A local high school
, Ivanhoe College
, for 11 to 14-year-old children, is named after the historical novel Ivanhoe
by Sir Walter Scott
which was set in the area of the castle. In Scott's novel the town hosts an important archery
competition held by Prince John
, in which Robin Hood
competes and wins.
is Ashby's original parish church. It is a late 15th century Perpendicular Gothic building but the outer aisles were designed by J.P. St. Aubyn
and added in 1878. St. Helen's contains notable memorials to various members of the Hastings family and others, and a rare 300 year old finger pillory
which may have been used to punish people misbehaving in church.
Holy Trinity, Ashby-de-la-Zouch
is a Gothic Revival
building designed by H.I. Stevens
in the Early English Gothic style and built in 1838-40. It has galleries supported by iron columns. The chancel
was added in 1866 and the ironwork chancel screen in 1891.
The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Lourdes
was designed by F.A. Walters
and built in 1908-15 at the expense of the 15th Duke of Norfolk
whose wife had been Lady Flora Hastings
. It is neo-Norman
with three apse
s and a tower at the southeast corner.
The Congregational Church
was built in 1825 in a neoclassical
style with Tuscan
columns.
The Methodist Church
was built in 1867-68 in an Early English style.
The Ivanhoe Baths was a Neo-Grec
ian building of 1822 with a Doric
façade 200 feet (61 m) long. It was derelict by 1960 and was demolished in 1962. The baths had their origins in the discovery of a copious saline spring when working coal at Moira Colliery, 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the town, in 1805. Here the Moira Baths were built, with a large hotel nearby. After a few years however, it was decided to convey the water to Ashby, where the Ivanhoe Baths were built. The Royal Hotel was built in 1826 to accommodate visitors to the growing spa. It has a Doric porte-cochère
and further Doric columns in its hall inside.
. It provides about 2,000 jobs at its distribution centre, which houses and transports throughout the country all its products, and its KP Snacks
factory on Smisby Road which is the production site of the well known Hula Hoops
, Skips
, Nik Naks
, Space Raiders
and Choc Dips. UB formerly had a larger presence in Ashby when it also had a McVitie's
biscuit factory on Smisby Road, but this closed in 2004 with the loss of 900 jobs.
Other employers in Ashby include Standard Soap, Tesco
, Ashfield Healthcare (now Ashfield In2Focus), Timeline Communications, Eduteq Limited and TAC UK Ltd, a firm of energy consultants. There is also a concentration of high-tech employers. The video game software house Ashby Computer Graphics, also known as Ultimate Play The Game
, was based in Ashby. Now called Rare, it has moved to custom-built premises at Manor Park
near Twycross
.
The UK government's swine flu
help-line centre for England was based at Ashby.
Park Golf Course is set in rolling countryside, partly in parkland and partly on heathland. The course was opened for play in April 1921. The first hole is played along an avenue of lime trees which once flanked the old coach road from the old Norman
castle in the town to the now demolished Willesley Hall.
Ashby Hastings Cricket Club was founded before 1831. Its ground, the Bath Grounds in the centre of Ashby, hosts Leicestershire CCC 2nd XI matches each year. The club runs three Saturday League sides, all of whom play in the Everard's Leicestershire County Cricket League. The 1st XI play in the Premier Division, the highest level of club cricket available in Leicestershire, the 2nd XI play in Division 4 and the 3rd XI play in Division 8. The club also run a Midweek XI who play in the Premier Division of the Loughborough
Cricket Association League and a Sunday XI who play friendly cricket. The club's Junior Section includes sides at Under 15, Under 13, Under 11 and Under 10 age groups. A second club, Ashby Town Cricket Club was formed in 1945.
The town also has a small bridge
club (Ashby Bridge Club).
of the Midland Railway
from 1845. The canal was abandoned in stages between 1944 and 1966 and the British Rail
ways withdrew the passenger service and closed Ashby de la Zouch railway station
in September 1964. The railway remains open for freight.
In the 1990s BR planned to restore passenger services between Leicester and Burton as the second phase of its Ivanhoe Line project. However, after the privatisation of British Rail
in 1995 this phase of the project was discontinued. In 2009 the Association of Train Operating Companies
published a £49 million proposal to restore passenger services to the line that would include reopening a station at Ashby. The restoration of passenger train services remains within Leicestershire County Council
's Structure Plan as a project awaiting funding.
The nearest railway station is now , over 8 miles (12.9 km) away. , 16 miles (25.7 km) away, has fast Midland Mainline
express passenger services to and from London .
The A50
Leicester
to Stoke-on-Trent
road and the A453
Birmingham
to Nottingham
road used to pass through the town centre. The heavy traffic which previously travelled through the town has been substantially relieved by the A42
and A511
bypasses, which replaced the A453 and A50 respectively.
Frequent bus routes provide an hourly direct service to Coalville and Burton-upon-Trent (Arriva Midlands
3, 9/9A & 16) and the National Express
coach network links to Leicester for intercity connections and a daily direct service to London.
East Midlands Airport is 9 miles (14.5 km) northeast of Ashby and provides flights to and from other parts of the UK and Europe.
Ashby Statutes, a funfair
, is held every September. Instituted by Royal Statute, it was originally a hiring fair when domestic servants and farmworkers would be hired for the year. Market Street, the main road through the town (the former A50 trunk road), is closed for nearly a week and the traffic is diverted along the narrower road, South Street. Locals call this event 'The Statutes'.
In April 1946 the American jazz bassist and composer Charles Mingus
recorded a tune called "Ashby de la Zouch" with his band. The title was probably an acknowledgement of guitarist Irving Ashby
who took part in the recording.
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
and civil parish in North West
North West Leicestershire
North West Leicestershire is a local government district in Leicestershire, England. Its main towns are Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Coalville.The district contains East Midlands Airport, which operates flights to the rest of Britain and to various places in Europe...
Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, England, within the National Forest
National Forest, England
The National Forest is one of England’s most ambitious environmental projects. Across parts of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire, are being transformed, blending ancient woodland with new planting to create a new national forest...
. It is twinned with Pithiviers
Pithiviers
Pithiviers is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France. It is twinned with Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, England....
in north-central France.
Ashby-de-la-Zouch castle was of importance from the 15th to the 17th centuries. In the 19th century the town became a spa town
Spa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
and before the growth of Coalville
Coalville
Coalville is a town in North West Leicestershire, England, with a population estimated in 2003 to be almost 33,000. It is situated on the A511 trunk road between Leicester and Burton upon Trent, close to junction 22 of the M1 motorway where the A511 meets the A50 between Ashby-de-la-Zouch and...
it was the chief town in north-west Leicestershire.
In the 19th century its main industries were ribbon manufacture, coal mining and brickmaking. The town was served by Ashby Canal from 1804 and the Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line
Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line
The Leicester to Burton-Upon-Trent Line is a freight-only railway line in England linking the Midland Main Line south of to the Cross Country Route at...
of the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
from 1845.
The civil parish includes the hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Shellbrook west of the town. Nearby villages include Normanton le Heath
Normanton le Heath
Normanton le Heath is a village and civil parish situated between the parishes of Packington, Ravenstone and Heather in North West Leicestershire, England...
, Packington
Packington
Packington is a village and civil parish in the district of North West Leicestershire. It is situated close to the A42 road and the town of Ashby de la Zouch. The population of Packington according to the 2001 UK census is 738...
, Donisthorpe
Donisthorpe
Donisthorpe is a village in the East Midlands of England, administered as part of the Leicestershire district of North West Leicestershire.The historic county boundary between Leicestershire and Derbyshire is the River Mease, which runs through the village, with the village centre being on the...
, Oakthorpe
Oakthorpe
For the area in London, see Oakthorpe ParkOakthorpe is a village in the English county of Leicestershire.In 1086, Oakthorpe was in Derbyshire and was amonngst several manors in Derbyshire given to Nigel of Stafford by William the Conquereor. Until 1897 Oakthorpe, and its neighbours Measham and...
, Measham
Measham
Measham is a village in Leicestershire, near the Staffordshire and Derbyshire border, located just off the A42 just south of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, and within the National Forest...
, Coleorton
Coleorton
Coleorton is a village and civil parish in North West Leicestershire, England. It is situated on the A512 road approximately 2 miles east of Ashby de la Zouch...
and Moira
Moira, Leicestershire
Moira is a former mining village about west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in North West Leicestershire, England. The village is about miles south of the Derbyshire town of Swadlincote and is close to the county boundary....
.
History
"Ashby" is a word of Anglo-DanishDanish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
origin, meaning "Ash-tree farm" or "Ash-tree settlement". The Norman French addition dates from the years after the Norman conquest of England
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
, when the town became a possession of the La Zouche
Baron Zouche
Baron Zouche is a title that has thrice been created in the Peerage of England.-Genealogy:The de la Zouche family descended from Alan de la Zouche, sometimes called Alan de Porhoët and Alan la Coche , a Breton who settled in England during the reign of Henry II. He was the son of Vicomte Geoffrey I...
family during the reign of Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
.
Ashby de la Zouch Castle was built in the 12th century. The town and castle came into the possession of the Hastings family in 1464 and William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings
William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings
William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings KG was an English nobleman. A follower of the House of York, he became a close friend and the most important courtier of King Edward IV, whom he served as Lord Chamberlain...
enhanced its fortifications from 1473. In the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
the town was one of the Royalists' chief garrisons under the control of Colonel Henry Hastings, 1st Baron Loughborough
Henry Hastings, 1st Baron Loughborough
Henry Hastings, 1st Baron Loughborough was an English Royalist army commander in the Midlands during the English Civil War.-Life:...
and commander of the North Midlands Army. When the town fell after a long siege in March, 1646 it was counted a great relief to the surrounding towns and villages.
Many of the buildings in Market Street, the town's main thoroughfare, are timber framed, but most of this is hidden by later brick facades. The Bull's Head public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
retains its original Elizabethan
Elizabethan architecture
Elizabethan architecture is the term given to early Renaissance architecture in England, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Historically, the period corresponds to the Cinquecento in Italy, the Early Renaissance in France, and the Plateresque style in Spain...
half-timbering. There are also Regency
English Regency
The Regency era in the United Kingdom is the period between 1811—when King George III was deemed unfit to rule and his son, the Prince of Wales, ruled as his proxy as Prince Regent—and 1820, when the Prince Regent became George IV on the death of his father....
buildings in this street. Bath Street has a row of Classical
Classicism
Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for classical antiquity, as setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate. The art of classicism typically seeks to be formal and restrained: of the Discobolus Sir Kenneth Clark observed, "if we object to his restraint...
-style houses dating from the time that the town was a spa.
The local upper school
Upper school
Upper Schools tend to be schools within secondary education. Outside England, the term normally refers to a section of a larger school. There is some variation in the use of the term in England.-State Maintained Schools:...
, Ashby School
Ashby School
Ashby School, formerly known as Ashby Grammar School, is a co-educational day and boys' boarding comprehensive school in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, England.-Admissions:...
, previously Ashby Grammar School, is a mixed comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
for 14 to 18-year-olds that was founded in 1567. There were formerly two other endowed boys' schools of 18th century foundation.
A local 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....
, Ivanhoe College
Ivanhoe Specialist Technology College
Ivanhoe Specialist Technology College is a secondary school located in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, England. It takes in 11-14 year olds from several primary schools around the local area. It was established in 1954 as the first purpose-built high school in Leicestershire...
, for 11 to 14-year-old children, is named after the historical novel Ivanhoe
Ivanhoe
Ivanhoe is a historical fiction novel by Sir Walter Scott in 1819, and set in 12th-century England. Ivanhoe is sometimes credited for increasing interest in Romanticism and Medievalism; John Henry Newman claimed Scott "had first turned men's minds in the direction of the middle ages," while...
by Sir Walter Scott
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
which was set in the area of the castle. In Scott's novel the town hosts an important archery
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
competition held by Prince John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
, in which Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
competes and wins.
Notable buildings
St Helen's Church, Ashby-de-la-ZouchSt Helen's Church, Ashby-de-la-Zouch
St. Helen's Church, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, is a parish church in the Church of England in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire.-Description:The church is largely fourteenth century but was rebuilt in 1878 by James Piers St Aubyn with the addition of outer nave aisles...
is Ashby's original parish church. It is a late 15th century Perpendicular Gothic building but the outer aisles were designed by J.P. St. Aubyn
James Piers St Aubyn
James Piers St Aubyn , often referred to as J. P. St Aubyn, was an English architect of the Victorian era, known for his church architecture and confident restorations.-Early life:...
and added in 1878. St. Helen's contains notable memorials to various members of the Hastings family and others, and a rare 300 year old finger pillory
Finger pillory
A finger pillory is a style of restraint where the fingers are held in a wooden block, using an L-shaped hole to keep the knuckle bent inside the block. The name is taken from the pillory, a much larger device used to secure the head and hands, teeth and neck.Finger pillories operate on a slightly...
which may have been used to punish people misbehaving in church.
Holy Trinity, Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Holy Trinity, Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Holy Trinity, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, is a parish church in the Church of England in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire.-Description:The church was built between 1838 and 1840 to designs by the Derby architect, Henry Isaac Stevens. The chancel was added in 1866 by James Piers St Aubyn.The church was...
is a Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
building designed by H.I. Stevens
Henry Isaac Stevens
Henry Isaac Stevens was an architect based in Derby. He was born in London, in 1806, and died in 1873. In the late 1850s he changed his name to Isaac Henry Stevens.-Family:His parents were Isaac Stevens and Elizabeth Young....
in the Early English Gothic style and built in 1838-40. It has galleries supported by iron columns. The chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
was added in 1866 and the ironwork chancel screen in 1891.
The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes is the name used to refer to the Marian apparition said to have appeared before various individuals on separate occasions around Lourdes, France...
was designed by F.A. Walters
Frederick Walters
Frederick Arthur Walters was a Scottish architect working in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, notable for his Roman Catholic churches.-Life:...
and built in 1908-15 at the expense of the 15th Duke of Norfolk
Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk
Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk, , styled Baron Maltravers until 1856 and Earl of Arundel and Surrey between 1856 and 1860, was a British Unionist politician and philanthropist...
whose wife had been Lady Flora Hastings
Lady Flora Hastings
Lady Flora Elizabeth Rawdon-Hastings was a British aristocrat and lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria's mother, the Duchess of Kent, whose death in 1839 caused a court scandal that gave the Queen a negative image....
. It is neo-Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
with three apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
s and a tower at the southeast corner.
The Congregational Church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
was built in 1825 in a neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
style with Tuscan
Tuscan order
Among canon of classical orders of classical architecture, the Tuscan order's place is due to the influence of the Italian Sebastiano Serlio, who meticulously described the five orders including a "Tuscan order", "the solidest and least ornate", in his fourth book of Regole generalii di...
columns.
The Methodist Church
Methodist Church of Great Britain
The Methodist Church of Great Britain is the largest Wesleyan Methodist body in the United Kingdom, with congregations across Great Britain . It is the United Kingdom's fourth largest Christian denomination, with around 300,000 members and 6,000 churches...
was built in 1867-68 in an Early English style.
The Ivanhoe Baths was a Neo-Grec
Neo-Grec
Neo-Grec is a term referring to late manifestations of Neoclassicism, early Neo-Renaissance now called the Greek Revival style, which was popularized in architecture, the decorative arts, and in painting during France's Second Empire, or the reign of Napoleon III, a period that lasted...
ian building of 1822 with a Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
façade 200 feet (61 m) long. It was derelict by 1960 and was demolished in 1962. The baths had their origins in the discovery of a copious saline spring when working coal at Moira Colliery, 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the town, in 1805. Here the Moira Baths were built, with a large hotel nearby. After a few years however, it was decided to convey the water to Ashby, where the Ivanhoe Baths were built. The Royal Hotel was built in 1826 to accommodate visitors to the growing spa. It has a Doric porte-cochère
Porte-cochere
A porte-cochère is the architectural term for a porch- or portico-like structure at a main or secondary entrance to a building through which a horse and carriage can pass in order for the occupants to alight under cover, protected from the weather.The porte-cochère was a feature of many late 18th...
and further Doric columns in its hall inside.
Economy
In the 19th century Ashby's main industries were ribbon manufacture, coal mining and brick making. In the early 21st century, by far the largest employer in the town is United BiscuitsUnited Biscuits
__FORCETOC__United Biscuits is a British multinational food manufacturer, makers of the BN biscuits, McVitie's biscuits, KP Nuts, Hula Hoops, The Real McCoy's crisps, Phileas Fogg snacks, Jacob's Cream Crackers, and Twiglets...
. It provides about 2,000 jobs at its distribution centre, which houses and transports throughout the country all its products, and its KP Snacks
KP Snacks
KP Snacks is a British producer of branded and own-label maize and potato based snacks, "Choc Dips" and nuts. The KP originally stood for Kenyon Produce. The company is based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England....
factory on Smisby Road which is the production site of the well known Hula Hoops
Hula Hoops
Hula Hoops are a potato-based snack, in the shape of short, hollow cylinders. They were first introduced in 1973. Hula Hoops come in several different flavors. They are produced by KP Snacks...
, Skips
Skips (Snack)
Skips are a tapioca snack from the United Kingdom; which were first launched in 1974 as prawn cocktail. The snacks are made by United Biscuits and sold under the KP brand made under license from Meiji Seika Japan. Today they are available with bacon and cheese flavours in addition to the...
, Nik Naks
Nik Naks
Nik Naks are a type of extruded corn snack previously manufactured by Golden Wonder in the United Kingdom, following the successful take over of Sooner Snacks. The brand was purchased by United Biscuits in 2006...
, Space Raiders
Space Raiders
Space Raiders are a cheap snack food, intended to fill the same niche market as crisps, and are sold in similar style packets. They are made from corn and wheat and available in several flavours. They are made by KP Snacks in Ashby-de-la-Zouch in the UK...
and Choc Dips. UB formerly had a larger presence in Ashby when it also had a McVitie's
McVitie's
McVitie's is a snack food brand owned by United Biscuits. The name derives from the original Scottish biscuit maker, McVitie & Price, Ltd., established in 1830 on Rose Street in Edinburgh, Scotland. The firm moved to various sites in the city before completing the St...
biscuit factory on Smisby Road, but this closed in 2004 with the loss of 900 jobs.
Other employers in Ashby include Standard Soap, Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
, Ashfield Healthcare (now Ashfield In2Focus), Timeline Communications, Eduteq Limited and TAC UK Ltd, a firm of energy consultants. There is also a concentration of high-tech employers. The video game software house Ashby Computer Graphics, also known as Ultimate Play The Game
Ultimate Play the Game
Ultimate Play The Game was a critically acclaimed video game developer of the early home computer era. "Ultimate Play The Game" was the trading name of Ashby Computers & Graphics Ltd. , a software company founded in 1982 by two ex-arcade game developers Tim and Chris Stamper...
, was based in Ashby. Now called Rare, it has moved to custom-built premises at Manor Park
Manor Park
Manor Park may refer to places:in Canada:*Manor Park, Nova Scotia, a neighborhood in Dartmouth*Manor Park , Canadain New Zealand:*Manor Park, New Zealand, a suburb of Lower Huttin the United Kingdom:*Manor Park, London...
near Twycross
Twycross
Twycross is a small village and civil parish in Leicestershire, England on the A444 road. Parts of it are called Norton juxta — Latin for 'next to' — Twycross or Little Twycross...
.
The UK government's swine flu
Swine flu
Swine influenza, also called pig influenza, swine flu, hog flu and pig flu, is an infection by any one of several types of swine influenza virus. Swine influenza virus or S-OIV is any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs...
help-line centre for England was based at Ashby.
Recreation
WillesleyWillesley
Willesley is a place near Ashby-de-la-Zouch. It was in Derbyshire but is now part of Leicestershire. In the 19th century it had a population of about 60 and Willesley Hall was the home of the Abney and later the Abney-Hastings family. Willesley is so small that it would be a hamlet except that it...
Park Golf Course is set in rolling countryside, partly in parkland and partly on heathland. The course was opened for play in April 1921. The first hole is played along an avenue of lime trees which once flanked the old coach road from the old Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
castle in the town to the now demolished Willesley Hall.
Ashby Hastings Cricket Club was founded before 1831. Its ground, the Bath Grounds in the centre of Ashby, hosts Leicestershire CCC 2nd XI matches each year. The club runs three Saturday League sides, all of whom play in the Everard's Leicestershire County Cricket League. The 1st XI play in the Premier Division, the highest level of club cricket available in Leicestershire, the 2nd XI play in Division 4 and the 3rd XI play in Division 8. The club also run a Midweek XI who play in the Premier Division of the Loughborough
Loughborough
Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University...
Cricket Association League and a Sunday XI who play friendly cricket. The club's Junior Section includes sides at Under 15, Under 13, Under 11 and Under 10 age groups. A second club, Ashby Town Cricket Club was formed in 1945.
The town also has a small bridge
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
club (Ashby Bridge Club).
Transport
The town was served by Ashby Canal from 1804 and the Leicester to Burton upon Trent LineLeicester to Burton upon Trent Line
The Leicester to Burton-Upon-Trent Line is a freight-only railway line in England linking the Midland Main Line south of to the Cross Country Route at...
of the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
from 1845. The canal was abandoned in stages between 1944 and 1966 and 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...
ways withdrew the passenger service and closed Ashby de la Zouch railway station
Ashby de la Zouch railway station
Ashby de la Zouch railway station was a railway station at Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire on the Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line. The Midland Railway opened it on 1849 and British Railways closed it on 1964....
in September 1964. The railway remains open for freight.
In the 1990s BR planned to restore passenger services between Leicester and Burton as the second phase of its Ivanhoe Line project. However, after the privatisation of British Rail
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
in 1995 this phase of the project was discontinued. In 2009 the Association of Train Operating Companies
Association of Train Operating Companies
The Association of Train Operating Companies is a body which represents 24 train operating companies that provide passenger railway services on the privatised British railway system. It owns the National Rail brand. The Association is an unincorporated association owned by its members...
published a £49 million proposal to restore passenger services to the line that would include reopening a station at Ashby. The restoration of passenger train services remains within Leicestershire County Council
Leicestershire County Council
Leicestershire County Council is the county council for the English non-metropolitan county of Leicestershire. It was originally formed in 1889 by the Local Government Act 1888. The county is divided into 52 electoral divisions, which return a total of 55 councillors. The council is controlled by...
's Structure Plan as a project awaiting funding.
The nearest railway station is now , over 8 miles (12.9 km) away. , 16 miles (25.7 km) away, has fast Midland Mainline
Midland Mainline
Midland Mainline was a British train operating company owned by the National Express Group and based in Derby. It was created after the privatisation of British Rail. Midland Mainline services operated from April 1996 to November 2007....
express passenger services to and from London .
A50 road
The A50 is a major trunk road in England. It runs from Warrington to Leicester; however, it was once a much longer route.-Current route:...
Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
to Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
road and the A453
A453 road
The A453 road was formerly the main trunk road connecting the English cities of Nottingham and Birmingham. However, the middle section of this mainly single-carriageway road has largely been downgraded to B roads or unclassified roads following the construction of the parallel M42-A42 link around...
Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
to Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
road used to pass through the town centre. The heavy traffic which previously travelled through the town has been substantially relieved by the A42
A42 road
The A42 is a major trunk road in the East Midlands region of the United Kingdom. It links junction 23A of the M1 motorway to junction 11 of the M42 motorway. The A42 is in effect a continuation of the M42, and its junctions are numbered accordingly....
and A511
A511 road
The A511 road is a stretch of mainly single-carriageway road which runs northwest from junction 22 of the M1 motorway in Leicestershire, England to join the A50 between Uttoxeter and Derby....
bypasses, which replaced the A453 and A50 respectively.
Frequent bus routes provide an hourly direct service to Coalville and Burton-upon-Trent (Arriva Midlands
Arriva Midlands
Arriva Midlands is a division of Arriva. It operates bus services around the Midlands area of England and is made up of various previous bus operators.-Arriva Midlands North:...
3, 9/9A & 16) and the 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,...
coach network links to Leicester for intercity connections and a daily direct service to London.
East Midlands Airport is 9 miles (14.5 km) northeast of Ashby and provides flights to and from other parts of the UK and Europe.
Culture
Every August, Ashby holds an arts festival currently sponsored by the district council. This features local artists, musicians, song writers, poets, performers and story tellers. The multiple sites around the town host exhibitions, musical performances, workshops and talks, and the town centre is decorated with flags and an outdoor gallery.Ashby Statutes, a funfair
Funfair
A funfair or simply "fair" is a small to medium sized travelling show primarily composed of stalls and other amusements. Larger fairs such as the permanent fairs of cities and seaside resorts might be called a fairground, although technically this should refer to the land where a fair is...
, is held every September. Instituted by Royal Statute, it was originally a hiring fair when domestic servants and farmworkers would be hired for the year. Market Street, the main road through the town (the former A50 trunk road), is closed for nearly a week and the traffic is diverted along the narrower road, South Street. Locals call this event 'The Statutes'.
In April 1946 the American jazz bassist and composer Charles Mingus
Charles Mingus
Charles Mingus Jr. was an American jazz musician, composer, bandleader, and civil rights activist.Mingus's compositions retained the hot and soulful feel of hard bop and drew heavily from black gospel music while sometimes drawing on elements of Third stream, free jazz, and classical music...
recorded a tune called "Ashby de la Zouch" with his band. The title was probably an acknowledgement of guitarist Irving Ashby
Irving Ashby
Irving C. Ashby was an American jazz guitarist.Ashby was born in Somerville, Massachusetts. After playing rhythm guitar in Lionel Hampton's orchestra, he played in the Nat King Cole Trio from 1947 to 1951...
who took part in the recording.
Notable people
- Anthony GilbyAnthony GilbyAnthony Gilby was an English clergyman, known as a radical Puritan and Geneva Bible translator.He was born in Lincolnshire, and was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge, graduating in 1535.-Early life:...
, 16th century Puritan sage - James Green (author)James Green (author)James "Jim" Green is a British writer and broadcaster who turned to writing as a full time profession after a 25 year career in teaching. He has had over 40 titles published in various genres, from educational text books to travel guides to crime novels...
(1944-), crime and non-fiction author lived in the area in the 70's and 80's - Joseph Hall, 1574–1656, the renowned satirist and bishop, born in Ashby-de-la-Zouch
- Rosemary HarrisRosemary HarrisRosemary Ann Harris is an English actress and a member of the American Theatre Hall of Fame. Throughout her career she has been nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award and has won a Golden Globe, an Emmy, a Tony Award, an Obie, and five Drama Desk Awards.-Early life:Harris was born in...
, actress played Aunt MayAunt MayMay Reilly Parker-Jameson, commonly known as Aunt May, is a supporting character in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared as May Parker in Amazing Fantasy #15...
in the Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
movies - Frank Abney HastingsFrank Abney HastingsFrank Abney Hastings was a British naval officer and Philhellene.- Early career :He was the son of Lieut.-general Sir Charles Hastings of Willesley Hall, a natural son of Francis Hastings, 10th Earl of Huntingdon...
, 1794-1828, British naval officer and Philhellene - Russell HoultRussell HoultRussell Hoult is an English footballer. He is a goalkeeper and is currently player/assistant manager/goalkeeping coach for Hereford United.-Playing career:...
, footballer was born in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, and still lives locally (at ColeortonColeortonColeorton is a village and civil parish in North West Leicestershire, England. It is situated on the A512 road approximately 2 miles east of Ashby de la Zouch...
) - Lara JonesLara JonesLara Jones was a British artist, children's author and illustrator. She is best remembered for her Poppy Cat series of books, written for the very young, which have been published in 20 languages and sold nearly two million copies.-Early life:Lara Kate Jones, was born in Ashby-de-la-Zouch,...
, children's author, was born in Ashby-de-la-Zouch - Grant KirkhopeGrant KirkhopeGrant Kirkhope is a British video game music composer, known for writing the soundtracks for numerous games by Rare, such as Banjo-Kazooie, Perfect Dark and Donkey Kong 64.-Biography:...
, a video game music composer and musician - Niall MackenzieNiall MackenzieNiall Macfarlane Mackenzie is a retired motorcycle road racer from Denny, Falkirk, Scotland.-Career:MacKenzie won the British Superbike Championship three times from 1996 to 1998 on a Rob McElnea-run Yamaha team, and the British 250cc and 350cc titles earlier in his career...
, Grand Prix motorcycle racer, now retired and living in Ashby-de-le-Zouch. - James MartinJames Martin (author)James Martin is a British Information Technology consultant and author, who was nominated for a Pulitzer prize for his book, The Wired Society: A Challenge for Tomorrow .- Biography :...
, an IT consultant and author, was born in Ashby-de-la-Zouch - Adrian MoleAdrian MoleAdrian Albert Mole is the fictional protagonist in a series of books by English author Sue Townsend. The character first appeared in a BBC Radio 4 play in 1982. The books are written in the form of a diary, with some additional content such as correspondence...
, a fictional diarist created by Sue TownsendSue Townsend-Adrian Mole series:* The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ , her best selling book, and the best-selling new British fiction book of the 1980s.* The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole * The True Confessions of Adrian Albert Mole...
, from her novels including The growing pains of Adrian Mole and The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13¾ (Adrian moves from LeicesterLeicesterLeicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
to Ashby-de-la-Zouch during his lifetime: his girlfriend Pandora BraithwaitePandora BraithwaiteDr Pandora Louise Elizabeth Braithwaite is the love interest of Adrian Mole in the Adrian Mole series of books by Sue Townsend. Pandora came to media attention as Labour Member of Parliament under Tony Blair....
later becomes MP for the town) Sue Townsend also opened the Ashby SchoolAshby SchoolAshby School, formerly known as Ashby Grammar School, is a co-educational day and boys' boarding comprehensive school in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, England.-Admissions:...
new English block in 2008 - Dolly ShepherdDolly ShepherdDolly Shepherd , was born in Potters Bar as Elizabeth Shepherd. She was a pre-eminent parachutist and fairground entertainer in the Edwardian and Georgian eras, renowned for her exceptional courage...
, 1887–1983, the notable aviatrix, made her return to parachutingParachutingParachuting, also known as skydiving, is the action of exiting an aircraft and returning to earth with the aid of a parachute. It may or may not involve a certain amount of free-fall, a time during which the parachute has not been deployed and the body gradually accelerates to terminal...
from balloons in a display at Ashby, after recovering from a potentially fatal accident - Paul TaylorPaul Taylor (cricketer)Paul Taylor is an English former cricketer, who played in two Tests and one ODI for England from 1993 to 1994.-Life and career:...
, England cricketer, born in the town - Roger WilliamsonRoger WilliamsonRoger Williamson was a British racing driver who died during the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort Circuit in the Netherlands.-Biography:...
, Formula OneFormula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
driver, born in Ashby-de-la-Zouch. - Alastair YatesAlastair YatesAlastair Yates is a British journalist. He worked with the BBC, on BBC World News and BBC News until his retirement in April 2011.Born and brought up in Burton upon Trent, Yates was educated at Manor House School, Ashby and the former Burton Grammar School...
, a presenter on BBC News and BBC World News went to Manor House School, Ashby and his farming family still live in the town (he was at BBC Radio LeicesterBBC Radio LeicesterBBC Radio Leicester is the BBC Local Radio service for the English counties of Leicestershire and Rutland. The station broadcasts from studios in Leicester on 104.9 FM, on DAB, and via the BBC iPlayer.-History:...
in the mid-1970s) - The Young KnivesThe Young KnivesYoung Knives are an English indie rock band from Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire. The name is based on a misunderstanding of "young knaves", which was found by the band when rummaging through a book....
, formed in Ashby-de-la-Zouch