Ashingtonis ahamletinDorset,England.It is in theunitary authorityofBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole,between the village ofCorfe Mullenand the market town ofWimborne Minster.
| Ashington | |
|---|---|
| Hamlet | |
 View down Ashington Lane | |
  Ashington Location withinDorset | |
| OS grid reference | SZ0098 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | WIMBORNE |
| Postcode district | BH21 |
| Dialling code | 01202 |
| Police | Dorset |
| Fire | Dorset and Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
Named by theSaxons,'Ashington' comes from the wordsaesc– ash, andtun–homesteadorvillage.[1]The timber ofashwas commonly used by the Saxons for construction, as well as for tools and weapons in the same ways metal was more widely used by later generations. The leaves of ash trees provided fodder for cattle and horses, and the tree was thought to have medicinal qualities, slitting anashtrunk was seen as an answer to hernia in infants and a touch of an ash leaf was thought to cure cramp.[2]This abundance ofash treescan still be seen in Ashington today.
Due to its close proximity to theSouth East Dorset conurbationurban area, Ashington is protected as part of theSouth East Dorset Green Belt.It contains parts of theCorfe Barrows Nature Park.
Early history
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Romans
editIn the first century AD, aRomanfortresswas located at Lake Farm under the command ofVespasian,legateand futureRoman emperor,who under the orders of emperorClaudius,was tasked with the subjugation of the remaining tribal groups of Britain. First discovered in 1959, the site covered an area of 40 acres (16 ha).[3]
Thefortwas constructed in two phases, the first established shortly after theRoman invasion of 43 AD.After a short period of use the fort was superseded by a new one that covered a slightly smaller area, with the occupation continuing up to 65 AD, possibly garrisoned byLegio II Augusta.The fort would have been linked to aRoman supply baseto the south inHamworthy,serviced byPoole Harbour,and the remains of another road, 'Roman Road,' can still be seen heading north-west to the Roman settlement ofVindocladia (Bradbury Rings).[4]
Saxons
editTheSaxonsprobably settled in the area around the 7th century. There are twotumulusor 'burial mounds' which can be found in the Barrow Hill part of theCorfe Barrows Nature Park,serving as evidence of aSaxonpresence in the area.
19th and 20th century
editBetween 1867 and 1903, 9 pairs ofsemi-detachedestate cottages, or 'Lady Wimborne Cottages,' were constructed.[5]Believed to be the work of the architectCharles Barry Jr.the cottages designs were commissioned by theGuestsas suitable estate cottages to improve the housing quality and living standards oflabourersthrough establishing a homogeneous design.[5]These were known as the De Ville style.[6]
Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
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In 1885 the 'Wimborne cut-off', officially called the Poole & Bournemouth Junction Branch of theSomerset and Dorset Joint Railwaywas built. The railway line connected theBailey Gate stationto theCorfe Mullen Halt Station,which led toBroadstoneandPoole,therefore bypassing Wimborne, leading to its decline as a railway centre.[7]This new line involved the forming of deepcuttingsand highembankmentsto ease gradients through Ashington, and the building of Ashington Bridge.[8]
Throughout the 1960s, the chair of theBritish Railways BoardRichard Beeching,began a series of major route closures as part of the restructuring of the nationalised railways. These were referred to colloquially as theBeeching Axe.After a gradual closure of local lines, in 1970 theBlandfordtoBroadstoneline, which ran through Ashington, was closed.[7]
Now the disused railway line, maintained byBCP council,serves as a publicnature reserve,'Ashington Cutting,' forming a habitat of mixeddeciduouswoodland.[9]
Ashington Mission Church
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Constructed in 1900, Ashington Mission Church was given to the parish by Mr C. Paterson, theestate agentof theCanford Estate.[10]The church was a 'tin tabernacle' built fromcorrugated ironlikely from the catalogue of, and supplied by, Messrs Humphreys ofKnightsbridge,London.[11]It was located on a site leased fromLord Wimborne,for 1 shilling per year, by Mr Paterson.[12]
Upon the death of his widow Ellen Paterson, a bequest of £500 was left to thevicar,(the Reverend G.F. Richardson) andchurchwardensfor the maintenance of the church.[13]
After over a decade of disuse, the church was eventually sold and converted into a three-bedroom house, that featured in an episode ofEscape to the Country.[14]
Notable residents
edit- George Douglas-Hamilton, 10th Earl of Selkirk–NoblemanandConservativepolitician. FormerFirst Lord of the AdmiraltyandChancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.Inherited Rose Lawn Coppice in 1957 and lived their until his death in 1994.[15]
- John Feaver– Britishtennisplayer, represented Great Britain in theDavis Cupbetween 1977 and 1983. Lived in Ashfields, Merley Park Road.
- Brigadier-General Robert Poore– Anglo-Irish first-classcricketerandBritish Army,who built and lived in Rose Lawn Coppice until his death.[15]
References
edit- ^Cullingford, C.N. (1988).A History of Poole and Neighbourhood.Phillimore. p. 15.ISBN978-0-85033-666-5.Retrieved9 November2024.
- ^Palmer, Ronald K. (1973).What's in a Name?.Southampton: Southern Newspapers Ltd.
- ^Russell, Cheetham, Stewart, John."In the Footsteps of Vespasian: Rethinking the Roman Legionary Fortress at Lake Farm, Wimborne Minster"(PDF).Bournemouth University:1–5.
{{cite journal}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^Lake Farm Wimborne, Dorset Archaeological Evaluation and Watching Brief Report(PDF).Wessex Archaeology. October 2009. p. 8.
- ^abClark, Pat (2000).Lady Wimborne Cottages The Story of the Canford Estate Cottages.The Dovecote Press. pp. 8–9.ISBN1-874336-69-5.
- ^"Cottages for Agricultural Districts".The Illustrated London News.17 June 1848. p. 393.
- ^ab"Chronology – Wimborne and East Dorset Railways".Retrieved30 August2024.
- ^"Current activity – Wimborne and East Dorset Railways".Retrieved30 August2024.
- ^"Ashington Cutting".BCP.Retrieved1 September2024.
- ^"Retirement of Lord Wimborne's Estate Agent".Western Gazette.p. 5.
- ^"Our iron-clad legacy | Dorset Life – The Dorset Magazine".Retrieved2 August2024.
- ^Memorandum of Agreement,15 May 1900. Dorset, England, Poor Law and Church of England Parish Records, 1511–1997
- ^"Handsome Bequest for Ashington Mission Church".Western Gazette.
- ^Richard Rowe (12 February 2014).Escape to the Country, Old Church, Ashington, Wimborne, Dorset.Retrieved30 August2024– via YouTube.
- ^ab"Secluded country house adjoining golf course near Wimborne, Dorset".Somerset Live.2017.
External links
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Media related toAshington, Dorsetat Wikimedia Commons