Ashbourne

The Gateway to Dovedale

Ashbourne is an old market town in Derbyshire and is known as ‘The Gateway to Dovedale’ It is on the southern edge of the Peak District on the edge of the limestone ‘White Peak’ area. The town actually stems from a small Saxon village first mentioned in the Domesday Book, its medieval title being Essiburn. The town has a medieval street pattern and many historic buildings along with a cobbled market place, hidden alleys and yards.

Ashbourne became a busy and fashionable social centre for the wealthy during the Georgian period, with six coaching roads meeting here, including the route from London to Carlisle. The wide and elegant Church Street is considered to be the finest example of Georgian buildings in Derbyshire. It was in 1257 that the town was granted a charter to allow stalls in its market place after being made a Royal borough in 1276. In medieval times the Victoria Square was known as ‘The Shambles’ where butchers would cut up their meat to sell.

Shrovetide Football

Ashbourne is also known for its annual two day Royal Shrovetide Football Match in which one half of the town plays the other at football, using the town as the pitch and with the goals three miles apart. As many as several thousand players compete for two days with a hand-painted, cork-filled ball. The game is played over two eight-hour periods, the goals are three miles apart and there are only a few rules. There are just two teams - the Up'ards and the Down'ards. Shrovetide football has been played for centuries and possibly for over 1,000 years. It is a moving brawl which continues through the roads of the town, across fields and even along the bed of the local river. There have been intermittent attempts to ban the game but it has been played here for hundreds of years and, fortunately, still continues.

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