| Ashted | |
|---|---|
 The Church of St James the Less, as depicted in Beilby, Knott & Beilby'sAn Historical and Descriptive Sketch of Birmingham (1830) | |
  Ashted Location within theWest Midlands | |
| OS grid reference | SP082875 |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BIRMINGHAM |
| Postcode district | B4, B7 |
| Dialling code | 0121 |
| Police | West Midlands |
| Fire | West Midlands |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| |
Ashted (alternatively speltAshstead andAshtead[1]) is an area ofBirmingham in theUnited Kingdom, within theward ofNechells. The area is located approximately 0.75 miles (1.21 km) north-east of Birmingham City Centre near to the city'sEastside district, and forms the western extremity ofDuddeston. It is within the boundaries ofNechells Green, and provides mainlyestate andhigh-rise residences.
The settlement takes its name from thephysicianJohn Ash,[2] who leased the property from Sir Lester Holte and in 1771 built a grand house surrounded by fields, gardens and orchards. He never occupied the house,[2] selling the lease toJohn Brooke, a Birmingham attorney. Brooke laid out streets and divided the property into parcels with the intention of bringing wealth to the area; many affluent entrepreneurs were living in Birmingham during the Industrial Revolution. In 1791, after Brooke added a cupola, Dr. Ash's house was opened as the church ofSt James the Less.[3] The Ashted Barracks were erected next to the church in 1791 following thePriestley Riots.[4] In 1809, the church passed into a trust and wasconsecrated in 1810.
Thirty-eight years later, in 1848,Samuel Lewis'sTopographical Dictionary of England counted the population as approximately 25,000, and stated that the settlement's proximity to the city centre gave huge advantage to trade and industry.[4]
Towards the end of the 19th century, the status of the area dropped and it became a high-densityworking class area, with manyslums.[2]
The church was demolished in 1956, having sustained heavy bombing duringWorld War II.[2]
TheA47 and Jennens Road meetThe Middleway at Ashted. The traffic light controlled junction was laid out in 2018–19 following infilling of the Ashted Circus roundabout and its pedestrian subways.[5][6]Dartmouth Circus is to the north via Dartmouth Middleway; and Garrison Circus to the south via Lawley Middleway.
Ashted Tunnel on theDigbeth Branch Canal provides water transport under theA47 Jennens Road.
