| Ashton-under-Lyne | |
|---|---|
     Clockwise, from top:Ashton-under-Lyne town centre;Portland Basin; Market Hall;St Michael and All Angels' Church;Ashton Town Hall | |
  Ashton-under-Lyne Location withinGreater Manchester | |
| Population | 48,604 (2021 census) |
| • Density | 12,374 per mi² (4,777 per km²) |
| OS grid reference | SJ931997 |
| • London | 160 mi (257 km)SSE |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE |
| Postcode district | OL6, OL7 |
| Dialling code | 0161 |
| Police | Greater Manchester |
| Fire | Greater Manchester |
| Ambulance | North West |
| UK Parliament | |
| |
Ashton-under-Lyne, also known simply asAshton, is amarket town inTameside,Greater Manchester, England.[1] The population was 48,604 at the 2021 census.[2]Historically inLancashire, it is on the north bank of theRiver Tame, in the foothills of thePennines, six miles (ten kilometres) east ofManchester.
Evidence ofStone Age,Bronze Age, andViking activity has been discovered in Ashton-under-Lyne. The "Ashton" part of the town's name probably dates from theAnglo-Saxon period, and derives fromOld English meaning "settlement by ash trees".[3] The origin of the "under-Lyne" suffix is less clear;[4] it possibly derives from theBrittonic-originating wordlemo meaningelm or from Ashton's proximity to the Pennines.[5] In theMiddle Ages, Ashton-under-Lyne was aparish andtownship and Ashton Old Hall was held by the de Asshetons,lords of the manor. Granted aroyal charter in 1414, the manor spanned a rural area consisting of marshland, moorland, and a number of villages and hamlets.
Until the introduction of thecotton trade in 1769, Ashton was considered "bare, wet, and almost worthless".[5] Thefactory system, andtextile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution triggered a process of unplanned urbanisation in the area, and by the mid-19th century Ashton had emerged as an importantmill town at a convergence of newly constructed canals and railways. Ashton-under-Lyne's transport network allowed for an economic boom incottonspinning,weaving, andcoal mining, which led to the granting ofmunicipal borough status in 1847.
In the mid-20th century, imports of cheaper foreign goods led to the decline of Ashton's heavy industries but the town has continued to thrive as a centre of commerce[6] and Ashton Market is one of the largest outdoor markets in the United Kingdom. Ashton Town Centre is now home to the 140,000-square-foot (13,000 m2), two-flooredAshton Arcades shopping centre (opened 1995), the outdoor shopping complex Ladysmith Shopping Centre, and a largeIKEA store.
In response to high levels of unemployment and deprivation since the town's deindustrialisation, Ashton-under-Lyne underwent extensive regeneration over the course of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Modelled on the nearby town ofHyde, this included both local infrastructure improvements and a focus on training and education. The bus and tram networks were integrated into a single hub which opened in 2020, with plans to connect the National Rail station as well. A second wave of local regeneration has begun in the 2020s, with mayorAndy Burnham designating the area as a Mayoral Development Zone, and promising investment into housing, businesses, and green space.
Evidence of prehistoric activity in the area is found at from Ashton Moss, a 107-hectare (260-acre)peat bog, and is the only one of Tameside's 22 Mesolithic sites not located in the hilly uplands in the north east of the borough. A single Mesolithicflint tool was discovered in the bog,[7][8] alongside a collection of nineNeolithic flints.[9] There was further activity in or around the bog in theBronze Age. In about 1911, an adult male skull was found in the moss; it was thought to belong to theRomano-British period, similar to theLindow Man bog body, untilradiocarbon dating revealed that it dated from 1,320 to 970 BC.[10][11]
The eastern terminus of the early medieval linear earthworkNico Ditch is in Ashton Moss (grid referenceSJ909980); it was probably used as an administrative boundary and dates from the 8th or 9th century. Legend claims it was built in a single night in 869 or 870 as a defence against Viking invaders.[12][13] Further evidence ofDark Age activity in the area comes from the town's name. The "Ashton" part probably derives from theAnglo-Saxon meaning "settlement by ash trees";[3][14][15] the origin of the "under-Lyne" element is less clear: it could derive from theBritishlemo meaningelm, or refer to Ashton being "under the line" of thePennines.[4][5] This means that Ashton probably became a settlement some time after theRomans left Britain in the 5th century.[16] An early form of the town's name, which included aburh element, indicates that in the 11th century Ashton andBury were two of the most important towns in Lancashire.[17] The "under Lyne" suffix was not widely used until the mid-19th century when it became useful for distinguishing the town from other places called Ashton.[18]
TheDomesday Survey of 1086 does not directly mention Ashton, perhaps because only a partial survey of the area had been taken.[19][20] However, it is thought thatSt Michael's Church, mentioned in the Domesday entry for theancient parish of Manchester, was in Ashton (also speltAsheton,Asshton andAssheton).[21] The town itself was first mentioned in the 12th century when themanor was part of the barony of Manchester.[19] By the late 12th century, a family who adopted the name Assheton held the manor on behalf of theGresles, barons of Manchester.[22] Ashton Old Hall was amanor house, the administrative centre of the manor, and theseat of the de Ashton or de Assheton family.[23] With three wings, the hall was "one of the finest great houses in the North West" of the 14th century.[23] It has been recognised as important for being one of the few great houses in south-east Lancashire and possibly one of the few halls influenced by French design in the country.[23] The town was granted aroyal charter in 1414, which allowed it to hold a fair twice a year, and a market on every Monday,[24][25] making the settlement amarket town.[26]
According to popular tradition,Sir Ralph de Assheton, who waslord of the manor in the mid-14th century and known as the Black Knight, was an unpopular and cruelfeudal lord. After his death, his unpopularity led the locals to parade an effigy of him around the town each Easter Monday and collect money.[27] Afterwards the effigy would be hung up, shot, and set on fire, before being torn apart and thrown into the crowd.[28] The first recorded occurrence of the event was in 1795, although the tradition may be older;[29] it continued into the 1830s.[30]
The manor remained in the possession of the Assheton family until 1514 when their male line ended. The lordship of the manor passed toSir George Booth, great-great-grandson of SirThomas Ashton,[21] devolving through the Booth family until theEarls of Stamford inherited it through marriage in 1758. TheBooth-Greys then held the manor until the 19th century;[31] their patronage, despite being absentee lords, was probably the stimulus for Ashton's growth of a large-scale domestic-based textile industry in the 17th century.[32]
In the medieval period, farming was important in Ashton, particularlyarable farming.[33] By the 18th century, textiles had also become important to the town's economy; in the 1700s, 33% of those with jobs worked in textiles and 36% in agriculture.[34] Pre-industrial Ashton was centred on four roads: Town Street, Crickets Lane, Old Street, and Cowhill Lane. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the town was re-planned, with a grid pattern of roads. As a result, very little remains of the previous town.[26] In 1730 aworkhouse was established which consisted of a house and two cottages; it later came to be used as a hospital.[35] TheAshton Canal was constructed in the 1790s to transport coal from the area to Manchester, with abranch to the coal pits at Fairbottom.[36]
With the advent of the Industrial Revolution in the second half of the 18th century, the textile industry in the town boomed. It continued to expand until the cotton famine of 1861–1865, after which the industry remained steady until it collapsed after the overseas markets shut down in the 1920s.[37]Domesticfustian andwoollenweaving have a long history in the town, dating back to at least theEarly Modern period. Accounts dated 1626 highlight thatHumphrey Chetham had dealings with clothworkers in Ashton.[38] Similarly, coal has been mined in Ashton since at least the 17th century,[39] but it was in the late 18th and early 19th centuries that demand for coal increased, which led to an expansion of the town's coal industry. The produce of the collieries was transported by canal to Manchester.[40] The industry began to decline during the late 19th century, and by 1904 only the Ashton Moss Colliery was still operational, the last colliery to be opened in the area.[40]
Despite the earlier presence of industry, it was the introduction of thefactory system in the 19th century, during theIndustrial Revolution, changed Ashton from a market town to amill town. Having previously been one of the two main towns in the Tame Valley, Ashton-under-Lyne became one of the "most famous mill towns in the North West".[41] On Christmas Day 1826, workers in the town formed the Ashton Unity, asickness and benefits society that was later renamed theLoyal Order of Ancient Shepherds. From 1773 to 1905, 75 cotton mills were established in the town. On his tour ofnorthern England in 1849, Scottish publisher Angus Reach said:
In Ashton, too, there lingers on a handful of miserable old men, the remnants of the cotton hand-loom weavers. No young persons think of pursuing such an occupation. The few who practice it were too old and confirmed in old habits, when thepower-loom was introduced, to be able to learn a new way of making their bread.[42]
— Angus Reach,Morning Chronicle, 1849
The cotton industry in the area grew rapidly from the start of the 19th century until theLancashire Cotton Famine of 1861–1865.[43] The growth of the town's textile industry led to the construction of estates specifically for workers. Workers' housing inPark Bridge, on the border between Ashton and Oldham, was created in the 1820s.[44] The iron works were founded in 1786 and were some of the earliest in the north west.[45] The Oxford Mills settlement was founded in 1845 by the local industrialist and mill-ownerHugh Mason[46] who saw it as a model industrial community.[18] The community was provided with a recreational ground, a gymnasium, and an institute containing public baths, a library, and a reading room.[47] Mason estimated that establishing the settlement cost him around £10,000 and would require a further £1,000 a year to maintain (about £1,200,000 and £120,000 respectively as of 2023), and that its annualmortality rate was significantly lower than in the rest of the town.[48][49]
A poor supply of fresh water and dwellings without adequate drainage led to acholera outbreak in the town in 1832.[50] The AshtonPoor Law Union was established in 1837 and covered most of what is now Tameside. A new workhouse was built in 1850 which provided housing for 500 people. It later became part ofTameside General Hospital.[35] Construction on theSheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway (SA&MR) began in 1837 to provide passenger transport between Manchester andSheffield. Although a nine-archviaduct in Ashton collapsed in April 1845, the line was fully opened on 22 December 1845. The SA&MR was amalgamated with the Sheffield and Lincolnshire Junction Railway, the Great Grimsby & Sheffield Railway, and the Grimsby Docks Company in 1847 to form theManchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (MS&LR).[51] In 1890, the MS&LR bought the Old Hall and demolished it to make way for the construction of newsidings.[23]
Ashton town centre, which is the largest in Tameside, developed in the Victorian period. Many of the original buildings have survived, and as a result, the town centre is protected by Tameside Council as a conservation area.[25][52] In the late 19th century, public buildings such as the market hall, town hall, public library, and public baths were built.[46] A donation from Hugh Mason funded the construction of the baths built in 1870–1871.[53] The Ashton-under-Lyne Improvement Act was passed in 1886 which gave the borough influence over housing and allowed the imposition of minimum standards such as drainage.[54] Coal mining was not as important to the town as the textile industry, but in 1882 the Ashton Moss Colliery had the deepest mine shaft in the world at 870 metres (2,850 ft).[40] Ashton's textile industry remained constant between 1865 and the 1920s. Although some mills closed or merged, the number ofspindles in use increased.[43][55] With the collapse of the overseas market in the 1920s, the town's cotton industry went into decline, and by the 1930s most of the firms and mills in the area had closed.[43]
At about 4.20 pm on Wednesday 13 June 1917,a fire in an ammunition factory producing TNT caused an explosion that demolished much of the west end of the town. Twogasometers exploded and the explosion destroyed the factory and threw heavy objects long distances. At least 41 people died and about 100 were injured. Sylvain Dreyfus, managing director of the works, helped to fight the fire but died in the subsequent explosion.[56] The second of the five victims of theMoors murders, 12-year-old John Kilbride, lived in the town. He was lured away from the town's market on 23 November 1963 by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley before being murdered and buried onSaddleworth Moor.[57] His body was found in October 1965.[58]
Ashton became a part of the newly formedMetropolitan Borough ofTameside in 1974.[59] In 1996, after the success of a similar project in the nearby town ofHyde, the council pursued the creation of the Ashton Renewal Area in the town, a designation created by the Local Government and Housing Act of 1989. The report on creating the renewal area suggested Ashton had "extremely high levels of unemployment" at 22%, and "some of the worst private sector housing conditions" in Tameside – the Ashton St. Peter’s ward was the most deprived in the borough according to the 2000indices of multiple deprivation.[60] The programme aimed to support people in accessing education, training, and employment opportunities, as well as creating those opportunities through the regeneration of the town itself. Examples of infrastructural improvements listed in the 2005 council report on the project included the Arcades Shopping Centre, the Ladysmith Shopping Centre, Ashton Bus Station and Ashton Market; statistics also suggested a fall in crime; however, critics of the programme noted the lack of attention to the local environment and creation of green spaces as well as more economic opportunities.[60]
In July 2014, Deputy Prime MinisterNick Clegg announced £350 million of investment (£495mn in 2023) into Greater Manchester's transport network ; this included a new interchange in Ashton-under-Lyne to incorporate the then-separate bus and tram stations and to replace the canopy-style waiting areas with a proper building. At the time, the cost of the work was estimated at £32.7mn (£46.2mn in 2023).[61][62] In February 2021, the completed interchange opened fully to the public;[63] the interchange features two Metrolink platforms, and fourteen bus stops, of which nine surround the central building.[64] In September 2025, it was announced that a new set of walking links would be added to integrateAshton-under-Lyne railway station, which is across the road from the bus and tram station, into the interchange.[65]
As well as the regeneration in the 1990s and early 2000s, further regeneration of the town has occurred during the 2020s: in 2024, MayorAndy Burnham launched the Ashton Mayoral Development Zone (AMDZ), which is primarily focussed on creating economic opportunities in the local area through the improvement of infrastructure and construction of new business units. The programme makes use of funding from the nationallevelling-up policy of the time, and has a greater focus on environmental considerations than the earlier renewal works.[66] The prospectus for the renewal suggests that Ashton's potential for economic growth comes from its connectivity and affordability compared to central Manchester.[67] In August 2025, further details of the regeneration efforts were published by the council, suggesting that it may involve constructing more than 2,000 homes on disused or available land and further areas of commercial opportunities.[68]
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Lying within thehistoric county boundaries ofLancashiresince the early 12th century, Ashton anciently constituted a "single parish-township", but was divided into four divisions (sometimes each styled townships): Ashton Town,Audenshaw, Hartshead, and Knott Lanes.[1][69][70] Ashton Town was granted aroyal charter in 1414, giving it the right to hold amarket. All four divisions lay within theHundred of Salford, an ancient division of the county of Lancashire.[1]
In 1827, police commissioners were established for Ashton Town, tasked with bringing about social and economic improvement.[1] In 1847, the area was incorporated under theMunicipal Corporations Act 1835, as amunicipal borough with the name "Ashton-under-Lyne", giving itborough status.[1][71] When theadministrative county of Lancashire was created by theLocal Government Act 1888, the borough fell under the newly createdLancashire County Council.[1] The borough's boundaries changed during the late 19th century through small exchanges of land with the neighbouring districts of Oldham, Mossley, Dukinfield, and Stalybridge.[1] In the early 20th century, the Borough of Ashton-under-Lyne grew; Hurst Urban District was added in 1927, parts of Hartshead andAltcivil parishes in 1935, and parts ofLimehurst Rural District in 1954. Since 1956, Ashton has been twinned withChaumont, France.[72]
Under theLocal Government Act 1972, the town's borough status was abolished, and Ashton has, since 1 April 1974, formed part of themetropolitan borough of Tameside, itself within themetropolitan county ofGreater Manchester.[1] Ashton-under-Lyne is divided into fourwards: Ashton Hurst, Ashton St. Michaels, Ashton St Peters, and Ashton Waterloo, each of which elect three councillors.[73] Following the2024 local elections, ten of the seats were held by the Labour Party, one seat was held by the Conservative party, and one seat was held by an independent.[74]
Before theReform Act 1832, the county ofLancashire was asingle county constituency with two seats, despite its population of 1.3 million people at the December 1832 election. The Reform Act split the county into fourteen constituencies,[75] of whichAshton-under-Lyne was one; the boundaries were defined by those described in an 1827 Act of Parliament relating to the town.[76] Between its creation in 1832 and 1859, the seat was held by theRadicals, after which it was held by either Conservative or Liberal MPs until 1928. With the exception of 1931–1935, it has been held continually since by members of theLabour Party.[77]Angela Rayner has been the constituency'sMember of Parliament (MP) since 2015;[78] a prominent member of Labour's soft left,[79] she was Deputy Prime Minister between 2024 and 2025.[80]
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At53°29′38″N2°6′11″W / 53.49389°N 2.10306°W /53.49389; -2.10306 (53.4941°, −2.1032°), and 160 miles (257 km) north-northwest ofLondon, Ashton-under-Lyne stands on the north bank of theRiver Tame, about 35 feet (11 m) above the river.[4] Described inSamuel Lewis'sA Topographical Dictionary of England (1848) as situated "on a gentle declivity",[4] Ashton-under-Lyne lies on undulating ground by thePennines, reaching a maximum elevation of about 1,000 feet (305 m) abovesea level. Generally thebedrock of the west of the town consists of coal measures, which were exploited by the coal mining industry, while the east is mainlymillstone grit. Overlying the bedrock are deposits of glacial sand and gravel, clay, and somealluvial deposits. Ashton Moss, a peat bog, lies to the west of the town and was originally much larger.[81]
The boundaries of the eponymous constituency includeDroyslden,Dukinfeld, and various other smaller contiguous settlements. However, the town centre is more accurately represented by the St Peter's Ward, which is similar to the borders of the Ashton Renewal Area outlined in the 1996 council report; these are based on the M6 to the west, the railway to the north, and theRiver Tame to the south.[82][83] The town centre is located 6.2 miles (10.0 km) east ofManchester city centre, and is bound on all sides by other towns:Audenshaw,Droylsden,Dukinfield,Mossley,Oldham, andStalybridge, with little or nogreen space between them. Despite being contiguous with other towns in all directions, the local geography creates the defining boundaries: theHuddersfield Line forms a natural north- and eastern boundary and an administrative boundary between St Peter's and Waterloo; the M60 motorway forms a natural western boundary and administrative boundary with Audenshaw; and theStockport–Stalybridge line, River Tame, and Ashton Canal form a natural southern boundary and an administrative boundary with Dukinfeld.[82]
Ashton'sbuilt environment is similar to theurban structure of mosttowns in England, consisting of residential dwellings centred on amarket square and high street in thetown centre, which is the local centre of commerce. There is a mixture of low-densityurban areas,suburbs, semi-rural andrural locations in Ashton-under-Lyne, but overwhelmingly theland use in the town is residential; industrial areas andterraced houses give way to suburbs and rural greenery as the land rises out of the town in the east. The older streets are narrow and irregular, but those built more recently are spacious, lined by "substantial and handsome houses".[4] Areas and suburbs of Ashton-under-Lyne include Cockbrook, Crowhill, Guide Bridge, Hartshead, Hazelhurst, Hurst, Limehurst, Ryecroft, Taunton, and Waterloo.[69]
 | This section needs to beupdated. The reason given is:The information from the 2011 and 2021 census has not been considered. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(January 2026) |
| 2001 UK census | Ashton-under-Lyne[84] | Tameside[85] | England |
| Total population | 43,236 | 213,043 | 49,138,831 |
| White | 82.3% | 91.2% | 91% |
| Asian | 11.2% | 5.6% | 4.6% |
| Black | 0.3% | 1.2% | 2.3% |
As of the2001 UK census, Ashton-under-Lyne had a population of 43,236.[86] The 2001 population density was 12,374 inhabitants per square mile (4,778/km2), with a 100 to 96.1 female-to-male ratio.[87] Of those over 16 years old, 30.9% were single (never married) and 50.0% married.[88] Ashton-under-Lyne's 18,347 households included 33.2% single people, 33.0% married couples living together, 8.9%co-habiting couples, and 12.4% single parents with their children; these figures were similar to those of Tameside, however both Tameside and Ashton have higher rates of single-parent households than England (9.5%).[89] Of those aged 16–74, 37.0% had no academic qualifications, similar to the figure of 35.2% for all of Tameside but significantly higher than the 28.9% figure for all of England,[85][90] and 12% had an educational qualification such as first degree, higher degree, qualified teacher status, qualified medical doctor, qualified dentist, qualified nurse, midwife, health visitor, or similar, compared with 20% nationwide.[85][91]
In 1931, 10% of Ashton's population wasmiddle class compared with 14% in England and Wales, and by 1971, this had increased steadily to 17% compared with 24% nationally. In the same time frame, there was a decline in theworking-class population. In 1931, 34% were working class compared with 36% in England and Wales; by 1971, this had decreased to 29% in Ashton and 26% nationwide. The rest of the population was made up of clerical workers and skilled manual workers.[92]
| This section needs to beupdated. The reason given is:The information from the 2011 and 2021 census has not been considered. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(January 2026) |
In 1700, the population of Ashton, the Tame Valley's main urban area, was an estimated 550. The town's 18th-century growth was fuelled by an influx of people from the countryside attracted by the prospect of work in its new industries, mirroring the rest of the region.[93] In the early 19th century, Irish immigrants escaping from theGreat Irish Famine were also drawn to the area by the new jobs created.[94][95] The availability of jobs created by the growth of the textile industry in the town led to Ashton's population increasing by more than 400% between 1801 and 1861, from 6,500 to 34,886. The population dropped by 9% during the 1860s as a consequence of the cotton famine caused by theAmerican Civil War.[96] The table below details the population change since 1851, including the percentage change since the previous census.[citation needed]
| Year | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1939 | 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 1991 | 2001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,790 | 34,886 | 31,984 | 36,399 | 40,486 | 43,890 | 45,172 | 43,335 | 51,573 | 46,534 | 46,794 | 50,154 | 48,974 | 44,385 | 43,263 |
| % change | – | +17.1 | −8.3 | +13.8 | +11.2 | +8.4 | +2.9 | −4.1 | +19.0 | −9.8 | +0.6 | +7.2 | −2.4 | −9.4 | −2.5 |
| Source:A Vision of Britain through Time[97][98] | |||||||||||||||
| This section needs to beupdated. The reason given is:The information from the 2011 and 2021 census has not been considered. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(January 2026) |
St Michael and All Angels' Church is aGrade I listed building that dates back to at least 1262, although it was rebuilt in the 15th, 16th, and 19th centuries.[99] In 1795 it was the only church in the town, and one of only two in Tameside. There was a great increase in the number of chapels and religious buildings in the area during the 19th century, and by the end of the century there were 44 Anglican churches and 138 chapels belonging to other denominations. The most common denominations amongst the chapels wereCatholic,Congregationalist, andMethodist.[100]
The 19th-centuryevangelistJohn Wroe attempted to turn Ashton-under-Lyne into a "new Jerusalem". He founded theChristian Israelite Church, and from 1822 to 1831 Ashton-under-Lyne was the religion's headquarters. Wroe intended to build a wall around the town with four gateways, and although the wall was never constructed, the four gatehouses were. Popular opinion in the town turned against Wroe when he was accused of indecent behaviour in 1831, but the charges were dismissed. The Church spread to Australia, where it is still active.[101][102]
As of the 2001 UK census, 68.5% of Ashton residents reported themselves as being Christian, 6.1% Muslim, 5.0% Hindu, and 0.2% Buddhist. The census recorded that 11.4% had no religion, 0.2% had an alternative religion, and 8.7% did not state their religion.[103] The proportion of Hindus in the town was much higher than the average for the borough and the whole of England (1.4% and 1.1% respectively). The percentage of Muslims in Ashton-under-Lyne was nearly double the national average of 3.1%, and was higher than the average of 2.5% for Tameside.[104] As of October 2013, six mosques were located in the town,[105] including one on Hillgate Street in Penny Meadow (Ashton Central Mosque, formerly known as Markazi Jamia Mosque)[106] and one on Katherine Street in West End (Masjid Hamza Mosque).[107]
| 2021–22 UK census | Ashton Central | Tameside | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working age population | 64.7%[108] | 62.6%[108] | 62.9%[109] |
| Employed(including full time students) | 47.9%[110] | 57.1%[110] | 57.2%[111] |
| Unemployed(including full time students) | 6.2%[110] | 3.5%[110] | 3.4%[111] |
| Allinactive | 46.0%[110] | 39.5%[110] | 39.4%[111] |
| Inactive becauseretired | 12.7%[110] | 21.4%[110] | 21.6%[112] |
In the 2021 census, the proportion of Ashton Central residents at working age (16–64) was 64.7%, higher than the surrounding area and the national average.[108][109] However, the employment rate of 47.9% was almost 10% lower than the rest of Tameside and the national average, and the unemployment rate was almost double, at 6.2% compared to 3.5% in Tameside and 3.4% in the rest of the UK.[110][111]
Despite the economic activity rate being higher than the national average at 46.0%,[110][111] a lesser proportion of the population is in retirement, at only 12.7% compared to the national average of 21.6%.[110][112] Indeed, the area also has a low proportion of workers in "professional occupations"—10.4% compared to 15.1% across Tameside—and a much higher proportion of workers in so-called "elementary professions"—17.8% compared to 10.6% across Tameside.[113] Of the 99 industries listed by the census, the only ones that employed more than 5% of Ashton Central's population were specialised construction or civil engineering, retail trade, food and beverage services, and human health services.[114]
The 140,000-square-foot (13,000 m2), two-flooredAshton Arcades shopping centre opened in 1995; permission has been granted for a £40 million extension but work on this project has yet to begin. In 2006, after failing twice to gain permission,IKEA announced plans to build its first town-centre store in Ashton-under-Lyne. The store was expected to create 500 new jobs and to attract other businesses to the area.[115] The store opened on 19 October 2006 and covers 296,000 square feet (27,500 m2). At the time of its creation, the store was the tallest in Britain.[116]Amongst the facilities provided by Ashton Leisure Park are a 14-screen cinema, a bowling alley, and several restaurants.[117] The St Petersfield area of Ashton underwent a £42 million redevelopment and provided 2,000 jobs. The aim of the investment was to create a business district in the town and bring life to a neglected area of Ashton. The development provided 280,000 square feet (26,000 m2) of office space and 400,000 square feet (37,000 m2) of retail and leisure space.[118] Pennine Care NHS Trust relocated its headquarters to the St Petersfield area in 2006.[119] Until then a popular nightspot, in 2002 several night clubs were brought to the brink of closure after a downturn in trade caused by four murders in three months.[120]
As well as being populated by leading high-street names, Ashton has an outdoor market which was established in the medieval period. It is made up of about one-hundred and eighty stalls, and is open six days a week.[25] Thefarmers' market, with over seventy stalls, is the largest in the region, as is the weekdayflea market.[121] In 2004, a fire at the Grade II listed Ashton Market Hall severely damaged the building;[122][123] it reopened in 2008 after a £16mn pound renovation project (£26.969mn in 2023)[61] with additional business units integrated inside.[122] The market was later determined the best in the country in 2014 by the National Association of British Market Authorities.[123]
The town's most prominent football teams areAshton United F.C. andCurzon Ashton F.C. Ashton United was the first team in theManchester Football Association to win an FA Cup tie, when they beatTurton 3–0 in 1883. In 1885, they were the first winners of theManchester Senior Cup, beating Newton Heath (who later becameManchester United) in the final.[124] They currently compete in theNorthern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of English football, playing atHurst Cross. Curzon Ashton has competed since 2015 in theNational League North, the highest level in the club's history; they play at the Tameside Stadium.[citation needed] Other sporting venues include the Richmond Park Athletics Stadium, which has an all-weather running track with facilities for field events[125] and is home to the East Cheshire Harriers, Tameside Athletics Club, and Ashton Cricket Club, which has won theCentral Lancashire Cricket League's first and second division twice each, and the Wood Cup four times.[126] TheAshton Ladysmith Cricket Club is based at the Ladysmith Sport Center at Rose Hill Road and competes in the North Manchester Cricket League.[127]
After the Ashton Canal closed in the 1960s, it was decided to turn thePortland Basin warehouse into a museum. In 1985, the first part of the Heritage Centre and Museum opened on the first floor of the warehouse.[128] The restoration of the building was complete in 1999; the museum details Tameside's social, industrial, and political history.[129] The basin next to the warehouse is the point at which theAshton Canal, theHuddersfield Narrow Canal and thePeak Forest Canal meet. It has been used several times as a filming location forCoronation Street, including a scene where the character Richard Hillman drove into the canal.[130]
The earliest parts ofAshton Town Hall, which was the first purpose-built town hall in what is now Tameside, date to 1840 when it was opened. It has classical features such as theCorinthian columns on the entrancefacade. Enlarged in 1878, the hall provides areas for administrative purposes and public functions.[131] TheOld Street drill hall was completed in 1887.[132]
There are five parks in the town, three of which haveGreen Flag Awards.[133] The first park opened in Ashton-under-Lyne was Stamford Park on the border with Stalybridge. The park opened in 1873, after a 17-year campaign by local cotton workers;[134] the land was bought from a local mill-owner for £15,000 (£1.8 million as of 2023)[61] and further land was donated byGeorge Grey, 7th Earl of Stamford.[135] A crowd of between 60,000 and 80,000 turned out to see the Earl of Stamford formally open the new facility on 12 July 1873. It now includes a boating lake and a memorial toJoseph Rayner Stephens, commissioned by local factory workers to commemorate his work promoting fair wages and improved working conditions. Aconservatory was opened in 1907 and Coronation gates were installed at both the Ashton-under-Lyne and Stalybridge entrances in 1953.[134]
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Hartshead Pike is a stone tower on top of Hartshead Hill overlooking Ashton andOldham.[136] The existing building was constructed in 1863 but there has been a building on the site since at least the mid-18th century, although the original purpose is obscure. The pike might have been the site of a beacon in the late 16th century.[137] It has a visitor centre and, from the top of the hill, it is possible to see theJodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, the Welsh hills and theHolme Moss transmitter inWest Yorkshire.[138]
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The Witchwoodpublic house, in the St Petersfield area of the town, has been a music venue since the 1960s, hosting acts such asMuse,The Coral andLost Prophets.[139] In 2004, The Witchwood came under threat when the area was being redeveloped, but was saved from demolition after a campaign by locals and led byTom Hingley, drawing support from musicians such asBert Jansch,The Fall andThe Chameleons.[140]
The main Ashton-under-Lyne War Memorial, in Memorial Gardens, consists of a central cenotaph on a plinth, surmounted by a sculpted wounded soldier and the figure of "Peace who is taking the sword of honour" from his hand.[141] It commemorates the 1,512 people from the town who died in the First World War and the 301 who died in the Second World War.[142] The cenotaph is flanked on both sides by bronze lions. The plinth is decorated with military equipment representing the services, as well as bronze tablets listing the Roll of Honour fromWorld War I. Commissioned by the Ashton War Memorial Committee, the statue was sculpted between 1919 and 1922 byJohn Ashton Floyd, and was unveiled on 16 September 1922 byGeneral Sir Ian Hamilton.[141]
The tablet on the front of the memorial reads:
Local news and television programmes are provided byBBC North West andITV Granada. Television signals are received from theWinter Hill TV transmitter.[143] Local radio stations includeBBC Radio Manchester on 95.1 FM,[144]Capital Manchester and Lancashire on 102.0 FM,Heart North West on 105.4 FM,Smooth North West on 100.4 FM,Greatest Hits Radio Manchester & The North West on 96.2 FM, andTameside Radio, a community based station which broadcast from the town on 103.6 FM.[citation needed] The local newspaper is theTameside Reporter, which is published on Thursdays.[145]
In 1732, anAct of Parliament was passed which permitted the construction of aturnpike from Manchester, then in Lancashire, to Salters Brook in Cheshire. The road passed through Ashton-under-Lyne as well asAudenshaw,Mottram-in-Longdendale, andStalybridge. Aturnpike trust was responsible for collecting tolls from traffic; the proceeds were used for road maintenance. The trust for Manchester to Salters Brook was one of over 400 established between 1706 and 1750, a period in which turnpikes became popular.[146] It was the firstturnpike to be opened in Tameside, and driven by economic growth, more turnpikes were opened in the area in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Acts of Parliaments were passed in 1765, 1793, and 1799 permitting the construction of turnpikes from Ashton-under-Lyne to Doctor Lane Head in Saddleworth, Standedge in Saddleworth, and Oldham respectively. Towards the end of the 19th century, many turnpike trusts were wound up as they were superseded by local government; the last in Tameside to close was the Ashton-under-Lyne to Salters Brook road in 1884.[147] TheM60 motorway, theorbital motorway around Manchester, runs through the western part of Ashton-under-Lyne, and Junction 23 serves theA635, the main road through the centre of the town.[67]
The town of Ashton-under-Lyne became the focus of three canals which were constructed in Tameside in the 1790s because it was an important centre of coal mining in the Lancashire coalfield. The 1790s has been characterised as a period of mania for canal building in England. The first of the three to be built was theAshton Canal, which was constructed between 1792 and 1797. Connecting Manchester to Ashton-under-Lyne, with a branch to Oldham, it cost about £170,000 (£21 million as of 2023).[61][148] ThePeak Forest Canal was constructed from 1794 to 1805, and was originally planned as a branch of the Ashton Canal. It connected thePortland Basin with thePeak District and cost £177,000 (£18 million as of 2023).[61][149] TheHuddersfield Narrow Canal was built between 1794 and 1811, to enable cross-Pennine trade between Manchester andKingston upon Hull; the cost of construction was £400,000.[61][149]
The advent of the railways in the 19th century signalled the decline of the canal system. The new railways were quicker and more economical than the canals, and the waterways declined. The Huddersfield Canal was bought by the Huddersfield and Manchester Railway in 1844. Along with the Ashton and Peak Forest canals, the Huddersfield Canal was later bought by the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway Company.[150] The canals remained in use throughout the 19th century on a smaller scale than in their heyday, but by the mid-20th century all commercial traffic had ceased. Following an extended period of closure and dereliction, during which parts of the Huddersfield Canal were filled in or built over, a complete restoration was undertaken and the entire canal reopened in 2001. The three canals are now used for leisure craft and are still maintained and in good condition.[151]
The town historically had three stations, only one of which remains: Ashton (Charlestown),Park Parade (closed 1956) andOldham Road (closed 1959). Park Parade station was on theSheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway, which was founded in 1836 with the purpose of building a line linking Manchester and Sheffield. The line was opened in stages and was completed by 1845. It included a branch to the nearby town of Stalybridge, the former Ashton Park Parade station was included on this branch.[51] Oldham Road station was on theOldham, Ashton and Guide Bridge Railway. Additionally,Guide Bridge station, a few miles away, was known asAshton & Hooley Hill and thenAshton in its earliest years.[citation needed]
The present station at Ashton was opened by theAshton, Stalybridge and Liverpool Junction Railway (AS&LJR) on 13 April 1846.[152][153] Known originally asAshton, it was renamedAshton (Charlestown) in 1874[152] and thenAshton-under-Lyne on 6 May 1968.[152] It has regular services on theHuddersfield Line between Manchester (Victoria) andHuddersfield.[citation needed]
In 1881, atramway with horse-drawn tramcars was opened between Stalybridge and Audenshaw, through Ashton-under-Lyne. The first tramway of its kind in Tameside, it was later extended to Manchester. The Oldham, Ashton and Hyde and District Tramway Company, founded in 1897, operated 13 km (8 mi) of tram lines with electric tramcars. It was the first line around Manchester to use electricity. A line from Stalybridge to Ashton-under-Lyne was opened in 1903 and operated by theStalybridge, Hyde, Mossley & Dukinfield Tramways & Electricity Board.[154] The first bus service from Ashton-under-Lyne ran in 1923 and the 1920s saw a period of decline for the tramways as they suffered from the competition with buses. The last of the first generation of electric tram services in the town ran in 1938.[155]
After a 75-year absence, trams returned to Ashton in October 2013, when theManchester Metrolink tram system opened theEast Manchester Line to the town:Ashton-under-Lyne tram stop in the town centre stands alongsidethe bus station and is the terminus for the East Manchester Line, which runs toManchester Piccadilly station and Manchester city centre. Away from the town centre towards Manchester, there are also theAshton West andAshton Moss tram stops.[156]
There are tennursery schools,[157] sixteenprimary schools,[158] and twosecondary schools in Ashton-under-Lyne as of 2019.[159] In 2006, the council began a scheme to develop education in the borough by opening six new secondary schools. Among the changes proposed as part of the £160 million scheme was the closure of Hartshead Sports College and Stamford Community High School, to be replaced by a 1,350-pupilacademy with 300 sixth-form members. In 2007, Hartshead Sports College was placed on "special measures" after it failed to achieve its targets forGeneral Certificate of Secondary Education results and was criticised byOfsted for its teaching standard.[160] The new academy opened in September 2008, a year ahead of schedule;[161][162] its current name is theGreat Academy Ashton.[163]
The other secondary school in the town isSt Damian's RC Science College, which was founded in 1963, and provides education for 800 pupils aged 11–16.[164] As part of theBuilding Schools for the Future project, a replacement school building was built byCarillion and opened in May 2011. Dale Grove School has 60 pupils and offers education for pupils aged 5–16 with special needs.[165]Ashton Sixth Form College is a centre forfurther education with 1,650 pupils aged 16–18.[166]Tameside College also provides opportunities for further education and operates in Ashton-under-Lyne, Droylsden, and Hyde.[167] Founded in 1954 and expanded in 1957 and 1964, it was originally called Ashton College.[168]
In the early 19th century, Ashton-under-Lyne's growth made it necessary to find a new water supply. Before the introduction of piped water the town's inhabitants drew water from wells and the nearby River Tame. Industrial processes had, however, polluted the river and the wells could not sustain a rapidly expanding population. From 1825, a private company was responsible for piping water from reservoirs, but there were still many homes without proper drainage or water supply.[50] Waste management is now co-ordinated by thelocal authority via theGreater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority.[169]The first power station in Tameside was built in 1899, providing power for the area.[170] Ashton'sdistribution network operator for electricity isUnited Utilities;[171] there are no power stations in the town. United Utilities also manages the drinking and waste water.[171]
Home Office policing in Ashton-under-Lyne is provided by theGreater Manchester Police. The force's Tameside Division have their divisional headquarters for policing Tameside in the town.[172][173] Public transport in the area is co-ordinated byTransport for Greater Manchester.Statutory emergency fire and rescue service is provided by theGreater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, which has one station on Slate Lane.[174] TheTameside General Hospital is a largeNHS hospital on the outskirts of the town,[175] administered by Tameside & Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust.[176] TheNorth West Ambulance Service provides emergency patient transport.[177]
, 22 July 2004,archived from the original on 12 September 2011, retrieved5 August 2008, 22 July 2004,archived from the original on 12 September 2011, retrieved12 September 2008, 22 July 2004,archived from the original on 12 September 2011, retrieved12 September 2008, 22 July 2004,archived from the original on 12 September 2011, retrieved12 September 2008, 22 July 2004,archived from the original on 12 September 2011, retrieved12 September 2008, 22 July 2004,archived from the original on 12 September 2011, retrieved5 August 2008
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