File:Ashford_(Kent)_Town_Centre,_High_Street,_February_2012_Snow.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Ashford
Also known as Ashford, Kent
town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England
Key facts
- Population
- 83,213 (2021 Census)
- Os grid reference
- TR005425
- District
- Ashford
- Shire county
- Kent
- Region
- South East
- Country
- England
- Sovereign state
- United Kingdom
- Post town
- ASHFORD
- Postcode district
- TN23–TN27
- Dialling code
- 01233
- Police
- Kent
- Fire
- Kent
- Ambulance
- South East Coast
~35 min read
Article
Ashford is a town in the Ashford district, in the county of Kent, England. It lies on the River Great Stour at the southern or scarp edge of the North Downs, about 61 miles (98 km) by road southeast of central London and 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Folkestone by road. At the 2021 census, it had a population of 83,213. The name comes from the Old English æscet, indicating a ford near a clump of ash trees. It has been a market town since the Middle Ages, and a regular market continues to be held.
St Mary's Parish Church has been a local landmark since the 13th century, and expanded in the 15th. Today, the church functions in a dual role as a centre for worship and entertainment.