[A] ASHLEY, was formerly distinguished by a fair and market, it is now remarkable only for a large mansion, which was once the seat of the Georges. The church, an ancient building, with a square embattled tower, is principally interesting for its arches; some of which are round, and others pointed, resting on slender clustered pillars, with massy capitals of foliage. The font is large, round, and very rude in its workmanship.

[B] ASHOVER. This village is of great antiquity, being mentioned in the Doomsday Book, as having a church and a priest. In the church is an ancient font, supposed to be Saxon; the base is of stone; the lower part is of an hexagonal form; the upper part circular, surrounded with twenty figures, in devotional attitudes, embossed in lead, in ornamental niches. There are also some ancient monuments of the Babington family, who were for a long time seated at Dithicke, a chapelry in this parish. Anthony Babington was executed for high treason in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, having engaged in a conspiracy to destroy that princess. A singular rocking stone, formerly an idol. On the declivity of a hill on Ashover Common is a rocking stone, called Robin Hood's Mark, which measures about twenty-six feet in circumference. From its extraordinary position, it appears not only to have been the work of art, but to have been placed with great ingenuity. About 200 yards to the north is a singularly shaped work, called the Turning-stone, nine feet high: it is supposed to have been a rock idol. Overton Hall, in this vicinity, was once the seat of Sir Joseph Banks, the President of the Royal Society.

[C] ASHRIDGE was formerly called Escrug. In very early times this village is reported to have possessed a royal palace; which, when the estate became the property of Edmund, Earl of Cornwall, son to Richard, King of the Romans, was converted into a college for Bonhommes (or monks who followed the rules of St. Augustine,) and endowed with the manors of Ashridge, Gaddesden, and Hemel Hempstead. A parliament was held here by Edward the First, in the year 1291; and, though of short continuance, it was distinguished by a spirited debate on the origin and necessary use of fines. After the dissolution, the monastery appears A parliament held here by Edward I. to have become the seat of royalty; and Norden describes it as the place "wherein our most worthy and ever famous Queen Elizabeth lodged, as in her owne, being a more statelie house." This queen, in the 17th year of her reign, granted it to John Dudley, and John Ayscough, who The manor house a favourite seat of Queen Elizabeth. within the short period of a fortnight, conveyed it to Henry, Lord Cheny, whose lady sold it to Ralph Marshal, by whom it was again conveyed to Randolph Crew and others, and soon afterwards granted to Egerton, Lord Ellesmere, ancestor to the late Duke of Bridgewater; several of whose family are buried in the neighbouring church of Little Gaddesden. The old college, the greater part of which was standing in the year 1800, exhibited a fine specimen of the gothic architecture of the thirteenth century. The cloisters were particularly beautiful. The walls were painted in fresco with Scripture subjects. The late Duke of Bridgewater pulled down the whole of these buildings, the materials of which were disposed of in lots; the present earl, the dukedom being extinct, has erected a most magnificent mansion at a great expense. Ashridge Park, which contains some very fine oak and beech trees, is pleasingly varied with hill and dale. It is about five miles in circumference.

MapNames of PlacesCounty Number of Miles FromDist.
Lond.		Popul
ation.
37AshteadpaSurreyEpsom2Leatherhead2Ewell417607
7AshtontoChesterChester8Tarporley7Frodsham6185405
11AshtonpaDevonChudleigh4Exeter6Moreton Ha.6174333
22AshtontoLancasterPreston2Kirkham7Garstang11219...
22Ashton[A]toLancasterLancaster3Garstang8Overton3237213
28AshtonpaNorthampNorthamp7Towcester5Stoney Strat.762380
28AshtonhamNorthampWandsford5Stamford5M. Deeping489126
28AshtonhamNorthampOundle1Wandsford8Stilton881129
41Ashton-GiffardtoWiltsWarminste7Hindon6Wilton1290...
15AshtonchapGloucesterEvesham5Tewkesbury8Winchcomb8102301
41Ashton-KeynespaWiltsCricklade4Cirencester6Malmesbury8891182
34Ashton, Long[B]paSomersetBristol3Keynsham7Axbridge141201423

[A] ASHTON. Near this village is Ashton Hall, a seat of his Grace the Duke of Hamilton. It formerly belonged to the family of the Laurences, but came into the present family by the marriage of James, Earl of Arran, afterwards Duke of Hamilton, with Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Seat of the Duke of Hamilton. Lord Gerrard Digby, of Bromley. The mansion is a large building, with some square embattled towers, an ancient hall, and other features of a magnificent baronial castle. It is situated in a fine park, through which flows a small rivulet, forming a narrow bay, at the western side of the grounds. The park abounds with wood, and is agreeably diversified with hill and dale, and affords, from many parts, extensive views across the river Lune to Morecambe Bay, the Irish sea, &c. The mansion has undergone considerable alteration, yet care has been taken to preserve its ancient character.

Mail arrives at Galgate Bridge, one mile distant, 9.20 P.M.; departs 2.20 morn.

[B] ASHTON, or LONG ASHTON, is situated in a rich woody vale, protected on the north by a range of picturesque though bleak hills, and on the north lies the lofty ridge of Dundry. In this parish the inhabitants raise fruit and vegetables for the Bristol market. There is much garden-ground in Long Ashton, in which many Roman coins have been discovered. The houses are in general well-built, much company resorting thither during the summer season. The circumjacent scenery is delightful, and in the vicinity are the remains of two Roman encampments, Stokeleigh and Burwalls. The church is an old but very handsome building, founded by the family of Lyons; the nave and aisles are divided from the chancel by a beautiful gothic screen of fret and flower work, painted and gilt, and executed in the most admirable style. One of the 6 bells contained in the tower is inscribed "Sancte Johannes Baptiste ora pro nobis;" on the tower are the arms of Lyons, in stone. Amongst several painted figures and coats of arms on the glass of the windows, are the portraits of Edward IV. and his Queen, Elizabeth Widville. Here are several handsome monuments, but that of Sir Richard Choke and his lady is eminently magnificent and beautiful. Ashton Court, the manor house, originally founded by the Lyons family, but materially altered by Inigo Jones, occupies the S.E. slope of Ashton Down, and the remains of another old manor house, called the Lower Court, still stands in a valley to the S.W. of the village.

MapNames of PlacesCounty Number of Miles FromDist.
Lond.		Popul
ation.
22Ashton-under-Lyne[A]pLancasterManchester7Stockport7Mottram518633597
22Ashton-in-Mackerfield[B]to & chap Lancaster Newton 3 Prescot 7Wigan5 196 5912
7Ashton-upon-Merseyto & paChesterStockport9Manchester7Altringham41842078

[A] ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE is a large town situated at the south-eastern extremity of the county. It consists of several narrow streets, built on a high bank, which rises from the river Tame. It appears from an ancient manuscript, that Ashton was formerly a borough, yet for some centuries it sent no members to Parliament; but, by the Reform Bill of 1832, it now returns one member, and the mayor of the town is the returning officer. The borough comprises the whole district, over which the lighting and paving act of the 7th and 8th of Geo. IV. extends. A Court of Requests for the recovery of £5. Defendants may be followed. court is held here for the recovery of debts, not exceeding five pounds, by 48th Geo. III. c. 18; any person may sue, under the general regulations, and defendants sued elsewhere are to have their costs. Defendants removing out of the jurisdiction, may be followed in person and goods, by removing the record to the superior courts, but wagers, &c. are not recoverable. The principal part of the landed property of this parish belongs to the Earl of Stamford, in whose family it was conveyed, by the marriage of Sir William Booth to the daughter of Sir Thomas Asheton, whose family possessed The lord of the manor possessed a power of life and death. some peculiar privileges in this manor: among which was, the power of life and death over their tenantry. In commemoration of this privilege, and its having been sometimes exercised, a field near the old hall is still called Gallows Meadow. There is also an ancient custom Custom of riding the black lad. here, called "riding the black lad," celebrated every Easter Monday, to perpetuate some act of great tyranny exercised by Sir Ralph Asheton, in 1483, when vice-constable of England. The ceremony consists in exhibiting the effigies of a man on horseback through the streets, which is afterwards suspended on the cross in the market place, and there shot. The figure was formerly cased in armour, and the expenses of it were defrayed by the court. Another account of the origin of this custom states, that Thomas Asheton, in the reign of Henry III., particularly distinguished himself at the battle of Neville's Cross, and bore away the standard from the Scotch King's tent. For this heroic deed the King conferred on Ashton the honour of Knighthood, who, on his arrival at his manor instituted the custom described. At the village of Fairfield, in Moravian settlement. this parish, there is a Moravian settlement, who have erected a chapel for their followers. The males are principally employed in spinning and weaving: they form a very industrious and orderly community. On the western side of the town is Ashton Moss, which supplies the poor with peat turf. Oak and fir trees are frequently found by those who dig for the peat.

Market, Wednesday.—Fairs, March 23, April 29, July 25, and November 21, for horned cattle, horses, and toys.—Bankers, Buckley, Roberts, and Co.; draw in London on Jones, Lloyd, and Co.—Inn, Commercial Hotel.