{{Short description|Market town in Tameside, England}} {{Use British English|date=January 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox UK place | country = England | coordinates = {{coord|53|29|14|N|2|5|51|W|display=inline,title}} | label_position = top | population = 48,604 | population_ref = ([[2021–2022 United Kingdom censuses|2021 census]]) | population_density = 12,374 per mi² (4,777 per km²) | official_name = Ashton-under-Lyne | metropolitan_borough = [[Tameside]] | type = [[Town]] | region = North West England | metropolitan_county = [[Greater Manchester]] | constituency_westminster = [[Ashton-under-Lyne (UK Parliament constituency)|Ashton-under-Lyne]] | post_town = ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE | postcode_district = OL6, OL7 | postcode_area = OL | dial_code = 0161 | os_grid_reference = SJ931997 | london_distance = {{cvt|160|mi|km|0}} [[Boxing the compass|SSE]] | static_image_name = {{multiple image |border = infobox |total_width = 280 |image_style = border:1; |perrow = 1/2/2 |image1 = New_buildings_shown_from_Ikea_carpark.jpg | caption1 = Town Centre |alt1 = A panoramic shot of a town. In the foreground a modern-looking bus station in front of a red-brick building with large sash windows; in the background a church spire and a hill with houses on the hillside. |image2 = Ashton-under-Lyne town hall.jpg |caption2 = [[Ashton Town Hall|Town Hall]] |alt2 = A grand Palladian building on the opposite side of a square. It is designed like the portico of a massive building with pillars in front of and between the windows, but has no extension to either side, being rather cubic in shape. |image3 = Ashton Canal, Portland Basin - geograph.org.uk - 3304052.jpg | caption3 = [[Portland Basin]] |alt3 = A red-brick mill building seen on the opposite side of a canal basin. Canalboats are parked very close to the building, whose façade is mostly brick with rows of quite small windows. |image4 = St_Michael,_Ashton-under-Lyne.jpg | caption4 = [[St Michael and All Angels' Church, Ashton-under-Lyne|St Michael and All Angels' Church]] |alt4 = A big church as photographed from slightly lower down the hill, such that the long side of the cross shape is runs the length of the photo, with the spire on the left-hand side. The church resembles an L shape because the spire is right at one end and the three other parts of the cross are very small. |image5 = Ashton_market_hall_in_October_2011.jpg | caption5 = Market Hall |alt5 = A red-brick, mostly single-storey building as photographed from across a pedestrianised square. There are frequent floor-to-ceiling windows (thus spanning the whole height of the building), with a single cuboidal spire at the centre of one façade extending upwards. }} | static_image_caption = }}
'''Ashton-under-Lyne''', also known simply as '''Ashton''', is a [[market town]] in [[Tameside]], Greater Manchester, United Kingdom. The population was 48,604 at the 2021 census. [[Historic counties of England|Historically]] a part of [[Lancashire]], it is on the north bank of the [[River Tame, Greater Manchester|River Tame]], in the foothills of the [[Pennines]], {{convert|6|mi|km|0|abbr=off|spell=on}} east of [[Manchester]].
Evidence of [[Stone Age]], [[Bronze Age]], and [[Viking]] activity has been discovered in Ashton-under-Lyne. The "Ashton" part of the town's name probably dates from the [[Anglo-Saxon period]], and derives from [[Old English]] meaning "settlement by ash trees". The origin of the "under-Lyne" suffix is less clear; it possibly derives from the [[British language (Celtic)|Brittonic]]-originating word ''lemo'' meaning [[elm]] or from Ashton's proximity to the Pennines. In the [[Middle Ages]], Ashton-under-Lyne was a [[parish]] and [[Township (England)|township]] and Ashton Old Hall was held by the de Asshetons, [[Lord of the manor|lords of the manor]]. The town became a [[market town]] from 1414 when the manor was granted a [[royal charter]].
The introduction of the [[cotton]] trade in 1769 transformed Ashton both economically and geographically, with the town being replanned in a grid. The [[factory system]], and [[textile 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 important [[mill town]] at a convergence of newly constructed canals and railways. Ashton-under-Lyne's transport network allowed for an economic boom in cotton [[Spinning (textiles)|spinning]], [[weaving]], and [[coal mining]], which led to the granting of [[municipal borough]] status in 1847. The population grew from 2,859 in 1775 to 34,886 in 1861, two-thirds of its modern-day size, as a direct result of this extensive industrialisation.
The town saw significant economic decline in the 1920s, with the majority of its mills closing due to insufficient exports. Nevertheless, the town has continued to thrive as a centre of commerce, and Ashton Market is one of the largest outdoor markets in the United Kingdom. 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 of [[Hyde, Greater Manchester|Hyde]], 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 mayor [[Andy Burnham]] designating the area as a Mayoral Development Zone, and promising investment into housing, businesses, and green space. Ashton Town Centre is now home to the [[Ashton Arcades]] shopping centre (opened 1995), a large [[IKEA]] store (opened 2006), and Ashton Market (reopened 2008), which was voted the best in the country in 2014.
==History==
=== Pre-industrial history === Evidence of prehistoric activity in the area is found at Ashton Moss, a {{convert|107|ha|acre|adj=on}} [[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 Mesolithic [[flint tool]] was discovered in the bog,{{sfn|Nevell|1992|pp=11,25}} alongside a collection of nine [[Neolithic]] flints.{{sfn|Nevell|1992|p=30}} There was further activity in or around the bog in the [[Bronze Age]]. In about 1911, an adult male skull was found in the moss; it was thought to belong to the [[Roman Britain|Romano-British period]], similar to the [[Lindow Man]] bog body, until [[radiocarbon dating]] revealed that it dated from 1,320 to 970 BC.{{sfn|Nevell|1992|p=71}}{{sfn|Hodgeson|Brennand|2004|p=44}}
The eastern terminus of the early medieval linear earthwork [[Nico Ditch]] is in Ashton Moss ({{gbmapping|SJ909980}}); 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.{{sfn|Nevell|Walker|1998|pp=40–41}}{{sfn|Nevell|1992|pp=77–83}} Further evidence of [[Dark Age]] activity in the area comes from the town's name. The "Ashton" part probably derives from the [[Old English|Anglo-Saxon]] meaning "settlement by ash trees";<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Lancashire/Ashton+under+Lyne |title=Key to English Place-names |website=kepn.nottingham.ac.uk |access-date=6 August 2021 |archive-date=18 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418030448/http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Lancashire/Ashton+under+Lyne |url-status=live }}</ref>{{sfn|Nevell|1997|p=32}}<ref>{{citation |author=University of Nottingham's Institute for Name-Studies |author-link=University of Nottingham |title=Ashton-under-Lyne |publisher=nottingham.ac.uk |url=http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/english/ins/kepn/detailpop.php?placeno=12870 |access-date=18 September 2008 }}</ref> the origin of the "under-Lyne" element is less clear: it could derive from the [[British language (Celtic)|British]] ''lemo'' meaning [[elm]], or refer to Ashton being "under the line" of the [[Pennines]].{{sfn|Lewis|1848|pp=90–96}}{{sfn|Wilson|1870–1872}} This means that Ashton probably became a settlement some time after the [[End of Roman rule in Britain|Romans left Britain]] in the 5th century.{{sfn|Nevell|1992|pp=84–85}} An early form of the town's name included the [[morpheme]] "''burh''"; this indicates that, in the 11th century, Ashton and [[Bury, Greater Manchester|Bury]] were two of the most important towns in Lancashire.{{sfn|Nevell|1992|p=88}} 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.<ref name="Tameside history">{{citation |title=Township Information – Ashton |url=http://www.tameside.gov.uk/ashton/history |publisher=Tameside.gov.uk |access-date=12 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916082112/http://www.tameside.gov.uk/ashton/history |archive-date=16 September 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{Multiple image | image1 = Ashton-under-Lyne old hall.jpg | image2 = Ashton Old Hall in 1910.png | caption2 = | footer = A photograph of the hall before its demolition in 1890 (above) and a print created after its demolition based on earlier works (below). | direction = vertical | align = left | total_width = 250 | alt1 = A smudged black-and-white photo of a manor house sitting behind some railway tracks, in front of which the photo was taken. The manor appears medieval in style but has a bric-a-brac façade of various extensions and components. | alt2 = A black-and-white etching of the same place as the first image, but the façade is shown to be a lot neater and clearer, possibly to the extent of artistic license. The point from which the print has been created is higher up and at a more facing angle than the other photo, meaning a signal box for the railway on the right and a bridge on the left can be seen. }}
The ''[[Domesday Survey]]'' of 1086 does not directly mention Ashton, perhaps because only a partial survey of the area had been taken.{{sfn|Nevell|1991|p=17}}{{sfn|Hartwell|Hyde|Pevsner|2004|loc=Redhead, Norman|p=18}} [[St Michael and All Angels' Church, Ashton-under-Lyne|St Michael's Church]], mentioned in the Domesday entry for the [[Manchester (ancient parish)|ancient parish of Manchester]], might have been in Ashton (also spelt '''Asheton''', '''Asshton''' and '''Assheton''').<ref name="history">{{cite book |title=A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 4. |date=1911 |pages=338–347 |chapter-url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol4/pp338-347 |access-date=30 August 2017 |chapter=The parish of Ashton-under-Lyne: Introduction, manor & boroughs |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831000408/http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol4/pp338-347 |archive-date=31 August 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> The town itself was first mentioned in the 12th century when the [[manorialism|manor]] was part of the barony of Manchester.{{sfn|Nevell|1991|p=17}} By the late 12th century, a family who adopted the name Assheton held the manor on behalf of the [[Albert de Gresle|Gresles]], barons of Manchester.{{sfn|Nevell|Walker|1998|p=47}} Ashton Old Hall was a [[manor house]], the administrative centre of the manor, and the [[seat]] of the de Ashton or de Assheton family. With three wings, the hall was described by the historians Mike Nevell and John Walker as "one of the finest great houses in the North West" of the 14th century. 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.{{sfn|Nevell|Walker|1998|p=54}} The town was granted a [[royal charter]] in 1414, which allowed it to hold a fair twice a year, and a market on every Monday,{{sfn|Nevell|1991|p=60}}<ref name="town centre">{{citation |title=Ashton-under-Lyne town centre |url=http://www.tameside.gov.uk/ashton/towncentre |publisher=Tameside.gov.uk |access-date=13 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104162749/http://www.tameside.gov.uk/ashton/towncentre |archive-date=4 January 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> making the settlement a [[market town]].{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=146}}
According to popular tradition, [[Ralph de Ashton|Sir Ralph de Assheton]], who was [[lord of the manor]] in the mid-14th century and known as the Black Knight, was an unpopular and cruel [[feudal lord]]. After his death, his unpopularity led the locals to parade an effigy of him around the town each Easter Monday and collect money.{{sfn|Griffith|1898|p=380}} The effigy would then be hung up, shot, and set on fire, before being torn apart and thrown into the crowd.{{sfn|Griffith|1898|p=381}} The first recorded occurrence of the event was in 1795, although the tradition may be older;<ref>{{citation |title=The Black Knight Pageant |url=http://www.ashton-under-lyne.com/traditions/black-knight.htm |publisher=Ashton-under-Lyne.com |access-date=20 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081003074725/http://www.ashton-under-lyne.com/traditions/black-knight.htm |archive-date=3 October 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> it continued into the 1830s.{{sfn|Griffith|1898|pp=379, 382}}
The manor remained in the possession of the Assheton family until 1514, when their male line ended. The lordship of the manor passed to [[Booth baronets|Sir George Booth]], great-great-grandson of Sir [[Thomas de Ashton (alchemist)|Thomas Ashton]],<ref name="history"/> devolving through the Booth family until the [[Earls of Stamford]] inherited it through marriage in 1758. The [[George Grey, 5th Earl of Stamford|Booth-Greys]] then held the manor until the 19th century;{{sfn|Nevell|Walker |1998|p=48}} 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.{{sfn|McNeil|Nevell|2000|p=54}} In the medieval period, farming was important in Ashton, particularly [[Agronomy|arable]] farming.{{sfn|Nevell|1991|p=52}}
=== Industrialisation === With 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.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|pp=35–39}} Until the introduction of the [[cotton]] trade in 1769, Ashton had been considered "bare, wet, and almost worthless",{{sfn|Wilson|1870–1872}} but the introduction of the trade transformed the town's economy; in the 1700s, 33% of those with jobs worked in textiles and 36% in agriculture.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|pp=35, 83}} 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.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=146}} In 1730, a [[workhouse]] was established that consisted of a house and two cottages; it later came to be used as a hospital.{{sfn|Burke|Nevell|1996|p=123}} The [[Ashton Canal]] was constructed in the 1790s to transport coal from the area to Manchester, with a [[Fairbottom Branch Canal|branch to the coal pits at Fairbottom]].{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=99}}[[File:Ashton Canal at Ashton-under-Lyne.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=A black-and-white photograph of a canal taken from a boat on it. On the left-hand side is a small building with a massive chimney stretching above the top of the photo. To the right of the canal is a much bigger building, itself also with a massive chimney, all of which is in the photo. The right-hand building appears directly in front due to the curvature of the canal, and a bridge goes over the canal between the two buildings. |Following the [[Industrial Revolution]], Ashton became a [[mill town]] at the centre of a network of canals and railways.]]
[[File:Ashton-under-Lyne library 2008.jpg|thumb|alt=The façade of Ashton town library, constructed from stone and built in Gothic revival style. The photo is a colour modern photo taken from across the road.|Ashton Town Library was built in the second half of the 19th century.]] Domestic [[fustian]] and woollen [[weaving]] have a long history in the town, dating back to at least the [[Early Modern Britain|Early Modern period]]. Accounts dated 1626 highlight that [[Humphrey Chetham]] had dealings with clothworkers in Ashton.{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=25}} Coal has been mined in Ashton since at least the 17th century,{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=101}} 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. 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.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=102}}
The introduction of the [[factory system]] in the 19th century, during the [[Industrial Revolution]], changed Ashton from a market town to a [[mill 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".<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://industrial-archaeology.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/2000-Industrial-Archaeology-of-Greater-Manchester.pdf |p=54 |title=A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Greater Manchester |last=McNiel |first=Robina |last2=Nevell |first2=Michael |year=2000 |publisher=[[Association for Industrial Archaeology]]}}</ref> On Christmas Day 1826, workers in the town formed the Ashton Unity, a [[friendly society|sickness and benefits society]] that was later renamed the [[Loyal Order of Ancient Shepherds]]. From 1773 to 1905, 75 cotton mills were established in the town. On his tour of [[northern England]] in 1849, Scottish publisher Angus Reach said: {{blockquote|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 the [[power-loom]] was introduced, to be able to learn a new way of making their bread.{{sfn|Powell|1986|p=35}}|Angus Reach|''[[Morning Chronicle]]'', 1849}}
The cotton industry in the area grew rapidly from the start of the 19th century until the [[Lancashire Cotton Famine]] of 1861–1865.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=35}}The growth of the town's textile industry led to the construction of estates specifically for workers. Workers' housing in [[Park Bridge]], on the border between Ashton and Oldham, was created in the 1820s.{{sfn|Nevell|Walker|1999|p=49}} The iron works were founded in 1786 and were some of the earliest in the north west.{{sfn|Nevell|Roberts|2003|pp=19, 22, 31–32}} The Oxford Mills settlement was founded in 1845 by the local industrialist and mill-owner [[Hugh Mason]]{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=151}} who saw it as a model industrial community.<ref name="Tameside history"/> The community was provided with a recreational ground, a gymnasium, and an institute containing public baths, a library, and a reading room.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=152}} Mason estimated that establishing the settlement cost him around £10,000 and would require a further £1,000 a year to maintain (about £{{inflation|UK|10000|1845|fmt=c|r=-5}} and £{{inflation|UK|1000|1845|fmt=c|r=-4}} respectively as of {{inflation/year|UK}}), and that its annual [[mortality rate]] was significantly lower than in the rest of the town.{{sfn|Nevell|1994|pp=44–45}}<ref>{{citation |title=Currency converter |url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency/ |publisher=NationalArchives.gov.uk |access-date=12 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905025228/http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency/ |archive-date=5 September 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>
A poor supply of fresh water and dwellings without adequate drainage led to a [[cholera]] outbreak in the town in 1832.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=132}} The Ashton [[Poor Law Union]] was established in 1837 and covered most of what is now Tameside. A new workhouse was built in 1850, providing housing for 500 people; it later became part of [[Tameside General Hospital]].{{sfn|Burke|Nevell|1996|p=123}} Construction on the [[Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway]] (SA&MR) began in 1837 to provide passenger transport between Manchester and [[Sheffield]]. Although a nine-arch [[viaduct]] 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 the [[Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway]] (MS&LR).{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=127}} In 1890, the MS&LR bought the Old Hall and demolished it to make way for the construction of new [[Rail siding|sidings]].{{sfn|Nevell|Walker|1998|p=54}}
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.<ref name="town centre" /><ref>{{citation |author=Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council |title=Appendix 6: Conservation Areas and Scheduled Ancient Monuments (Policies C11 and C30) |date=November 1992 |url=http://www.tameside.gov.uk/udp/udp1996/appendix6 |access-date=4 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502030435/http://www.tameside.gov.uk/udp/udp1996/appendix6 |archive-date=2 May 2009 |url-status=dead |publisher=Tameside.gov.uk }}</ref> In the late 19th century, public buildings such as the market hall, town hall, public library, and public baths were built.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=151}} A donation from Hugh Mason funded the construction of the baths built in 1870–1871.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=23}} 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.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|pp=149–151}} 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 {{convert|870|m|ft}}.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=102}} Ashton's textile industry remained constant between 1865 and the 1920s. Although some mills closed or merged, the number of [[Spindle (textiles)|spindles]] in use increased.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=35}}{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=37}} 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.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=35}}
=== Modern history === At about 4.20 pm on Wednesday 13 June 1917, [[Ashton-under-Lyne munitions explosion|a fire in an ammunition factory producing TNT]] caused an explosion that demolished much of the west end of the town. Two [[gasometer]]s 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.<ref>''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' Friday 15 June 1917, reprinted in ''The Daily Telegraph'' Thursday 15 June 2017 page 28</ref> The second of the five victims of the [[Moors 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 on [[Saddleworth Moor]].<ref>{{citation |last=Lee |first=Carol Ann |title=One Of Your Own: The Life and Death of Myra Hindley |pages=130-135 |year=2010 |publisher=Mainstream Publishing |isbn=978-1-84596-545-7 |author-link=Carol Ann Lee }}</ref> His body was found in October 1965.<ref>{{citation |last=Goodman |first=Jonathan |title=Trial of Myra Hindley and Ian Brady: The Moors Case |pages=28-29 |year=1973 |publisher=David & Charles |isbn=0-7153-5663-1 }}</ref>
{{Multiple image | image1 = Ashton Canal at Ashton-under-Lyne.jpg | image2 = Ashton Cavendish 3685.JPG | footer = {{center|Regeneration of Ashton-under-Lyne: the derelict [[Cavendish Mill]] in April 1981, the converted building in 2009, and the newly-renovated building in 2016.}} | direction = horizontal | total_width = 900 | image3 = Cavendish Mill Tameside 3717.JPG | align = center | alt1 = (The same photo as two photos above) – A black-and-white photograph of a canal taken from a boat on it. On the left-hand side is a small building with a massive chimney stretching above the top of the photo. To the right of the canal is a much bigger building, itself also with a massive chimney, all of which is in the photo. The right-hand building appears directly in front due to the curvature of the canal, and a bridge goes over the canal between the two buildings. | alt2 = The same mill as on the right hand side of the previous photo, but this time viewed from the opposite side so the chimney is on the right. The building is clearly in better condition as it has windows but also shows many signs of decay, with some windows boarded up. | alt3 = The same mill viewed from the front. It is now in good condition with new windows, none of which are boarded up. A sign above the gateway reads "Cavendish Mill" }}
Ashton became a part of the newly formed [[Metropolitan Borough]] of [[Tameside]] in 1974.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=iii}} In 1996, after the success of a similar project in the nearby town of [[Hyde, Greater Manchester|Hyde]], 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 2000 [[Indices of Multiple Deprivation|indices of multiple deprivation]]. 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.<ref name=":8">{{Harvtxt|Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council|2005||Ref=report|pp=23, 25–27 }}</ref>
In July 2014, Deputy Prime Minister [[Nick Clegg]] announced £350 million of investment (£{{Inflation|index=UK|value=350|start_year=2014|r=0}}mn in {{Inflation/year|index=UK}}) 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 (£{{Inflation|index=UK|value=32.7|start_year=2014|r=1}}mn in {{Inflation/year|index=UK}}).{{Inflation/fn|UK}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Main Greater MCR Transport Projects Revealed Plus &#163;50m Too |url=http://www.manchesterconfidential.co.uk/news/main-greater-mcr-transport-projects-revealed-plus-50m-too |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304095252/http://www.manchesterconfidential.co.uk/news/main-greater-mcr-transport-projects-revealed-plus-50m-too |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=Manchester Confidential |language=en |url-status=dead }}</ref> In February 2021, the completed interchange opened fully to the public;<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-02-11 |title=Ashton under Lyne Interchange |url=https://modernmooch.com/2021/02/11/ashton-under-lyne-interchange/ |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=Modern Mooch |language=en |archive-date=1 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601020215/https://modernmooch.com/2021/02/11/ashton-under-lyne-interchange/ |url-status=live }}</ref> the interchange features two Metrolink platforms, and fourteen bus stops, of which nine surround the central building.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ashton-under-Lyne Interchange map |url=https://tfgm.com/travel-updates/live-departures/bus/ashton-bus/station-map |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=Bee Network |language=en-GB |archive-date=18 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260118181711/https://tfgm.com/travel-updates/live-departures/bus/ashton-bus/station-map |url-status=live }}</ref> In September 2025, it was announced that a new set of walking links would be added to integrate [[Ashton-under-Lyne railway station]], which is across the road from the bus and tram station, into the interchange.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lythgoe |first=George |date=2025-09-04 |title=How the new transport hub connecting tram, trains and buses would work |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/how-new-transport-hub-connecting-32405373 |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=Manchester Evening News |language=en |archive-date=20 October 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251020071253/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/how-new-transport-hub-connecting-32405373 |url-status=live }}</ref>
As well as the regeneration in the 1990s and early 2000s, further regeneration of the town has occurred during the 2020s: in 2024, Mayor [[Andy 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 national [[Levelling-up policy of the Conservative government|levelling-up policy]] of the time, and has a greater focus on environmental considerations than the earlier renewal works.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spotlight: Ashton Mayoral Development Zone |url=https://invest.marketingmanchester.com/manchester-at-mipim/partners/news/spotlight-ashton-mayoral-development-zone |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=Manchester Invest Partnership |archive-date=3 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250803202608/https://invest.marketingmanchester.com/manchester-at-mipim/partners/news/spotlight-ashton-mayoral-development-zone |url-status=live }}</ref> The prospectus for the renewal suggests that Ashton's potential for economic growth comes from its connectivity and affordability compared to central Manchester.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |date=2024 |title=Ashton Mayoral Development Zone – Investment Prospectus |url=https://www.tameside.gov.uk/getmedia/28ae9f60-15fb-4130-a0a5-75ae4253dd90/M30495_AshtonMDZProspectus_Draft_v5.pdf |publisher=[[Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council]] }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Gary |date=2025-08-26 |title=More details of Ashton redevelopment revealed |url=https://www.tamesidecorrespondent.co.uk/2025/08/26/more-details-of-ashton-redevelopment-revealed/ |access-date=2026-01-17 |website=Tameside Correspondent |language=en-GB |archive-date=6 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250906222701/https://www.tamesidecorrespondent.co.uk/2025/08/26/more-details-of-ashton-redevelopment-revealed/ |url-status=live }}</ref> {{Wide image|View over Ashton-under-Lyne 2007 (thin crop).jpg|900|{{center|Ashton-under-Lyne (foreground) in 2007; Oldham is behind on the hillside. The chimney visible is that of the [[Cavendish Mill]].}}|5=center|alt=A panoramic shot of a town at the bottom of a hill, and another about halfway up the hill, although they seem fairly contiguous to one another. On the bottom, obvious buildings from left to right are an IKEA, the chimney of the mill, and three brutalist tower blocks. On the top, obvious buildings from left to right are a brutalist tower block, some renovated mill buildings looking over the hillside, and a transmitting tower at the top of the hill.}}
==Governance== {{Further|Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council|Ashton-under-Lyne (UK Parliament constituency)}}{{Multiple image | direction = vertical | image1 = Ashton-u-Lyne-town-hall1.JPG | image2 = New buildings shown from Ikea carpark.jpg | align = left | footer = '''Top:''' The former Tameside Metropolitan Borough offices, which were demolished in 2016.<br> '''Bottom''': The new council buildings in July 2018 | total_width = 250 | alt1 = The top photo and the bottom photo is identical; the bottom photo was the first photo in the infobox and the article. The comparison between the two points out the replacement of a brutalist building with an octagonal brutalist extension on the left hand side of the building. It has been replaced with a cuboid glass and steel office block with a white and grey façade. | alt2 = The alt text of the previous image explains the difference between it and this one. }}
Lying within the [[Historic counties of England|historic county boundaries]] of [[Lancashire]] since 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.<ref name="GM Gazetteer">{{citation |url=http://www.gmcro.co.uk/Guides/Gazeteer/gazza.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718144214/http://www.gmcro.co.uk/Guides/Gazeteer/gazza.htm |archive-date=18 July 2011 |title=Greater Manchester Gazetteer |publisher=Greater Manchester County Record Office |access-date=20 September 2008 |at=Places names – A}}</ref>{{sfn|Farrer|Brownbill|1911|pp=338–347}}<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10332140 |title=A vision of Ashton under Lyne AP/CP |access-date=19 September 2008 |publisher=visionofbritain.org.uk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103104343/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10332140 |archive-date=3 November 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> Ashton Town was granted a [[royal charter]] in 1414, giving it the right to hold a [[market town|market]]. All four divisions lay within the [[Hundred of Salford]], an ancient division of the county of Lancashire.<ref name="GM Gazetteer" />[[File:Borough Arms, Ashton-under-Lyne.png|upright|thumb|alt=A silver shield with a black five-pointed star with a red crescent in the top left hand corner. Above the shield are the battlements of a tower surmounted by a red griffin's head. Below the shield is the motto "LABOR OMNIA VINCIT", which means "Persistent Works Triumphs".|The [[coat of arms]] of the former Ashton-under-Lyne Municipal Borough Council]]In 1827, police commissioners were established for Ashton Town, tasked with bringing about social and economic improvement.<ref name="GM Gazetteer" /> In 1847, the area was incorporated under the [[Municipal Corporations Act 1835]], as a [[municipal borough]] with the name "Ashton-under-Lyne", giving it [[borough status]]. When the [[Administrative counties of England|administrative county]] of Lancashire was created by the [[Local Government Act 1888]], the borough fell under the newly created [[Lancashire County Council]]. 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.<ref name="GM Gazetteer" /><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10136910 |author=A vision of Britain through time |title=A vision of Ashton under Lyne MB |access-date=3 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930210759/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10136910 |archive-date=30 September 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref><!-- Uncited: In the early 20th century, the Borough of Ashton-under-Lyne grew; Hurst Urban District was added in 1927, parts of Hartshead and [[Alt, Greater Manchester|Alt]] civil parishes in 1935, and parts of [[Limehurst Rural District]] in 1954. --> Since 1956, Ashton has been twinned with [[Chaumont, Haute-Marne|Chaumont]], France.<ref>{{citation |title=Town twinning |url=http://www.tameside.gov.uk/towntwinning |author=Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council |publisher=Tameside.gov.uk |date=27 September 2006 |access-date=4 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820230937/http://www.tameside.gov.uk/towntwinning |archive-date=20 August 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Under the [[Local Government Act 1972]], the town's borough status was abolished, and Ashton has, since 1 April 1974, formed part of the [[Metropolitan Borough of Tameside|metropolitan borough of Tameside]], itself within the [[metropolitan county]] of [[Greater Manchester]].<ref name="GM Gazetteer" /> Ashton-under-Lyne is divided into four [[Wards of the United Kingdom|wards]]: Ashton Hurst, Ashton St. Michaels, Ashton St Peters, and Ashton Waterloo, each of which elect three councillors.<ref>{{citation |author=Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council |title=Know your councillor |url=http://public.tameside.gov.uk/forms/know_your_councillor.asp |access-date=8 May 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712212300/http://public.tameside.gov.uk/forms/know_your_councillor.asp |archive-date=12 July 2012 |url-status=dead |publisher=Tameside.gov.uk }}</ref> Following the [[2024 United Kingdom local elections|2024 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Find Councillor |url=https://tameside.moderngov.co.uk/mgFindMember.aspx?XXR=0&AC=WARD&WID=13054 |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=[[Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council]] |language=en |archive-date=5 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240805124905/https://tameside.moderngov.co.uk/mgFindMember.aspx?XXR=0&AC=WARD&WID=13054 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Before the [[Reform Act 1832]], the county of [[Lancashire]] was a [[Lancashire (UK Parliament constituency)|single 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,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lancashire |url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-1832/constituencies/lancashire |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250207133842/https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-1832/constituencies/lancashire |archive-date=7 February 2025 |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=History of Parliament Online |url-status=dead }}</ref> of which [[Ashton-under-Lyne (UK Parliament constituency)|Ashton-under-Lyne]] was one; the boundaries were defined by those described in an 1827 Act of Parliament relating to the town.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1832 |title=The statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 2 & 3 William IV. Cap. LXIV. An Act to settle and describe the Divisions of Counties, and the Limits of Cities and Boroughs, in England and Wales, in so far as respects the Election of Members to serve in Parliament. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Uq0uAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA300 |access-date=23 May 2020 |publisher=His Majesty's statute and law printers |pages=300–383 |location=London }}</ref> Between its creation in 1832 and 1859, the seat was held by the [[Radicals (UK)|Radicals]], 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 the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]].<ref>{{Rayment-hc|a|3|date=March 2012 }}</ref> [[Angela Rayner]] has been the constituency's [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) since 2015;<ref>{{cite news |title=Ashton-under-Lyne |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000537 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150511133428/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000537 |archive-date=11 May 2015 |work=[[BBC News Online]] }}</ref> a prominent member of Labour's soft left,<ref name="Guardian20170728">{{cite web |last=Moss |first=Stephen |date=28 July 2017 |title=Labour's Angela Rayner: 'I'm proper working-class and Jeremy Kyle' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/28/angela-rayner-shadow-education-secretary-interview |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728232408/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/28/angela-rayner-shadow-education-secretary-interview |archive-date=28 July 2017 |access-date=28 July 2017 |work=[[The Guardian]] }}</ref> she was Deputy Prime Minister between 2024 and 2025.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Whannel |first=Kate |date=5 September 2025 |title=Angela Rayner resigns after underpaying tax on Hove flat |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c80gr5emk43o |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251213140117/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c80gr5emk43o |archive-date=13 December 2025 |access-date=17 January 2026 |work=BBC News }}</ref>
==Geography== {{further|Geography of Greater Manchester}}[[File:Ashton-under-Lyne boundaries.png|left|thumb|Approximate boundaries of Ashton-under-Lyne based on the St Peter's Ward and the Ashton Regeneration Zone; as Ashton is contiguous with many surrounding towns, precise boundaries are not possible. |alt=An OS map of the area, a rough cuboid of which is shaded red to show roughly the boundaries of Ashton. To the left this is a large road, and to the bottom a river.]] At {{coord|53|29|38|N|2|6|11|W|type:city}} (53.4941°, −2.1032°), and {{convert|160|mi|km|0}} north-northwest of [[London]], Ashton-under-Lyne stands on the north bank of the [[River Tame, Greater Manchester|River Tame]], about {{convert|35|ft|m|0}} above the river. Described in [[Samuel Lewis (publisher)|Samuel Lewis]]'s ''A Topographical Dictionary of England'' (1848) as situated "on a gentle declivity",{{sfn|Lewis|1848|pp=90–96}} Ashton-under-Lyne lies on undulating ground by the [[Pennines]], reaching a maximum elevation of about {{convert|1000|ft|m|0}} above [[sea level]]. Generally the [[bedrock]] of the west of the town consists of coal measures, which were exploited by the coal mining industry, while the east is mainly [[gritstone|millstone grit]]. Overlying the bedrock are deposits of glacial sand and gravel, clay, and some [[alluvial deposits]]. Ashton Moss, a peat bog, lies to the west of the town and was originally much larger.{{sfn|Nevell|1992|pp=10–11}}
The boundaries of the eponymous constituency include [[Droylsden|Droyslden]], [[Dukinfield]], 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 the [[River Tame, Greater Manchester|River Tame]] to the south. The town centre is located {{convert|6.2|mi|km|1}} east of [[Manchester city centre]], and is bound on all sides by other towns: [[Audenshaw]], Droylsden, Dukinfield, [[Mossley]], [[Oldham]], and [[Stalybridge]], with little or no [[Green belt|green space]] between them. Despite being contiguous with other towns in all directions, the local geography creates the defining boundaries: the [[Huddersfield 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 the [[Stockport–Stalybridge line]], River Tame, and Ashton Canal form a natural southern boundary and an administrative boundary with Dukinfield.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=Final Recommendations for the North West Region Ashton-under-Lyne Borough Constituency - Electorate 72,278 |url=https://boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/review2023/9bc0b2ea-7915-4997-9d4a-3e313c0ceb51/north-west/North%20West_212_Ashton-under-Lyne_Portrait.pdf |website=Boundary Commission for England |access-date=19 January 2026 |archive-date=4 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250804211634/https://boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/review2023/9bc0b2ea-7915-4997-9d4a-3e313c0ceb51/north-west/North%20West_212_Ashton-under-Lyne_Portrait.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Harvtxt|Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council|2005||Ref=report|pp=|p=24 }}</ref>
Ashton's [[built environment]] is similar to the [[urban structure]] of most [[towns in England]], consisting of residential dwellings centred on a [[market square]] and high street in the [[town centre]], which is the local centre of commerce. There is a mixture of low-density [[urban areas]], [[suburb]]s, semi-rural and [[rural]] locations in Ashton-under-Lyne, but overwhelmingly the [[land use]] in the town is residential; industrial areas and [[terraced house]]s 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".{{sfn|Lewis|1848|pp=90–96}} Areas and suburbs of Ashton-under-Lyne include Cockbrook, Crowhill, Guide Bridge, Hartshead, Hazelhurst, Hurst, Limehurst, Ryecroft, Taunton, and Waterloo.{{sfn|Farrer|Brownbill|1911|pp=338–347}}
==Demographics== {{further|Demographics of Greater Manchester}} {| class="wikitable" style="float: right; margin-left: 2em; width: 40%; " cellspacing="3" |+Ashton compared |- !2021 UK census / % !Ashton Central<ref name=":15">{{Cite web |date=29 November 2022 |title=Ethnic group |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS021/editions/2021/versions/3 |access-date=28 February 2026 |website=[[Office for National Statistics]] |archive-date=14 October 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251014165141/https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS021/editions/2021/versions/3 |url-status=live }}</ref> !Tameside<ref name=":15" />!!England and Wales<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 November 2022 |title=Ethnic group, England and Wales |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/ethnicity/bulletins/ethnicgroupenglandandwales/census2021 |access-date=28 February 2026 |website=[[Office for National Statistics]] |archive-date=22 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922140157/https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/ethnicity/bulletins/ethnicgroupenglandandwales/census2021 |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |White||52.2||85.5||81.7 |- |Asian||37.8||9.2||9.3 |- |Black||5.1||2.3||4.0 |- |Other |4.9 |3.0 |5.0 |} The approximate Ashton area is represented by the Ashton Central [[Middle Layer Super Output Area]] (MSOA) in the 2021–22 United Kingdom census. However, three other MSOAs in the surrounding area are also named for Ashton: Ashton North contains [[Park Bridge]] and parts of Limehurst; Ashton East covers part of the area between Ashton and Stalybridge; and Ashton Waterloo contains Taunton, Waterloo, and parts of [[Daisy Nook]] and the rest of Limehurst.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 2021 |title=Middle Layer Super Output Areas |url=https://geoportal.statistics.gov.uk/datasets/12baf1e6a44441208ffe5ba5ed063a68_0/explore?location=52.837550,-2.489483,7 |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=Open Geography Portal |publisher=[[Office for National Statistics]] |language=en-gb}}</ref>
The population density of Ashton was {{Convert|3227|pd/sqkm}},<ref>{{Cite web |title=TS006 – Population density |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/datasets/c2021ts006 |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=NOMIS |publisher=[[Office for National Statistics]] |archive-date=14 February 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260214114236/https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/datasets/c2021ts006 |url-status=live }}</ref> which is an 18.2% increase from the [[2011 United Kingdom census|previous census in 2011]].<ref name=":25">{{Cite web |title=Census change over time data, England and Wales |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/articles/censuschangeovertimedataenglandandwales/2011to2021 |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=[[Office for National Statistics]] |archive-date=16 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260116143807/https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/articles/censuschangeovertimedataenglandandwales/2011to2021 |url-status=live }}</ref> Of Ashton's inhabitants, 48.9% are female and 51.1% male,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sex |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS008/editions/2021/versions/4 |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=[[Office for National Statistics]]}}</ref> which has remained fairly stable in the last decade.<ref name=":25" /> 35.9% of Ashton residents are married or in a civil partnership,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Legal partnership status |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS002/editions/2021/versions/3 |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=[[Office for National Statistics]] |archive-date=15 December 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251215021543/https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS002/editions/2021/versions/3 |url-status=live }}</ref> a statistic which has not changed significantly since 2011.<ref name=":25" /> There has been a shift towards family living, with 44.4% single-person households and 46.8% family households,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Household composition |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS003/editions/2021/versions/4 |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=[[Office for National Statistics]] |archive-date=10 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250710155823/https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS003/editions/2021/versions/4 |url-status=live }}</ref> a change of –1.1% and +0.6% respectively in the last decade.<ref name=":25" />
Of Ashton's residents, 41.4% have a maximum qualification level of 1–3 (secondary school equivalent) and 20.5% have above level 4 (i.e. a university-level equivalent).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Highest level of qualification |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS067/editions/2021/versions/3 |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=[[Office for National Statistics]] |archive-date=3 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260303005608/https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS067/editions/2021/versions/3 |url-status=live }}</ref> Of all households, 26.6% own their property (either outright or with debt), 45.6% pay government-subsidised (social) rent, and 29.2% either pay private rent or do not pay for their accommodation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tenure |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS054/editions/2021/versions/4 |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=[[Office for National Statistics]] |archive-date=15 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260115113815/https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS054/editions/2021/versions/4 |url-status=live }}</ref> Homeownership has seen a decrease of –4.0% since the 2011 census, and more people rent property instead.<ref name=":25" /> Conversely, 51.2% of residents have access to at least one car,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Car or van availability |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS045/editions/2021/versions/4 |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=[[Office for National Statistics]] |archive-date=2 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260302012619/https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS045/editions/2021/versions/4 |url-status=live }}</ref> which has increased by 5.4% in the last decade.<ref name=":25" />
67.5% of Ashton residents were born in the UK,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Country of birth |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS004/editions/2021/versions/3 |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=[[Office for National Statistics]] |archive-date=31 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260131225612/https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS004/editions/2021/versions/3 |url-status=live }}</ref> which has decreased by –7.0% since 2011.<ref name=":25" /> Of those not born in the UK, 48.0% arrived after 2011, and 29.8% between 2001 and 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Year of arrival in UK - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS015/editions/2021/versions/3 |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=www.ons.gov.uk |archive-date=8 December 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251208125335/https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS015/editions/2021/versions/3 |url-status=live }}</ref> As shown in the table above, 52.2% of residents identified as White (–13.1% since 2011), 37.8% as Asian (+7.7%) and 5.1% as Black (+2.8%).<ref name=":15" /><ref name=":25" /> Data for specific countries is only available for Tameside as a whole, where 1.8% of residents were born in Pakistan, 1.6% in Bangladesh, and 0.6% in India; no other Middle Eastern and Asian countries made up more than 0.2% of the population.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Country of birth - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS004/editions/2021/versions/3 |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=www.ons.gov.uk |archive-date=31 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260131225612/https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS004/editions/2021/versions/3 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Indices of Multiple Deprivation]] for the town's households show 34.8% are deprived in one dimension, 23.8% in two, and 11.4% in three or more, leaving 10% not deprived in any dimension.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Households by deprivation dimensions - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS011/editions/2021/versions/6 |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=www.ons.gov.uk |archive-date=20 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260320050019/https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS011/editions/2021/versions/6 |url-status=live }}</ref>
In 1931, 10% of Ashton's population was [[middle 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 the [[working-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.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_cube_table_page.jsp?data_theme=T_SOC&data_cube=N_RGSOC_G&u_id=10136910&c_id=10001043&add=Y |title=Ashton under Lyne social class |publisher=Vision of Britain |access-date=15 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103104424/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_cube_table_page.jsp?data_theme=T_SOC&data_cube=N_RGSOC_G&u_id=10136910&c_id=10001043&add=Y |archive-date=3 November 2012 |url-status=live}}<br />•{{citation |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_rate_page.jsp?u_id=10136910&c_id=10001043&data_theme=T_SOC&id=0 |title=Percentage of Working-Age Males in Class 1 and 2 |publisher=Vision of Britain |access-date=15 September 2008 |archive-date=6 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210806165357/https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/DataRate;jsessionid=F38C82F225B58866BA1849B05DE71723?u_id=10136910&c_id=10001043&data_rate=&data_theme=&checks=10136910-empty-u_name_with_cont2 |url-status=live}}<br />•{{citation |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_rate_page.jsp?u_id=10136910&c_id=10001043&data_theme=T_SOC&id=2 |title=Percentage of Working-Age Males in Class 4 and 5 |publisher=Vision of Britain |access-date=15 September 2008 |archive-date=6 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210806165414/https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/DataRate;jsessionid=945208C7072FB3979E8D79903DD9191D?u_id=10136910&c_id=10001043&data_rate=&data_theme=&checks=10136910-empty-u_name_with_cont2 |url-status=live }}</ref>
===Population change=== 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.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=168}} In the early 19th century, Irish immigrants escaping from the [[Great Irish Famine]] were also drawn to the area by the new jobs created.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=27}}<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.ashton-under-lyne.com/history/riots.htm |title=The Murphy Riots in Ashton under Lyne |publisher=Ashton-under-Lyne.com |access-date=9 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080503090800/http://www.ashton-under-lyne.com/history/riots.htm |archive-date=3 May 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> 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 the [[American Civil War]].{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=36}} The population peaked in 1961 before beginning to fall until 2001; although the population has begun to increase again, it has still not returned to that of 1961.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=12}}<ref name=":12">{{citation |title=Facts about Ashton |url=http://www.tameside.gov.uk/ashton/facts |publisher=[[Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council]] |access-date=16 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704082527/http://www.tameside.gov.uk/ashton/facts |archive-date=4 July 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=":13">{{Cite web |title=Ashton-under-Lyne |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/northwestengland/greater_manchester/E63001268__ashton_under_lyne/ |access-date=28 February 2026 |website=CityPopulation |archive-date=24 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231224183127/https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/northwestengland/greater_manchester/E63001268__ashton_under_lyne/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
The table and graph below details the population change since 1851, including the percentage change per annum.<ref name=":14" />{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=12}}<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":13" />
<div style="overflow-x: auto; white-space: nowrap; min-width: 800px;">
{| class="wikitable" style="border:0; text-align:center; line-height:120%;" |+[[Population growth]] in Ashton-under-Lyne since 1851 |- ! Year !1700{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=168}} !1775<ref name=":14">{{Cite web |title=Census Returns |url=https://tamesidefamilyhistory.co.uk/censusreturns.htm |access-date=28 February 2026 |website=Tameside Family History |archive-date=14 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240814232207/http://tamesidefamilyhistory.co.uk/censusreturns.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> ! 1801{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=36}} ! 1851{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=12}} ! 1861{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=12}} ! 1871{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=12}} ! 1881{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=12}} ! 1891{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=12}} ! 1901{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=12}} ! 1911{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=12}} ! 1921{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=12}} ! 1931{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=12}} ! 1939{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=12}} ! 1951{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=12}} ! 1961{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=12}} ! 1971{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=12}} ! 1991<ref name=":12" /> ! 2001<ref name=":13" /> !2011<ref name=":13" /> !2021<ref name=":13" /> |- style="text-align:center;" ! Population |550 |2,859 |6,500 | 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 | 42,236 |45,198 |48,604 |- style="text-align: center;" !% change / year |— | +5.60 | +17.18 | +1.81 | +1.71 |–0.83 | +1.38 | +1.12 | +0.84 | +0.29 |–0.41 | +1.90 |–1.22 | +0.05 | +0.72 |–0.24 |–0.47 |–0.48 | +0.70 | +0.75 |- style="text-align: center;" | colspan="21" |Sources:<ref name=":14" />{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=12}}<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":13" /> — %change/year is calculated as an average between two data points. |} </div>
{{Chart|align=center|chart=Ashton-Under-Lyne population.chart|data=Ashton-Under-Lyne.tab}}
==Religion== {{see also|List of churches in Greater Manchester}} [[File:St Michaels and All Saints Church Ashton-under-Lyne 2009.jpg|thumb|upright|left|alt=A church built in Gothic style with the tower in the centre of the picture and the main body of the church extending to the right|[[St Michael and All Angels' Church, Ashton-under-Lyne|St Michael and All Angels' Church]] is a Grade I listed building.]] [[File:Ashton-u-Lyne-Mosque01.jpg|thumb|Masjid Hamza Mosque in West End on Katherine Street|alt=A mosque viewed from across a green. The mosque is fairly cubic with a central dome and a spire-like dome on one edge.]] [[St Michael and All Angels' Church, Ashton-under-Lyne|St Michael and All Angels' Church]] is a [[Grade I listed buildings in Greater Manchester|Grade I listed building]] that dates back to at least 1262, although it was rebuilt in the 15th, 16th, and 19th centuries.{{sfn|Nevell|1991|pp=121, 135}} 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 were [[Catholic]], [[Congregationalist]], and [[Methodist]].{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=142}}
[[File:Albion church and war memorial.jpg|thumb|Albion Church photographed from the War Memorial in 2018|alt=A church in the background-centre with its steeple on the left-hand side. On the right hand foreground a grand war memorial with a bronze statue on top of a large pillar. The foreground is set in a park with trees and paths]]The 19th-century [[evangelism|evangelist]] [[John Wroe]] attempted to turn Ashton-under-Lyne into a "new Jerusalem". He founded the [[Christian 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.{{sfn|Nevell|1994|p=95}}<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.tameside.gov.uk/blueplaque/prophetwroe |title=A Tribute to Prophet Wroe 1782–1863 |publisher=Tameside.gov.uk |access-date=10 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630034213/http://www.tameside.gov.uk/blueplaque/prophetwroe |archive-date=30 June 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref>
As of the 2021 census, 36.0% of Ashton residents were Muslim, 28.8% of were Christian, 26.9% had no religion, and 2.5% were Hindu. In the entire of Tameside these proportions were very different: 47.8% were Christian; 38.0% had no religion; 7.3% were Muslim; and 1.3% were Hindu.<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 November 2022 |title=Religion |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS030/editions/2021/versions/3 |access-date=28 February 2026 |website=[[Office for National Statistics]] |archive-date=1 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260301154020/https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS030/editions/2021/versions/3 |url-status=live }}</ref> The proportion of Christian residents (46.2%) in England and Wales is much higher than Ashton but slightly lower than Tameside, and the population of Muslim residents (6.5%) and Hindu residents (1.7%) in England and Wales is much lower than Ashton and around the same as across Tameside.<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 November 2022 |title=Religion, England and Wales |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/bulletins/religionenglandandwales/census2021 |access-date=28 February 2026 |website=[[Office for National Statistics]] |archive-date=12 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250512005325/https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/bulletins/religionenglandandwales/census2021 |url-status=live }}</ref> Mosques in the town include Ashton Central Mosque on Hillgate Street in Penny Meadow, formerly known as Markazi Jamia Mosque,<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.yell.com/b/Markazi+Jamia+Mosque-Religious+Organisations-Ashton_Under_Lyne-OL66EJ-1206732/index.html |title=Markazi Jamia Mosque |publisher=Yell.com |access-date=10 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927183812/http://www.yell.com/b/Markazi+Jamia+Mosque-Religious+Organisations-Ashton_Under_Lyne-OL66EJ-1206732/index.html |archive-date=27 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and one on Katherine Street in West End (Masjid Hamza Mosque).<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Masjid Hamza |url=https://www.mosquedirectory.co.uk/mosques/england/lancashire/ashton-under-lyne/richmond-hill/Masjid-Hamza-Richmond-Hill-Tameside-Ashton-under-Lyne/986 |access-date=2026-01-17 |website=Mosque Directory |language=en-GB |archive-date=15 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241015163838/https://www.mosquedirectory.co.uk/mosques/england/lancashire/ashton-under-lyne/richmond-hill/Masjid-Hamza-Richmond-Hill-Tameside-Ashton-under-Lyne/986 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{clear}}
==Economy{{table alignment}}== {| class="wikitable col2right col3right col4right" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; width: 40%;" cellspacing="5" |+Ashton-under-Lyne economic statistics |- ![[2021–2022 United Kingdom censuses|2021–22 UK census]]!!Ashton Central!!Tameside!!England and Wales |- |[[Working age]] population||64.7%<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Age by single year - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS007/editions/2021/versions/3 |access-date=2026-01-17 |website=www.ons.gov.uk }}</ref>||62.6%<ref name=":0" />||62.9%<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |date=2023-03-31 |title=Working age population |url=https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/uk-population-by-ethnicity/demographics/working-age-population/latest/ |access-date=2026-01-17 |website=Ethnicity facts and figures |publisher=UK Government |language=en |archive-date=28 December 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251228052212/https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/uk-population-by-ethnicity/demographics/working-age-population/latest/ |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |[[Employed]] {{Small|(including full time students)}}||47.9%<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Economic activity status - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS066/editions/2021/versions/6 |access-date=2026-01-17 |website=www.ons.gov.uk |archive-date=12 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250812151422/https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS066/editions/2021/versions/6 |url-status=live }}</ref>||57.1%<ref name=":1" />||57.2%<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Employment in local authorities, England and Wales - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/employmentinlocalauthoritiesenglandandwales/census2021 |access-date=2026-01-17 |website=www.ons.gov.uk |archive-date=13 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250813202552/https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/employmentinlocalauthoritiesenglandandwales/census2021 |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |[[Unemployed]] {{Small|(including full time students)}}||6.2%<ref name=":1" />||3.5%<ref name=":1" />||3.4%<ref name=":2" /> |- |All [[Economically inactive|inactive]]||46.0%<ref name=":1" />||39.5%<ref name=":1" />||39.4%<ref name=":2" /> |- |Inactive because [[retired]]||12.7%<ref name=":1" />||21.4%<ref name=":1" />||21.6%<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Economic activity status, England and Wales - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/economicactivitystatusenglandandwales/census2021 |access-date=2026-01-17 |website=www.ons.gov.uk |archive-date=16 December 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251216111306/https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/economicactivitystatusenglandandwales/census2021 |url-status=live }}</ref> |} 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.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":6" /> 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.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
Despite the economic activity rate being higher than the national average at 46.0%,<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> a lesser proportion of the population is in retirement, at only 12.7% compared to the national average of 21.6%.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":7" /> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Occupation - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS063/editions/2021/versions/5 |access-date=2026-01-17 |website=www.ons.gov.uk |archive-date=13 October 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251013103100/https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS063/editions/2021/versions/5 |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Industry - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS060/editions/2021/versions/5 |access-date=2026-01-17 |website=www.ons.gov.uk |archive-date=3 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260103053240/https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS060/editions/2021/versions/5 |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Ashton-u-Lyne-IKEA1.jpg|left|thumb|alt=A blue building with "Ikea" written on the side in large yellow letters. Trees in the foreground.|[[IKEA]]'s store in Ashton-under-Lyne, which opened in 2006, was their first in a town centre.]]The [[Ashton Arcades]] shopping centre opened in October 1995, and in February 2007, permission was granted for a £40 million upgrade and extension;<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2007-02-15 |title=Go-ahead for mall upgrade |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/business-news/go-ahead-for-mall-upgrade-1036991 |access-date=2026-05-01 |website=[[Manchester Evening News]] |language=en}}</ref> this had still not happened by 2013 due to the [[2008 financial crisis]].<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2013-01-12 |title=£40m shopping centre is still in store for Ashton |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/business-news/40m-shopping-centre-is-still-in-store-890142 |access-date=2026-05-01 |website=[[Manchester Evening News]] |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{citation |title=Ikea's superstore plans approved |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/4604024.stm |date=11 January 2006 |access-date=3 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071226032222/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4604024.stm |archive-date=26 December 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> The store opened on 19 October 2006 and covers {{convert|296000|sqft}}. At the time of its creation, the store was the tallest in Britain.<ref>{{citation |title=IKEA's finally here |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/lifestyle/health_and_beauty/style/s/225/225588_ikeas_finally_here.html |author=Emma Unsworth |date=16 October 2006 |access-date=3 September 2008 |work=[[Manchester Evening News]] |archive-date=6 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210806165455/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/fashion-news/ikeas-finally-here-1044860 |url-status=live }}</ref> 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 {{convert|280000|sqft|m2}} of office space and {{convert|400000|sqft|m2}} of retail and leisure space.<ref>{{citation |title=The big spenders are in town! |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/business/s/213/213820_the_big_spenders_are_in_town.html |author=David Thame |date=23 May 2005 |access-date=15 September 2008 |work=[[Manchester Evening News]] |archive-date=6 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210806165412/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/business-news/the-big-spenders-are-in-town-1030408 |url-status=live }}</ref> Pennine Care NHS Trust relocated its headquarters to the St Petersfield area in 2006.<ref>{{citation |title=Ashton's eastern promise |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/business/s/164/164830_ashtons_eastern_promise.html |author=David Thame |date=5 July 2005 |access-date=15 September 2008 |work=[[Manchester Evening News]] |archive-date=6 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210806165413/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/business-news/ashtons-eastern-promise-1076055 |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.tamesideadvertiser.co.uk/news/s/381590_street_killings_hit_towns_night_spots |title=Street killings hit town's night spots |work=Tameside Advertiser |date=23 May 2002 |access-date=20 August 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911125550/http://www.tamesideadvertiser.co.uk/news/s/381590_street_killings_hit_towns_night_spots |archive-date=11 September 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>[[File:Ashton market hall in October 2011.jpg|thumb|Ashton Market Hall in October 2011|alt=A red-brick, mostly single-storey building as photographed from across a pedestrianised square. There are frequent floor-to-ceiling windows (thus spanning the whole height of the building), with a single cuboidal spire at the centre of one façade extending upwards.]]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.<ref name="town centre" /> The [[farmers' market]], with over seventy stalls, is the largest in the region, as is the weekday [[flea market]].<ref>{{citation |title=Ashton market |date=3 November 2007 |url=http://www.tameside.gov.uk/ashton/market |access-date=20 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913150224/http://www.tameside.gov.uk/ashton/market |archive-date=13 September 2008 |url-status=live |publisher=Tameside.gov.uk }}</ref> In 2004, a fire at the Grade II listed Ashton Market Hall severely damaged the building;<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=£16m market hall reopens after blaze |url=https://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/8/news-headlines/16974/%C2%A316m-market-hall-reopens-after-blaze |access-date=2026-01-17 |website=Oldham Chronicle |language=en-gb |archive-date=17 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260117214702/https://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/8/news-headlines/16974/%C2%A316m-market-hall-reopens-after-blaze |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Slater |first=Chris |date=2014-02-05 |title=Ashton Market rises from the Ashes to be named best in the country |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/ashton-market-rises-ashes-named-6677260 |access-date=2026-01-17 |website=Manchester Evening News |language=en |archive-date=13 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613171048/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/ashton-market-rises-ashes-named-6677260 |url-status=live }}</ref> it reopened in 2008 after a £16mn pound renovation project (£{{Inflation|index=UK|value=16|start_year=2008|r=3|fmt=c}}mn in {{Inflation/year|index=UK}}){{Inflation/fn|UK}} with additional business units integrated inside.<ref name=":4" /> The market was later determined the best in the country in 2014 by the National Association of British Market Authorities.<ref name=":5" /> {{Clear}}
==Culture==
===Sport=== The town's most prominent football teams are [[Ashton United F.C.]] and [[Curzon Ashton F.C.]], the latter of which has been the more successful team in recent years.<ref name=":11" /><ref name=":17" /> Ashton United first played in the 1912–13 as Hurst F.C. before being renamed in 1946.<ref name=":16">{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://ashtonunited.co.uk/history/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819020227/https://ashtonunited.co.uk/history/ |archive-date=19 August 2021 |access-date=28 February 2026 |website=Ashton United F.C.}}</ref> They were the first team in the [[Manchester Football Association]] to win an FA Cup tie, when they beat [[Turton F.C.|Turton]] 3–0 in 1883, and in 1885, they were the first winners of the [[Manchester Senior Cup]], beating Newton Heath (who later became [[Manchester United]]) in the final.{{sfn|James|2008|pp=33–34}} The team have played in the [[Northern Premier League]] consistently since the 1992–93 season, except for the 2004–05, 2017–18, and 2018–19 seasons, where they were promoted into the [[National League North]];<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |title=Ashton United |url=https://www.fchd.info/ASHTONU.HTM |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=Football Club History Database |archive-date=2 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250602221127/https://www.fchd.info/ASHTONU.HTM |url-status=live }}</ref> their home stadium has been Hurst Cross since 1880.<ref name=":16" /> Curzon Ashton were promoted to the National League North for the start of the 2015–16 season where they have remained since; before that, they had been in the Northern Premier League since 2007–08;<ref name=":17">{{Cite web |title=Curzon Ashton |url=https://www.fchd.info/CURZONAS.HTM |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=Football Club History Database |archive-date=20 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250620201129/https://www.fchd.info/CURZONAS.HTM |url-status=live }}</ref> they play at the Tameside Stadium.<ref>{{cite web |title=Location – Curzon Ashton Football Club|url=http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/curzonashtonfc/location/|publisher=Pitchero.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111118030120/http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/curzonashtonfc/location/|archive-date=18 November 2011|access-date=12 March 2012}}</ref> A third club, [[Ashton Wanderers F.C.]], played in the third-tier [[Lancashire Alliance]] at the start of the 20th century, and won the 1902–03 title. However, in so doing, they broke the competition's rules on player wages, and in the end had to disband as a consequence.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Association |journal=Wigan Observer and District Advertiser - Friday 01 May 1903 |date=1 May 1903 |page=3}}</ref>
Other sporting venues include the Richmond Park Athletics Stadium, which has an all-weather running track with facilities for field events<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.eastcheshireharriers.co.uk.googlepages.com/clubhistory |title=History of East Cheshire Harriers |publisher=East Cheshire Harriers |access-date=19 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516031213/http://www.eastcheshireharriers.co.uk.googlepages.com/clubhistory |archive-date=16 May 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> and is home to the East Cheshire Harriers, Tameside Athletics Club, and Ashton Cricket Club, which has won the [[Central Lancashire Cricket League]]'s first and second division twice each, and the Wood Cup four times.<ref>{{citation |title=Oldham Cricket Club: Wood Cup |publisher=OldhamCC.co.uk |url=http://www.oldhamcc.co.uk/competitions/wood_cup_detail.php |access-date=1 September 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612182220/http://www.oldhamcc.co.uk/competitions/wood_cup_detail.php |archive-date=12 June 2008 }}</ref> The [[Ashton Ladysmith Cricket Club]] is based at the Ladysmith Sport Center at Rose Hill Road and competes in the North Manchester Cricket League.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ashton Ladysmith CC |url=https://ashtonladysmith.play-cricket.com/home |access-date=2023-01-06 |website=ashtonladysmith.play-cricket.com }}</ref>
===Landmarks=== [[File:Ashton-under-Lyne town hall.jpg|thumb|alt=A panoramic shot of a town. In the foreground a modern-looking bus station in front of a red-brick building with large sash windows; in the background a church spire and a hill with houses on the hillside.|The [[Corinthian columns]] on the facade of [[Ashton Town Hall]]]] After the Ashton Canal closed in the 1960s, it was decided to turn the [[Portland Basin]] warehouse into a museum. In 1985, the first part of the Heritage Centre and Museum opened on the first floor of the warehouse.{{sfn|Nevell|Walker|2001|pp=59, 61}} The restoration of the building was complete in 1999; the museum details Tameside's social, industrial, and political history.{{sfn|Nevell|Walker|2001|pp=63–64}} The basin next to the warehouse is the point at which the [[Ashton Canal]], the [[Huddersfield Narrow Canal]] and the [[Peak Forest Canal]] meet. It has been used several times as a filming location for ''[[Coronation Street]]'', including a scene where the character Richard Hillman drove into the canal.<ref>{{citation |title=From far-flung Canada to Corrie |work=[[Manchester Evening News]] |url=http://www.tamesideadvertiser.co.uk/news/s/1067079_from_farflung_canada_to_corrie |date=17 September 2008 |access-date=19 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922143259/http://www.tamesideadvertiser.co.uk/news/s/1067079_from_farflung_canada_to_corrie |archive-date=22 September 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>
The earliest parts of [[Ashton 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 the [[Corinthian columns]] on the entrance [[facade]]. Enlarged in 1878, the hall provides areas for administrative purposes and public functions.{{sfn|Burke|Nevell|1996|pp=118–119}} The [[Old Street drill hall, Ashton-under-Lyne|Old Street drill hall]] was completed in 1887.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/battle-save-historic-military-building-8439583#rlabs=3 |title=Ashton campaigners in battle on to save the historic Armoury |date=14 January 2015 |publisher=Manchester Evening News |access-date=28 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929231536/http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/battle-save-historic-military-building-8439583#rlabs=3 |archive-date=29 September 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Ashton under Lyne - Stamford Park.JPG|thumb|left|alt=Pathway leading towards a circular flowerbed where the path splits. Flowerbeds also flank the path on each side. The flowerbeds are decorated by various red and yellow flowers. Trees are in the background.|Over 60,000 people turned out to the opening of Stamford Park in 1873; it had taken 17 years of campaigning and fundraising by local cotton workers.]] There are five parks in the town, three of which have [[Green Flag Award]]s.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.tameside.gov.uk/parks |title=Parks in Tameside: Tameside Parks Moving Forward |publisher=Tameside.gov.uk |access-date=7 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090731175216/http://www.tameside.gov.uk/parks |archive-date=31 July 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> 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;<ref name="stamford park">[http://www.tameside.gov.uk/consultation/stamfordpark Tameside Metropolitan Borough council : ''Stamford Park : History''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091015072939/http://www.tameside.gov.uk/consultation/stamfordpark |date=15 October 2009 }} Retrieved 12 September 2009</ref> the land was bought from a local mill-owner for £15,000 (£{{formatprice|{{Inflation|UK|15000|1865|r=-5}}|0}} as of {{inflation/year|UK}}){{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} and further land was donated by [[George Grey, 7th Earl of Stamford]].{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=145}} 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 to [[Joseph Rayner Stephens]], commissioned by local factory workers to commemorate his work promoting fair wages and improved working conditions. A [[sunroom|conservatory]] was opened in 1907 and Coronation gates were installed at both the Ashton-under-Lyne and Stalybridge entrances in 1953.<ref name="stamford park"/> [[File:Hartshead Pike from Ashton (1).jpg|thumb|[[Hartshead Pike]] seen from Ashton|alt=A hill in the background. The photo is taken on a street with the camera facing down the street and terraced houses on both sides. Cars, streetlights, and a 20mph speed limit sign are all visible in the foreground.]] [[Hartshead Pike]] is a stone tower on top of Hartshead Hill overlooking Ashton and [[Oldham]].{{sfn|Wyke|2005|p=357}} 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.{{sfn|Burke|Nevell|1996|pp=144–145}} It has a visitor centre and, from the top of the hill, it is possible to see the [[Jodrell Bank Observatory]] in Cheshire, the Welsh hills and the [[Holme Moss#Transmitting station|Holme Moss transmitter]] in [[West Yorkshire]].<ref>{{citation |title=Hartshead Pike |url=http://www.tameside.gov.uk/countryside/access/hartshead |publisher=Tameside.gov.uk |date=13 October 2006 |access-date=20 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204191444/http://www.tameside.gov.uk/countryside/access/hartshead |archive-date=4 December 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Ashton War Memorial 01 (crop).jpg|thumb|upright|left|alt=A column flanked by two lions and surmounted by a statue of Peace and a soldier. There are bronze plaques on the base of the monument.|Ashton-under-Lyne War Memorial, in Memorial Gardens]] [[The Witchwood]] public house, in the St Petersfield area of the town, has been a music venue since the 1960s, hosting acts such as [[Muse (band)|Muse]], [[The Coral]] and [[Lost Prophets]].<ref name="save the witchwood">{{citation |title=Save The Witchwood |url=http://www.tamesideadvertiser.co.uk/news/s/519981_save_the_witchwood_ |author=Sue Carr |publisher=TamesideAdvertiser.co.uk |date=15 November 2006 |access-date=26 April 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505052016/http://www.tamesideadvertiser.co.uk/news/s/519981_save_the_witchwood_ |archive-date=5 May 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> 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 by [[Tom Hingley]], drawing support from musicians such as [[Bert Jansch]], [[The Fall (band)|The Fall]] and [[The Chameleons]].<ref>{{citation |title=Party as stars' pub is saved |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/143/143670_party_as_stars_pub_is_saved.html |author=Don Frame |date=24 January 2005 |access-date=29 January 2008 |work=[[Manchester Evening News]] |archive-date=6 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210806165415/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/party-as-stars-pub-is-saved-1054957 |url-status=live }}</ref>
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.<ref name="WWI Memorial">{{citation |url=http://pmsa.cch.kcl.ac.uk/MR/MR-TAM11.htm |title=Ashton-under-Lyne War Memorial |author=Public Monuments and Sculpture Association |date=16 June 2003 |publisher=pmsa.cch.kcl.ac.uk |access-date=19 September 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630070825/http://pmsa.cch.kcl.ac.uk/MR/MR-TAM11.htm |archive-date=30 June 2009 |author-link=Public Monuments and Sculpture Association }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.tameside.gov.uk/warmemorial/ashton |title=Ashton War Memorial |publisher=Tameside.gov.uk |access-date=10 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821174417/http://www.tameside.gov.uk/warmemorial/ashton |archive-date=21 August 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> 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 from [[World War I]]. Commissioned by the Ashton War Memorial Committee, the statue was sculpted between 1919 and 1922 by [[John Ashton Floyd]], and was unveiled on 16 September 1922 by [[Ian Standish Monteith Hamilton|General Sir Ian Hamilton]].<ref name="WWI Memorial"/>
The tablet on the front of the memorial reads:
{{center|Erected in honour of the men of Ashton-under-Lyne and district who fought for King and Empire in The Great War, especially those who sacrificed their lives, and whose names are recorded hereon<br /> 1914–1919<ref name="WWI Memorial"/>}}
{{Clear}}
==Media== Local news and television programmes are provided by [[BBC North West]] and [[ITV Granada]]. Television signals are received from the [[Winter Hill transmitting station|Winter Hill]] TV transmitter.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Winter_Hill |title=Full Freeview on the Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter |publisher=UK Free TV |access-date=22 November 2023 |archive-date=13 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113184520/https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Winter_Hill |url-status=live }}</ref> Local radio stations include [[BBC Radio Manchester]] on 95.1 FM,<ref>{{cite web |title=Holme Moss (North Yorkshire, England) analogue radio transmitter |url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/analogueradio/Holme_Moss |access-date=7 September 2024 |website=UK Free TV |archive-date=18 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818205148/https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/analogueradio/Holme_Moss |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Capital Manchester and Lancashire]] on 102.0 FM,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Capital Manchester – 102.0 |url=https://www.radio-uk.co.uk/capital-manchester |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=Radio UK |language=en |archive-date=16 December 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251216130907/https://www.radio-uk.co.uk/capital-manchester |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Heart North West]] on 105.4 FM,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Heart North West – 105.4 |url=https://www.radio-uk.co.uk/heart-north-west |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=Radio UK |language=en |archive-date=8 February 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260208022447/https://www.radio-uk.co.uk/heart-north-west |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Smooth North West]] on 100.4 FM,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Smooth North West – 100.4 |url=https://www.radio-uk.co.uk/smooth-radio-north-west |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=Radio UK |language=en |archive-date=14 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260114025457/https://www.radio-uk.co.uk/smooth-radio-north-west |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Greatest Hits Radio Manchester & The North West]] on 107.4 FM,<ref>{{Cite news |title=How to listen to Greatest Hits Radio on FM |url=https://www.hellorayo.co.uk/greatest-hits/station/on-air/how-to-listen-to-greatest-hits-radio-on-fm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260105143044/https://www.hellorayo.co.uk/greatest-hits/station/on-air/how-to-listen-to-greatest-hits-radio-on-fm |archive-date=5 January 2026 |access-date=2026-02-28 |work=[[Greatest Hits Radio]] |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Tameside Radio]], a community based station which broadcast from the town on 103.6 FM.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tameside Radio – 103.6 |url=https://www.radio-uk.co.uk/tameside-radio |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=Radio UK |language=en |archive-date=16 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516035504/https://www.radio-uk.co.uk/tameside-radio |url-status=live }}</ref> The local newspaper is the ''[[Tameside Reporter]]'', which is published on Thursdays.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.britishpapers.co.uk/england-nw/tameside-reporter/ |title=Tameside Reporter |date=11 December 2013 |website=British Papers |access-date=22 November 2023 |archive-date=21 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231121175606/https://www.britishpapers.co.uk/england-nw/tameside-reporter/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Transport==
===Roads=== In 1732, an [[Act of Parliament]] was passed which permitted the construction of a turnpike from Manchester, then in Lancashire, to Salters Brook in Cheshire. The road passed through Ashton-under-Lyne as well as [[Audenshaw]], [[Mottram-in-Longdendale]], and [[Stalybridge]]. A [[turnpike 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.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|pp=118–120}} It was the first [[Turnpike trusts in Greater Manchester|turnpike 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.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=121}} The [[M60 motorway]], the [[orbital motorway]] around Manchester, runs through the western part of Ashton-under-Lyne, and Junction 23 serves the [[A635]], the main road through the centre of the town.<ref name=":9" />
===Canals=== [[File:Portland Basin.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A brick-built warehouse with a canal in the foreground. There are barges on the canal and people sitting outside the warehouse.|The [[Portland Basin]] warehouse is now a museum.]] 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 the [[Ashton Canal]], which was constructed between 1792 and 1797. Connecting Manchester to Ashton-under-Lyne, with a branch to Oldham, it cost about £170,000 (£{{formatprice|{{Inflation|UK|170000|1796|r=-6}}|0}} as of {{inflation/year|UK}}).{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}{{sfn|Nevell|1993|pp=121–122}} The [[Peak Forest Canal]] was constructed from 1794 to 1805, and was originally planned as a branch of the Ashton Canal. It connected the [[Portland Basin]] with the [[Peak District]] and cost £177,000 (£{{formatprice|{{Inflation|UK|177000|1805|r=-6}}|0}} as of {{inflation/year|UK}}).{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} The [[Huddersfield Narrow Canal]] was built between 1794 and 1811, to enable cross-Pennine trade between Manchester and [[Kingston upon Hull]]; the cost of construction was £400,000.{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=122}}
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. 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.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|pp=123–125}} A restoration programs began in the 1980s, by which point the canal had been derelict for 40 years. Major blockages had been created by parts of the canal, such as through Stalybridge, being infilled, which was the last major barrier to complete reopening by 1996. The full canal was reopened as a navigable waterway in 2001.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Huddersfield Narrow Canal |url=https://www.tameside.gov.uk/canal/huddersfield |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20231201040517/https://www.tameside.gov.uk/canal/huddersfield |archive-date=2023-12-01 |access-date=2 May 2026 |website=[[Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Huddersfield Narrow Canal Restoration |url=https://www.tameside.gov.uk/canal/huddersfield/restoration |access-date=2 May 2026 |website=[[Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council]]}}</ref>
===Railways=== [[File:Ashton,_Ashton_Moss,_Crothorn,_Droylsden,_Guide_Bridge,_Hyde,_Oldham_&_Stalybridge_RJD_32.jpg|left|thumb|1912 [[Railway Clearing House]] map of the Ashton area|alt=A railway clearing house map, which looks like a rectangular sheet of a paper with coloured lines showing different railway companies' lines. They converge in Oldham at the top, and Ashton at the bottom, with a key showing the colours' corresponding companies.]] The Ashton area has seen five stations in its history. [[Ashton Park Parade railway station|Ashton Park Parade]] was situated on the Great Central line between [[Ardwick railway station|Ardwick]] and [[Chorlton-cum-Hardy railway station|Chorlton-cum-Hardy]] in the West and [[Stalybridge railway station|Stalybridge]] in the East;<ref name="jowett">{{Cite book |last=Jowett |first=Alan |title=Jowett's Railway Atlas |publisher=Butler & Tanner |year=1989 |isbn=978-1852600860 |pages=45, 63–64 |language=en-GB}}</ref> the station opened as ''Ashton,'' part of the [[Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway]] on 23 December 1845. It was renamed to ''Ashton Park Parade'' on 30 July 1862 before it closed on 5 November 1956,<ref name=":02"/> and the line was later closed to goods in 1963, but trackwork remained intact as late as 1996.<ref name="APPStationInfo">{{cite web|url=https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3240544|title=Site of Ashton (Park Parade) station,... © Ben Brooksbank cc-by-sa/2.0 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland|work=Geograph|access-date=17 June 2022|archive-date=27 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250227180012/https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3240544|url-status=live}}</ref>
The [[Oldham, Ashton and Guide Bridge Railway]] branched off the aforementioned Great Central line in the southern part of the town,<ref name="jowett"/> where it had two stations: the short-lived [[Ashton Moss railway station|Ashton Moss]] and [[Oldham Road railway station (Ashton-under-Lyne)|Ashton Oldham Road]]. Both stations opened on 26 August 1861,<ref name=":02">{{Butt-stations|page=|pages=20, 84}}</ref> with Ashton Moss closing on 1 June 1862 and Ashton Oldham Road closing on 4 May 1959 with the rest of the line;<ref name=":02" /><ref>{{cite book |last=Hurst |first=Geoffrey |url=https://archive.org/details/registerofclosed0000hurs |title=Register of Closed Railways: 1948-1991 |date=1992 |publisher=Milepost Publications |isbn=0-9477-9618-5 |location=Worksop, Nottinghamshire |pages=14}}</ref> goods services ended on 29 January 1968.<ref>{{cite book |last=Clinker |first=C.R. |title=Clinker's Register of Closed Passenger Stations and Goods Depots in England, Scotland and Wales 1830–1977 |date=October 1978 |publisher=Avon-Anglia Publications & Services |isbn=0-905466-19-5 |location=Bristol |pages=104 |oclc=5726624}}</ref>
[[Dukinfield and Ashton railway station|Dukinfield and Ashton]] was on a branch of the [[London and North Western Railway]] main line between Crewe and Manchester, which continued on via Stalybridge to [[Bolton railway station|Bolton]] and [[Clifton railway station (Greater Manchester)|Clifton]].<ref name="jowett"/> The station was opened on 2 October 1893 and closed on 25 September 1950,<ref name=":02"/> with the line itself later closing completely in 1968.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hurst |first=Geoffrey |url=https://archive.org/details/registerofclosed0000hurs |title=Register of Closed Railways: 1948-1991 |date=1992 |publisher=Milepost Publications |isbn=0-9477-9618-5 |location=Worksop, Nottinghamshire |pages=52}}</ref> [[File:Ashton-under-Lyne_railway_station,_Greater_Manchester_-_geograph.org.uk_-_7875840.jpg|thumb|[[Ashton-under-Lyne railway station]] in 2024|alt=An electrified railway station which has two tracks with an island platform in the middle. The station is quite overgrown both on the platform and on the other sides of the tracks, and there is a steep cutting wall on the right-hand side]] The modern station of [[Ashton-under-Lyne railway station|Ashton-Under-Lyne]] was opened as ''Ashton'' on 13 April 1846, situated between [[Droylsden railway station|Droylsden]] and [[Stalybridge railway station|Stalybridge]] on the [[Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway]].<ref name="jowett"/><ref name=":02" /> It was renamed to ''Ashton (Charlestown)'' in 1874 before being renamed again to ''Ashton-under-Lyne'' by British Rail in 1968, by which time it was the only passenger station in the town.<ref name="jowett" /> It is now situated between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge, and is served only by [[Northern Trains|Northern]], but [[TransPennine Express]] services also use the line for non-stopping trains.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 December 2025 |title=National Rail All Stations Route Map |url=https://assets.nationalrail.co.uk/e8xgegruud3g/3fHVMDZTrVbFh2WcTA3YCO/c472b11f1df442d457347b0952e9cd5c/National_Rail_All_Stations_Route_Map_V1.11.pdf |access-date=28 February 2026 |website=[[National Rail]] |archive-date=14 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260314201538/https://assets.nationalrail.co.uk/e8xgegruud3g/3fHVMDZTrVbFh2WcTA3YCO/c472b11f1df442d457347b0952e9cd5c/National_Rail_All_Stations_Route_Map_V1.11.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> {{Clear|left}}
=== Trams and buses === [[File:Ashton-under-Lyne_tram_stop,_Feb_18.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ashton-under-Lyne tram stop]]|alt=A tram terminus consisting of an island platform with a tram on the left hand side and a buffer just in front of the camera. The IKEA is visible in the background. The station is mostly built from clean concrete]] {{For|more|Ashton-under-Lyne tramway network}} In 1881, a [[tram]]way 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 {{convert|13|km|mi|abbr=on|0}} 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 the [[SHMD|Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley & Dukinfield Tramways & Electricity Board]].{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=130}} 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.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|pp=130–131}}
After a 75-year absence, trams returned to Ashton in October 2013, when the [[Manchester Metrolink]] tram system opened the [[East Manchester Line]] to the town: [[Ashton-under-Lyne tram stop]] in the town centre stands alongside [[Ashton-under-Lyne bus station|the bus station]] and is the terminus for the East Manchester Line, which runs to [[Manchester Piccadilly station]] and Manchester city centre. Away from the town centre towards Manchester, there are also the [[Ashton West tram stop|Ashton West]] and [[Ashton Moss tram stop|Ashton Moss]] tram stops.<ref name=Prior>[http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/news/?p=5353 British Trams Online] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019110153/http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/news/?p=5353 |date=19 October 2013 }} Metrolink arrives in Ashton-under-Lyne, G. Prior</ref>
{{Clear}}
==Education== {{see also|List of schools in Tameside}} There are ten [[nursery school]]s,<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.tameside.gov.uk/schools/nursery/area |title=Nursery Schools List by Area |publisher=[[Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council]] |access-date=2 May 2026 |archive-date=26 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126133808/https://www.tameside.gov.uk/schools/nursery/area |url-status=dead }}</ref> sixteen [[primary school]]s,<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.tameside.gov.uk/schools/primary/area |title=Primary Schools List by Area |publisher=[[Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council]] |access-date=2 May 2026 |archive-date=26 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126125619/https://www.tameside.gov.uk/schools/primary/area |url-status=dead }}</ref> and two [[secondary school]]s in Ashton-under-Lyne as of 2022.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.tameside.gov.uk/schools/secondary/area |title=High Schools List by Area |publisher=[[Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council]] |access-date=2 May 2026 |archive-date=26 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126131542/https://www.tameside.gov.uk/schools/secondary/area |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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-pupil [[Academy (English school)|academy]] with 300 sixth-form members. In 2007, Hartshead Sports College was placed on "special measures" after it failed to achieve its targets for [[GCSE]] results and was criticised by [[Ofsted]] for its teaching standard.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.tamesideadvertiser.co.uk/news/s/523227_school_is_labelled_as_inadequate |title=School is labelled as 'inadequate' |author=Eve Dugdale |work=Tameside Advertiser |date=7 February 2007 |access-date=25 June 2009 |archive-date=6 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210806165509/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/tameside |url-status=live }}</ref>
The new academy, currently named the [[Great Academy Ashton]],<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date= |title=Our Academies |url=https://www.greatacademies.co.uk/academies/ |access-date=18 January 2026 |website=Great Academies |language=en-GB |archive-date=11 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250811235101/https://www.greatacademies.co.uk/academies/ |url-status=live }}</ref> opened in September 2008 a year ahead of schedule.<ref>{{citation |title=New Charter Academy admission arrangements 2010/2011 |url=http://www.tameside.gov.uk/schools/admissions/1011/newcharter |access-date=25 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614155226/http://www.tameside.gov.uk/schools/admissions/1011/newcharter |archive-date=14 June 2011 |url-status=dead |publisher=Tameside.gov.uk }}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.tamesideadvertiser.co.uk/news/s/520233_six_super_schools_in_vision_of_future |title=Six super schools in vision of future |author=Adam Derbyshire |work=Tameside Advertiser |date=22 November 2006 |access-date=25 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090402114237/http://www.tamesideadvertiser.co.uk/news/s/520233_six_super_schools_in_vision_of_future |archive-date=2 April 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> The other secondary school in the town is [[St Damian's Roman Catholic Science College]], which was founded in 1963, and provides education for 800 pupils aged 11–16.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/school_08.pl?Mode=Z&No=3574602&Type=P&Begin=b&Num=p008&Phase=1&Year=08&Base=g |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20091020210209/http%3A//www.dcsf.gov.uk/cgi%2Dbin/performancetables/school_08.pl?Mode%3DZ%26No%3D3574602%26Type%3DP%26Begin%3Db%26Num%3Dp008%26Phase%3D1%26Year%3D08%26Base%3Dg |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 October 2009 |title=St Damian's RC Science College |publisher=[[Department for Children, Schools and Families]] |access-date=29 June 2009 }}</ref> [[Ashton Sixth Form College]] is a centre for [[further education]] with 1,650 pupils aged 16–18.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/school_06.pl?Mode=Z&No=3578601&Type=P&Num=p008&Phase=2&Year=06&Base= |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729031800/http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/school_06.pl?Mode=Z&No=3578601&Type=P&Num=p008&Phase=2&Year=06&Base= |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 July 2012 |title=Ashton-under-Lyne Sixth Form College |publisher=[[Department for Children, Schools and Families]] |access-date=29 June 2009 }}</ref> [[Tameside College]] also provides opportunities for further education and operates in Ashton-under-Lyne, Droylsden, and Hyde.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.tameside.ac.uk/findus.asp |title=Find us – Tameside College |publisher=Tameside.ac.uk |access-date=29 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307004817/http://www.tameside.ac.uk/findus.asp |archive-date=7 March 2009 }}</ref> Founded in 1954 and expanded in 1957 and 1964, it was originally called Ashton College.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.tamesideadvertiser.co.uk/community/nostalgia/s/383453_the_1950s |title=Nostalgia: the 1950s |work=The Tameside Advertiser |date=9 October 2003 |access-date=29 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071229112415/http://www.tamesideadvertiser.co.uk/community/nostalgia/s/383453_the_1950s |archive-date=29 December 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> Samuel Laycock School is a [[Special education|SEND school]] for students with moderate–severe learning disabilities; it has 239 pupils as of 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Topping |first=Stephen |date=13 March 2026 |title=Bomb squad descends on Tameside school over 'show and tell' item |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/bomb-squad-descends-tameside-school-33586483 |access-date=2 May 2026 |website=[[Manchester Evening News]] |language=en}}</ref>
==Public services== 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.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|p=132}} Waste management is now co-ordinated by the [[local authority]] via the [[Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gmwda.gov.uk/ |title=Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA) |publisher=Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority |year=2008 |access-date=8 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080207001553/http://www.gmwda.gov.uk/ |archive-date=7 February 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> The first power station in Tameside was built in 1899, providing power for the area.{{sfn|Nevell|1993|pp=134–135}} Ashton's [[distribution network operator]] for electricity is [[United Utilities]]; there are no power stations in the town. United Utilities also manages the drinking and waste water.<ref name="UU">{{cite web |url=http://www.unitedutilities.com/?OBH=4188&ID=1419 |title=Tameside |publisher=United Utilities |date=17 April 2007 |access-date=19 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716080927/http://www.unitedutilities.com/?OBH=4188&ID=1419 |archive-date=16 July 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[Home Office]] policing in Ashton-under-Lyne is provided by the [[Greater Manchester Police]]. The force's Tameside Division have their divisional headquarters for policing Tameside in the town.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gmp.police.uk/division05/pages/yourarea.htm |publisher=Greater Manchester Police |date=25 January 2006 |access-date=19 September 2008 |title=Your Area – Tameside |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071101095658/http://www.gmp.police.uk/division05/pages/yourarea.htm |archive-date=1 November 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gmp.police.uk/live/nhoodv3.nsf/index-divisions.html?ReadForm&Division=Tameside |publisher=Greater Manchester Police |access-date=6 July 2009 |title=Tameside |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100203132709/http://www.gmp.police.uk/live/nhoodv3.nsf/index-divisions.html?ReadForm&Division=Tameside |archive-date=3 February 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> Public transport in the area is co-ordinated by [[Transport for Greater Manchester]]. [[Fire service in the United Kingdom|Statutory emergency fire and rescue service]] is provided by the [[Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service]], which has one station on Slate Lane.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.manchesterfire.gov.uk/my-area/tameside/ashton-under-lyne-fire-station.aspx |publisher=Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service |access-date=19 October 2016 |title=Ashton-Under-Lyne Fire Station |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608092533/http://www.manchesterfire.gov.uk/my-area/tameside/ashton-under-lyne-fire-station.aspx |archive-date=8 June 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Tameside General Hospital]] is a large [[National Health Service (England)|NHS]] hospital on the outskirts of the town,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tamesidehospital.nhs.uk/pages/Profile.asp#locality |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720103149/http://www.tamesidehospital.nhs.uk/pages/Profile.asp#locality |archive-date=20 July 2011 |title=Profile |access-date=19 September 2008 |publisher=Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust }}</ref> administered by Tameside & Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tamesidehospital.nhs.uk/pages/aboutthetrust.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720103200/https://www.tamesidehospital.nhs.uk/pages/aboutthetrust.asp |archive-date=20 July 2011 |title=About the Trust |access-date=19 September 2008 |publisher=Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust }}</ref> The [[North West Ambulance Service]] provides emergency patient transport.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our locations |url=https://www.nwas.nhs.uk/about/locations/ |access-date=2026-01-18 |website=North West Ambulance Service |language=en-GB |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410071229/https://www.nwas.nhs.uk/about/locations/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==See also== {{portal|Greater Manchester}} * [[List of mills in Tameside]] * [[List of people from Tameside]] * [[Listed buildings in Ashton-under-Lyne]] * [[Ashton-under-Lyne munitions explosion]]
==References== ===Notes=== {{reflist|colwidth=25em}}
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==External links== {{Wikivoyage|Ashton-under-Lyne}} {{commons category|Ashton-under-Lyne}} * [http://www.ashton-under-Lyne.com/ Ashton-under-Lyne.com] * [https://www.tameside.gov.uk/ashton Ashton-under Lyne] – [[Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council]]
{{Greater Manchester}}
{{Authority control}} {{featured article}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashton-Under-Lyne}} [[Category:Ashton-under-Lyne| ]] [[Category:Market towns in Greater Manchester]] [[Category:Unparished areas in Greater Manchester]] [[Category:Former civil parishes in Greater Manchester]] [[Category:Geography of Tameside]] [[Category:Towns in Greater Manchester]]