Discover Ashbourne
Ashbourne is a unique place to live and a special town to visit. Experience the shops and cafes, the ancient history and stunning architecture, all set amid outstanding countryside on the edge of the Peak District. With an abundance of local amenities as well as its proximity to exceptional visitor attractions, Ashbourne has a lot to offer residents and visitors alike – why not come and experience it for yourself?

How to reach Ashbourne
Ashbourne is situated in the Derbyshire Dales, near the centre of England, nestled in beautiful countryside on the southern edge of the Peak District National Park. It is close to a multitude of amenities and tourist destinations and has easy access to transport links.
The simplest way to get to Ashbourne is by car. The nearest major city is Derby just twenty-five minutes away, whilst Stoke-on-Trent, Sheffield and Nottingham are all around one hour’s drive.
The closest railway station is Derby, which has connections to most of the UK, including frequent direct services to London and Edinburgh. Uttoxeter station connects to Crewe and Derby whilst Buxton station connects to Manchester and Sheffield.
There are good bus links to Ashbourne from Derby, Uttoxeter, Buxton and Matlock as well as less frequent services from some of the surrounding villages. See our community pages for more informationon buses.
Where to find Ashbourne
Ashbourne is situated in the Derbyshire Dales, near the centre of England, nestled in beautiful countryside on the edge of the Peak District. It is close to a multitude of amenities and tourist destinations and has easy access to transport links.
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Shopping in Ashbourne
Ashbourne has a thriving independent retail community with traditional butchers, bakers, greengrocers and hardware stores alongside high end boutiques, bespoke jewellers, galleries, antique shops and gift shops to name just a few. The cobbled market place forms a bustling, historic centre to the town and is surrounded by a latticework of streets that entice you to explore.
Ashbourne is especially renowned for antiques with a row of shops nestling amongst the grade-1 listed buildings on Church Street. The shop windows are something to behold, including one usually drawing crowds with a carefully curated display of vintage motorcycles.
Ashbourne is also destination shopping for lovers of designer fashion and bespoke jewellery with a surprisingly large selection of high-end shops for such a small town. Mid-price and vintage shops are mixed in with the boutiques so there really is something for every taste and every budget.
Shopping in Ashbourne
Ashbourne has a thriving independent retail community with traditional butchers, bakers, greengrocers and hardware stores alongside high end boutiques, bespoke jewellers, galleries, antique shops and gift shops. The cobbled market place forms a bustling, historic centre to the town and is surrounded by a latticework of streets that entice you to explore.
Learn more
Ashbourne sports & activities
Ashbourne attracts residents who like the outdoor life and there are sporting clubs and societies to suit most interests as well as a multitude of activities for older or less active residents.
Sporting clubs and facilities range from running to football to cycling to fencing, several gyms, a leisure centre with facilities for squash,badminton and swimming pool, golf and tennis. Hobby/interest clubs include a U3A, WI, camera club and arts groups. There is something for everyone.
The annual Arts Festival now hosts more than 40 events and exhibitions across many genres. There is live music most weekends and a new community cinema has proved a roaring success. Other keynote events include the Ashbourne Show, a triathlon, a marathon and half marathon, a soap box race, a Christmas lantern parade, a fireworks display and much more.
Ashbourne sport & activities
Ashbourne attracts residents who like the outdoor life. There are sporting clubs to suit most interests as well as a multitude of activities & societies for older or less active residents.
Learn more
Ashbourne's history & architecture
Ashbourne's medieval architecture of yards and alleyways, fine Georgian houses, the old Elizabethan grammar school with its splendid Grade I listed facade, the almshouses and St Oswalds Church all combine to make Ashbourne a notable destination for lovers of architectural history.
There are more than a hundred listed buildings and structures in the town centre and it is well worthwhile setting aside a few hours to explore.
The church is one of Derbyshire’s treasures, named after the Anglo Saxon Saint Oswald, with parts of the building dating back to the 1200s. The magnificent 212ft spire was built in the 14th century and dominates the town’s skyline.
The charming cobbled market place dates back to early medieval times. The building now hosting fish& chip shop has been there since the 1420s and several others are known to herald from that same century.
Thetimber-framed gingerbread shop - now a cafe and bakery - can be seen in St JohnStreet where the Original Ashbourne Gingerbread can still be bought.
Ashbourne's history & architecture
Ashbourne's medieval architecture of yards and alleyways, fine Georgian houses, the old Elizabethan grammar school with its splendid Grade I listed facade, the almshouses and St Oswalds Church all combine to make Ashbourne a notable destination for lovers of architectural history.
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Ashbourne's vibrant cafe scene
Add together the many cafes in central Ashbourne, plus a few more on the outer edges of town plus the many bars that also serve coffee and nibbles, and you could visit a different establishment every day of the month They vary from quiet & intimate to loud & bustling, and from bacon butty to designer brunch,so there are options to suit every mood and taste.
As well as cafes, Ashbourne has an ever-increasing selection of boutique bars, set up by passionate owners to serve craft beer, real ale, fine wines and cocktails. For the traditionalist there are sports bars offering big screen viewing as well as darts and dominoes.
Other dining options range from pub-grub to gastropub to Thai & Indian. Plus all the normal takeaway options that you would expect from a town this size. And of course pretty much everywhere now caters for the vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free diets. Covid has prompted many establishments to open outside seating, so weather permitting, it is easy to enjoy eating outdoors in Ashbourne.
Ashbourne's vibrant cafe scene
Take the cafes in central Ashbourne, add in those a bit further out, mix in the many bars that also serve coffee and nibbles, and you are set to sample somewhere different, every day of the month.
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Ashbourne's community
Ashbourne has grown significantly this century with new housing, investment by business & industry and a developing infrastructure. It is a friendly and welcoming town,with great schools, plenty of job opportunities and a caring community.
The secondary school is Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, founded in 1585, and whilst once a traditional grammar school it is now an academy open to all and is consistently rated as “outstanding” by Ofsted.
The town has a thriving retail and service sector that has largely survived the attritions of covid. The airfield industrial estate is expanding which will have a hugely beneficial economic impact on the town. Thousands of new houses have been added since the millennium and house prices remain consistently above the regional average.
Many residents give up their precious time for the community and the voluntary sector includes transport, litter picking, rotary, scouts &guides amongst many. The new pavilion for the recreation grounds has been entirely project-managed by volunteers.
Ashbourne's community
Ashbourne has grown significantly this century with new housing and investment by business & industry. It is a friendly and welcoming town, with great schools, plenty of job opportunities and a caring community.
Learn moreWe're new
www.discoverashbourne.com is an exciting new website, launched November 2021 with a vision and mission to showcase everything of interest in Ashbourne. Work is ongoing to improve the site so please keep visiting to see how we are getting on.
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