Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Ashbourne is one of the market towns in the Derbyshire Dales, England. It has a population of 7,302. It contains many historical buildings and many independent shops, and is famous for its historic annual Shrovetide football match.Due to its proximity to the southern edge of the Peak District and being the closest town to the popular area of Dovedale, the town is known as both 'The Gateway to Dovedale' and the 'Gateway to the Peak District'. The Henmore Brook, a tributary of the River Dove flows through the middle of the town.Local customsAshbourne is known for its annual two-day Royal Shrovetide Football Match, in which one half of the town plays the other at football, using the town as the pitch and with the goals three miles apart. As many as several thousand players compete for two days with a hand-painted, cork-filled ball. The game is played by two teams, the Up'ards and the Down'ards, over two eight-hour periods, subject to only a few rules. Shrovetide football has been played for centuries and possibly for over 1,000 years. It is a moving mass (the Hug) which continues through the roads of the town, across fields, and even along the bed of the local River Henmore. There were intermittent attempts to ban the game until the late 19th century, but none was successful.EconomyFrom 1910, Nestle had a creamery in the town, which for a period was contracted to produce Carnation condensed milk. The factory had its own private sidings connected to the railway station goods yard, which allowed milk trains to access the facility, and distribute product as far south as London. After milk trains ceased in 1965, the railway track was lifted and the station fully closed. The factory closed in 2003, and since demolition in 2006, has been redeveloped as housing and a light industrial estate.
