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the night away for over half a century. a half over for away night the above ground. above where the town’s residents danced danced residents town’s the where and recreational life life recreational and arcade, with a ballroom above it it above ballroom a with arcade, a thriving cultural cultural thriving a It was built in 1924 as a shopping shopping a as 1924 in built was It spirit which led to to led which spirit iconic, grade II-listed Co-op store. store. Co-op II-listed grade iconic, a community community a you won’t fail to spot the town’s town’s the spot to fail won’t you conditions fostered fostered conditions If you venture along Woodhorn Road Road Woodhorn along venture you If However these these However black diamonds. diamonds. black was based on Ashington’s main street with a roof! a with street main Ashington’s on based was Colliery winning the the winning Colliery upon Tyne and it is said that Sir John Hall’s Metro Centre Centre Metro Hall’s John Sir that said is it and Tyne upon lives at Ashington Ashington at lives largest shopping area between Edinburgh and Newcastle Newcastle and Edinburgh between area shopping largest 300 miners lost their their lost miners 300 ballrooms. Indeed Ashington was once described as the the as described once was Ashington Indeed ballrooms. dangerous - nearly nearly - dangerous several department stores, five cinemas, theatres and and theatres cinemas, five stores, department several dirty, dusty and and dusty dirty, population. At one time the town centre could boast boast could centre town the time one At population. was hard graft, graft, hard was developed to meet the needs of a rapidly growing growing rapidly a of needs the meet to developed Undoubtedly mining mining Undoubtedly Road, Station street; shopping main town’s The town’s life until the last pit closed in 1986. in closed pit last the until life town’s population of over 6,000. King Coal was to dominate the the dominate to was Coal King 6,000. over of population the familiar colliery rows were built and the town had a a had town the and built were rows colliery familiar the one of the biggest pits in the country. By 1901 many of of many 1901 By country. the in pits biggest the of one the start of Ashington Colliery which was to become become to was which Colliery Ashington of start the 1867 with the sinking of the Bothal mine shaft. This was was This shaft. mine Bothal the of sinking the with 1867 people surrounded by countryside. All that changed in in changed that All countryside. by surrounded people in London with a racing pigeon named Iron Man. Iron named pigeon racing a with London in In the 1850s Ashington was a small hamlet of just 76 76 just of hamlet small a was Ashington 1850s the In North Seaton won a Gold Medal at the Pigeon Olympiad Olympiad Pigeon the at Medal Gold a won Seaton North rose to a new height in 1965 when a resident from nearby nearby from resident a when 1965 in height new a to rose World Leek Championship until 2008. Pigeon racing also also racing Pigeon 2008. until Championship Leek World Ashington has other claims to fame playing host to the the to host playing fame to claims other has Ashington Ashington – A Proud Past Proud A – Ashington Bright Future Home of the Pitmen Painters Local Heroes and Sporting Legends Today Ashington is a town The town is well known for producing some notable very much ‘on the up’ with a footballers throughout the years including the 1966 number of major developments England World Cup winning brothers Jack & Bobby underway, including significant Charlton, Jackie Milburn of FA Cup fame with Newcastle improvements to education United, Cecil Irwin who made over 300 appearances facilities and local housing. for Sunderland and Jimmy Adamson who later went The town has also successfully on to manage both Leeds United and Sunderland. attracted business investment, the latest of which is Akzo Nobel, manufacturer of global The town was the birthplace of the Ashington Group brands such as Dulux and Hammerite. of artists known affectionately as The Pitmen Painters. Between 1934 and 1984 this group, largely made up of The town centre is miners, captured life in paint in and around the town. benefitting from huge Their work became known globally and in 1988 a book, investments, including the The Pitmen Painters by William Feaver, was published. This development of the new was turned into a stage play by Lee Hall of Billy Elliot fame, Ashington Leisure Centre reaching audiences from Broadway to Buenos Aires. and improvements to public realm, traffic management, offices and retail. Ashington has a bright future, so visit soon and see how it’s changing. Ashington is also the hometown of former England International Following the decline of the mining industry the former cricketer Steve Harmison. colliery sites were redeveloped creating the QEII Country Park and Ashington Community Woodland. In 2006 Other a fantastic £16 million mining museum ‘Woodhorn’, well-known was completed and provides a world-class setting for Ashington the Ashington Group of paintings as well as a home for folk include Northumberland Archives and is well worth a visit. soprano singers Whilst little physical evidence remains of the mine, visitors Sheila Armstrong can also get a real insight into its importance and influence and Janice Cairns, by following the new Ashington Colliery Heritage Trail based entrepreneur Sir John Hall on the former site of the pit. and golfer Kenneth Ferrie. Details believed to be correct at the time of printing. We accept no liability for any errors or omissions. Enjoy Ashington Town Centre In The Local Area Whether you are on holiday Ashington Market Ashington Colliery Heritage Trail in the area or popping The general market operates every If you want to find out to Ashington for leisure Tuesday on Station Road in the town more about the history of or business, there are a centre. With loads of stalls and a Ashington Colliery, then wide range of shops, cafés great atmosphere you are sure to take a stroll along this great and restaurants located find a bargain. trail. It starts at Wansbeck throughout the town centre Business Park, former home to (main shopping area shown the pit, with panels situated on the map below). along a half mile way-marked trail bringing history to life. From buying gifts, to getting a hair cut or enjoying a spot of For more information about the trail and how to get lunch, you won’t be short of For further information about Ashington Market go there go to: www.ashingtoncollieryheritage.org things to do throughout the year. to: www.northumberland.gov.uk Ashington Community Woodland Ashington Leisure Centre A real treasure within Offering a wide range of classes and walking distance of the activities. town centre, this woodland For opening times and information is home to a diverse range Tel: 01670 542222 or go to: of plants and animals www.activenorthumberland.org.uk including a colony of red squirrels. For further information about the woodland and the programme of events and activities throughout the Ashington Town Centre year go to: www.ashingtonwoods.org.uk Entrance QE II Country Park & to Community Woodhorn Museum Woodland Wansbeck Riverside To the south of Ashington Newcastle (A189) Lintonville lies the picturesque River Wansbeck offering a Ashington Enterprise Park Police A197 network of riverside and Community Woodland Station woodland walks and links to cycle routes. The river New Ashington is also popular for rowing Wansbeck A 1 Leisure Centre Business Park 9 and other water-based 6 (opening Autumn 2015) Ashington Heritage Trail ASDA ROTARY PARKWAY activities. Ashington Colliery Heritage Trail A197 L BUS STATION I N For further information about Wansbeck Riverside go T Morpeth (A1) O to: www.northumberland.gov.uk N HAWTHORN ROAD V I L L E Town T E R D OA Hall R R WC A RN For general information on visiting the area go to: C HO STATION ROAD E D www.visitnorthumberland.com WOO Taxis STATION ROAD Wansbeck Square Northumberland LABURNUM TERRACE Ashington Leisure Centre County Council & Library KENILWORTH ROAD J O H KEY N Location Map S NORTH SEATON ROAD MAIN RETAIL AREA T Cricket R E E Berwick-upon-Tweed PUBLIC CAR PARKING Ground T BOOTHS ROAD Ashington SCOTLAND Berwick-upon-Tweed SCOTLAND Leisure PEDESTRIANISED AREA A1 Centre ROUTE 155 NATIONAL CYCLE PATH A1 A68 Coldstream BUS STOP A68 Coldstream Bamburgh Kelso Bamburgh Kelso Seahouses Wooler Seahouses Wooler Jedburgh Jedburgh A68 Alnwick A68 Alnwick Alnmouth In The Local Area Useful Information Alnmouth A1 Amble Rothbury A1 Amble Woodhorn Museum & Northumberland Archives at Ashington Events Rothbury A696 A1068 QEII Country Park The town and surrounding area host a range A696 A1068 Northumberland Newbiggin by the Sea Based in original colliery of events during the year from the annual Northumberland National Park Newbiggin by theA197 Sea buildings and with a Miner’s Picnic at Woodhorn to the Town National Park Morpeth A197 ASHINGTON Morpeth ASHINGTON stunning modern building Fayre Day with rides, stalls and music on Blyth A189 Blyth inspired by the monster Station Road. The Christmas Lights Switch-On Northumberland A189Cramlington coal-cutting machines once event is now one of the Northumberland Cramlington North used deep underground, biggest in the County Hexham A69 North Hexham A69 Shields Woodhorn’s entertaining and interactive displays paint and there is traditionally A69 Shields A69 Haltwhistle NEWCASTLE a picture of life in this former mining community.

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