Ashbourne tourist information

Ashbourne, south of the Peak District, is a small town famous for its Shrove Tuesday "football" match, which is played with the goals 3 miles apart and lasts from 2pm to 10 pm, unless a goal is scored before 5pm!. The match has hundreds of "players" and is more than a bit rough!

The town itself has several buildings of note in its narrow streets, St Oswolds's church, famous for its white marble statue of a sleeping child, the old grammar school, almshouses, and the home of John Taylor, The Mansion.

Taylor was a friend of Dr Johnston who visited at the old coaching inn, Black's Head in the town. The other old inn is the Green Man.

The town market is held on Thursday in the Market Square.

A good base for exploring the Peak District to the north. Try a visit to the small village of Bradbourne, B5056 off A515 north of Ashbourne, with its Saxon Cross outside the church.

The town is in the middle of Dove Dale, the border of Derbyshire and Staffordshire, the Dale follows the River Dove downstream from the Peak District to the Trent. Lots of villages to visit down small roads, with riverside walks. Northwards try Ilam, with its country park, or Mapleton with the walk to Thorpe.