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74-456: Marion Richardson was born on 9 October 1892 in Ashford , Kent , the second daughter of Walter Marshall Richardson and his wife, Ellen. She was the middle of three sisters, and apparently used to entertain the other two with stories after lights out in the bedroom which they shared. She often serialised these over many nights. She joined a story-writing group when still a child – her nom de plume

148-516: A 14.6% rise to 118,000 inhabitants. Ashford has been targeted as a key area for population development since the 1960s. In 1959, the London County Council negotiated 5000 new homes to be built in Ashford as overspill from London, which created most of what is now South Ashford and Kennington. The Buchanan Report, published in 1967, identified Ashford as a major town for growth. In 2001, Ashford

222-556: A 30-acre site that could have a hospital built on a budget of £7–8 million. Work started on building the hospital in 1973 and it was commissioned in 1977, opening in 1979. In the 17th century, a free grammar school was founded here; it was built on the churchyard's west side, and remained there until 1846, now used as a museum. The church has been Grade I listed since 1951. A Mk. IV tank built in Lincoln and used in World War I

296-613: A 58-room Travelodge hotel) began in May 2017 and was opened in December 2018. Borough of Ashford The Borough of Ashford is a local government district with borough status in Kent , England. It is named after its largest town, Ashford , where the council is based. The borough also includes the town of Tenterden and an extensive surrounding rural area including numerous villages; with an area of 580 square kilometres (220 sq mi), it

370-463: A Roman settlement to the north of the current centre, roughly at the junction of Albert Road and Wall Road. The present town originates from an original settlement established in 893 AD by inhabitants escaping a Danish Viking raid, who were granted land by a Saxon Lord for their resistance. The name comes from the Old English æscet , indicating a ford near a clump of ash trees . At the time of

444-514: A by-election in October 2024, the composition of the council was: The next election is due in 2027. Since the last full review of boundaries in 2019 the council has comprised 47 councillors representing 39 wards , with each ward electing one or two councillors. Elections are held every four years. The council is based at the Civic Centre on Tannery Lane in Ashford, which was purpose-built for

518-712: A centre for rail engineering in the 19th century, and is now primarily light industrial and commercial, with the notable exception of Hitachi's rail depot. The borough's local plan ("Local Plan to 2030") continues to plan for new housing in and around the town, such as the development at Finberry . From the historic town centre, roads radiate out in the following directions: NW to Charing and Maidstone and SE to Hythe and Folkestone (A20/M20 in each direction); south to Hamstreet , Lydd and Romney Marsh and then westwards to Hastings ( A2070 ); SW to Tenterden and NE to Wye and Canterbury ( A28 ) and finally north to Ashford's historic port at Faversham ( A251 ). The area

592-484: A cluster of medieval half-timbered buildings in Middle Row and around the churchyard in the town centre. A number of old buildings were removed to make way for the controversial ring road around the centre, including four public houses. Further demolition was required to build Charter House, an eight-story office building for Charter Consolidated, that opened in 1975. Charter subsequently moved back to London in 1985, and

666-413: A few miles west of the town centre. Later evidence from examining waste suggests that production was on a large scale. The Kent Archaeological society have discovered sandy ware at this location dating from around 1125 – 1250. Jack Cade , who led a rebellion against corrupt Royal officials in 1450, may have had links to Ashford. In William Shakespeare 's Henry VI, Part 2 , Cade converses with "Dick,

740-657: A greater demand for her work. In 1924 she visited schools and prisons with her pupils' work in Sweden, Finland and Russia. In 1924 she returned to Dudley part-time and lectured at the London Day Training College to trainee art teachers. She also taught at part-time at Benenden School , Kent, and Hayes Court School , Oxford. In 1930 she was appointed the inspector of art to the London County Council and continued to run courses for art teachers. She toured Canada in 1934 and in 1935 published Writing and Writing Patterns ,

814-603: A growing population in the area, the Finberry estate began construction in 2013. It is a 168-hectare (420-acre) site to the southeast of the town centre, which opened various houses, workspaces and shops in a series of phases through the remainder of the decade. It is planned to cater for 1,180 homes. The development also includes plans for a pub and shops. A large factor in Ashford's recent redevelopment has been Ashford Borough Council's 'Big 8' strategy. This centred on eight major projects designed to add cultural and economic value to

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888-428: A junior assistant teacher. From 1912 to 1923, Richardson was the art mistress at Dudley Girls High School . In 1915–16 she published a drawing syllabus which was similar to the standard Board of Education drawing programme, but within a year she began to encourage her pupils to produce work with little instruction. She developed her own child-centred methods for teaching art which encouraged self-expression and allowed

962-472: A local health unit were cancelled in 2012. The main building was threatened with demolition, but saved in 2015, with plans to turn it into accommodation. The main hospital in Ashford is William Harvey Hospital , in nearby Willesborough . It is named after William Harvey , the doctor who discovered the blood circulatory system . The hospital was built because the government decided the old hospital would be too small for demand as Ashford grew, and looked for

1036-469: A market town since the Middle Ages , and a regular market continues to be held. St Mary's Parish Church has been a local landmark since the 13th century, and expanded in the 15th. Today, the church functions in a dual role as a centre for worship and entertainment. The arrival of the railways from the mid 19th century onwards, created a significant source of employment contributing to the town's growth as

1110-727: A new food piazza. Part of this expansion was the installation of Europe's largest living wall, comprising more than 120,000 plants. The expansion was formally opened in November 2019. A Waitrose store opened in November 2009 on the former Templar Barracks site, followed by a John Lewis store in November 2013. The Debenhams store closed in January 2020, while the John Lewis store closed in March 2021. In 2014, Ashford Borough Council launched AshfordFor, an inward investment campaign, which has helped support

1184-433: A new £25m college campus. The extension of Victoria Road has created new development space in Ashford, though plans to build a Morrisons supermarket here were scrapped in May 2014. In 2012, Ashford Borough Council predicted there would be a net gain of 620 jobs per year. The increase in the town's commercial importance, as well as its strategic location, is witnessed by the number of industry, business and retail parks in

1258-467: A presence in Ashford in 1910. During World War I , Ashford's importance as a transport hub and its location between the continent and London made it a target for aerial bombing . A bomb, dropped from a Gotha bomber on 25 March 1917, intended for the railway works killed a young woman. She was the first of ninety-six casualties of the raid which included sixty-one killed in Folkestone by a single bomb. In

1332-438: A printing services company, was founded in 1881 and by the mid-1950s printed and exported over 2 million books. The business closed in 2017 and the factory was demolished two years later. The Letraset company set up an arts material factory in Ashford in the 1960s. It closed in 2013, following the decline of Letraset and the company's decision to relocate works abroad. Little is left of the old Ashford town centre, apart from

1406-639: A rail hub at the centre of five distinct railway lines. The high speed rail line ( HS1 High Speed 1 ) between London and the Channel Tunnel passes through Ashford's International Railway Station thus linking the town to Paris and other European destinations. The M20 motorway connects Ashford to the Channel Tunnel , the national motorway network (via the M25 Motorway ) and to London (via the A20 ). Ashford has been marked out for growth in several Government plans from

1480-451: A set of hinged cards and booklets for teaching handwriting. In 1938 she organized a large and successful exhibition of children's art at County Hall, London . She retired in 1942 due to her deteriorating health. In September 1945 she returned to Dudley and died on 12 November 1946. She was buried at St John's Church , Kates Hill , Dudley on 15 November 1946. Her last work Art and the Child

1554-413: A shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows: The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Ashford. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council . The leaders since 1999 have been: Following the 2023 election , subsequent changes of allegiance and

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1628-518: A targets of 31,000 new homes and 28,000 new jobs in the area. In 2005 a Channel 4 poll ranked Ashford the fourth-best place to live in the United Kingdom. However, the formation of the coalition government in 2010 saw regional planning targets scrapped, along with growth area status. Ashford has continued to develop, with new homes planned for urban areas such as Repton Park, Park Farm, Singleton and Chilmington, and planning permission granted for

1702-485: A time where travel between the two countries was rare. He was declared an honorary citizen of Bad Münstereifel in 1961, which led to the two towns being formally twinned in 1964. Bad Münstereifel was twinned with the French town of Fougères , Brittany two years later, which led to a twinning with Ashford in 1984. During the early and mid-20th century, print and media became a noted industry in Ashford. The Headley Brothers,

1776-403: Is Lake House at Eastwell Park to the north of the town, which contains the grave of Richard Plantagenet . Ashford's importance as an agricultural and market town grew in the 13th century, and in 1243, King Henry III granted the town a charter to hold a market for livestock. The pottery industry expanded in the 13th and 14th centuries, with the main works based at what is now Potter's Corner,

1850-480: Is being redeveloped into Ashford International Studios , a combined cinema studios, hotel and residential apartments. It is expected to open in 2025. The motto of Ashford Borough Council is "With stronger faith", taken from To Lucasta, Going to the Warres , a poem by the 17th-century poet Richard Lovelace who came from the borough. The relevant verse is : True, a new mistress now I chase, The first foe in

1924-602: Is now owned by Premier Foods . Proprietary Perfumes Ltd (PPL), a division of Unilever opened a fragrance and flavour factory and research laboratory next door to the Batchelors factory in 1962. It was subsequently renamed as Quest International and purchased by Givaudan in 2007. The wholesale frozen food firm Brake Brothers was established in 1957. Initially based at nearby Lenham , it later moved to Ashford and expanded. The current European headquarters are in Eureka Park to

1998-470: Is served by the regional news programmes: Radio stations that broadcast to the area are: There are more than 400 listed buildings in the district. This includes 33 churches listed in the highest grading in the national listing system (Grade I) as well as many oast houses and pubs dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, along with some even earlier buildings such as the Black Horse at Pluckley built in

2072-595: Is the Ashford Designer Outlet designed by Richard Rogers , which attracts around 3 million customers a year. The centre has won industry awards for Retail Destination of the Year and Best Shopping Venue and has been praised by the British Parking Association for its range of facilities, cleanliness and lack of crime. From 2018 the centre underwent a 100,000 sq. ft expansion, including 40 new stores and

2146-673: Is the largest district in Kent. Parts of the borough lie within the designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty of High Weald and the Kent Downs . The neighbouring districts are (clockwise from west) Tunbridge Wells , Maidstone , Swale , Canterbury , Folkestone and Hythe , and Rother . The latter is in East Sussex , the rest are in Kent. The parish of Ashford was made a local government district in 1863, run by an elected local board. Such districts were converted into urban districts under

2220-593: The Archbishop of Canterbury , was stationed at Ashford during the war while Prince Andrew attended a course here in 1982 while he was stationed in the Royal Navy . The barracks closed in 1997 to build the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, and the site was sold to developers in 2002, Repton Manor House, in the centre of the barracks, is a Grade II listed building and remains intact. Ashford has been associated with

2294-480: The Channel Tunnel Rail Link . It is still used by around 5,000 farmers. The Army first established a presence in Ashford in 1797 when it built a garrison on Barrow Hill, and storerooms along what is now Magazine Road. The military presence was scaled back during the 19th century, though the town was still considered strategically important in the event of an invasion. The Territorial Army established

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2368-514: The Domesday Book of 1086 it was still known by its original Saxon name of Essetesford (or Eshetisford , Esselesford , Asshatisforde , Essheford ). The manor was owned by Hugh de Montfort , Constable of England and companion of William the Conqueror , and had a church, two mills and a value of 150 shillings (£7.50) at the time. One of the earliest houses in the area still in existence

2442-565: The Finberry estate to the southeast, and the award-winning Ashford Designer Outlet . There has been evidence of human habitation around Ashford since the Iron Age , with a barrow dated to 1500 BC on what is now Barrow Hill. Two axes from the Lower Paleolithic period have been found near Ashford. During the construction of the Park Farm estate in the late 1990s, excavation produced tools from

2516-576: The Kent Downs AONB , whilst the south-west, including Rolvenden and the Isle of Oxney , is part of the High Weald AONB . In addition to these national landscape areas, the borough has many smaller Local Nature Reserves such as Hothfield Common . As of April 2023 there were 44 civil parishes within the borough. The parish council for Tenterden has declared that parish to be a town, allowing it to take

2590-591: The Local Government Act 1894 . The modern district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 , covering the area of five former districts, which were all abolished at the same time: The new district was named Ashford after its largest town. The district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor. Ashford Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Kent County Council . Much of

2664-516: The Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic period dating back to the 7th millennium BC. A number of other Mesolithic tools were discovered during construction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link through Ashford. In Roman Britain , iron ore was mined in the Weald and transported to Ashford where two ironworks processed the ore into a workable metal. Archaeological studies have postulated the existence of

2738-508: The Weald is formed. The original town of Ashford, like many other settlements, has outgrown its original size and has combined with smaller villages in a conurbation . Clockwise these villages include Bockhanger , Kennington , Willesborough , Sevington , Singleton and Great Chart . In addition, housing estates have been built in the open spaces amongst Bybrook, Godinton , Kingsnorth , Park Farm and Stanhope . In 1727, an underground fire

2812-503: The 1470s as a dry-moated farmhouse by the Dering family (see also: Little Chart ). Well-known examples of Grade I listed buildings include: the Archbishop's palace at Charing , Chilham Castle and Godinton House , as well as more domestic examples such as the row of 17th century Flemish weavers' cottages which stretches the full length of the south side of Biddenden High Street . See also

2886-691: The 1960s onwards Ashford has experienced phases of rapid urban growth, creating new suburbs such as Stanhope and, more recently, Singleton . Today's urban growth is partially shaped by the de facto corridors created by the M20 motorway , the High Speed 1 line and several other rail lines which converge on the town's railway station . The 2011 census reported Ashford as having: The area's economy, once strongly dominated by agriculture and associated activities such as brewing and food production as well as some quarrying of ragstone and brick manufacture, evolved into

2960-520: The 1960s onwards. In the 1970s, the construction of a controversial four lane ring road together with the multi-storey Charter House building led to the destruction of significant parts of the old town although some areas were spared and preserved. Other changes in the last 40 years include the construction of the County Square shopping centre, the redevelopment of the Templer Barracks at Repton Park,

3034-603: The Big 8 projects to be fully completed was a new campus for Ashford College , moving from Jemmett Road. The building works on the Elwick Road site cost £16 million, and was completed in 2017. A leisure complex, Elwick Place, opened in 2018 with a Picturehouse cinema. The Designer Outlet was redeveloped in a £90 million expansion project. An expansion of the Jasmin Vardimon Company is also planned. The former railway works

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3108-453: The Butcher from Ashford". In the 16th and 17th centuries, Ashford became known for nonconformism . A local resident, John Brown, was executed for heresy in 1517, and may have inspired the later namesake of the song " John Brown's Body ". Thomas Smythe acquired the manor of Ashford as dowry from Queen Elizabeth I in the mid-16th century, and is buried in the parish church. John Wallis ,

3182-596: The German town Bad Münstereifel since the 20th century. British forces occupied the town in 1919 under the command of Major J Goode, following the end of the war. Goode subsequently formed close friendships with some Bad Münstereifel residents. John Wiles, Major Goode's brother in law, later became mayor of New Romney in 1946, and subsequently arranged a visit to the Rhineland with Winston Churchill . Wiles arranged several other exchange visits between British and German families, at

3256-563: The Kent Coast. The market was held in the High Street until 1856, when local farmers and businessmen relocated to Elwick Road and formed a market company that is the oldest surviving registered company in England and Wales. There is still a regular street market in the town, but the market company relocated outside Ashford town centre after part of the 19th-century site was demolished to make way for

3330-534: The St John's Church Preservation Group. The grave is now being maintained and a start has been made on forming a Marion Richardson Society. In 2012 an exhibition at Dudley Museum and Art Gallery celebrated her work. The personal papers of Marion Richardson are held in the Birmingham City University Art and Design Archives. Ashford, Kent Ashford is a town in the Ashford district, in

3404-533: The Stour, particularly south of the station, is prone to flooding, which means it has been generally uninhabited. Recent development has been possible by putting foundations on concrete stilts. The nearest official Met Office station is located in Faversham , which is 12 miles (19 km) north of the town. The 2011 census revealed that the borough of Ashford saw the largest population growth in Kent, with records showing

3478-451: The building is now being converted into flats, though progress stalled owing to the discovery of asbestos . Charter compensated for the demolition by funding a restoration scheme on North Street, preserving several historic buildings. The borough council operated from a row of houses in Elwick Road, until the civic centre was opened by the Duchess of Kent on 8 December 1983. To accommodate

3552-425: The council and opened in 1983. The council has announced plans to move during 2024 to International House, a 1972 office building opposite Ashford International railway station , which the council bought in 2014. In 1961, the population of the districts which make up the present borough was as follows: Forty years later the population had almost doubled: the 2001 census recorded a population of 102,661. From

3626-522: The county of Kent , England. It lies on the River Great Stour at the southern or scarp edge of the North Downs , about 61 miles (98 km) by road southeast of central London and 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Folkestone by road. At the 2021 census , it had a population of 83,213. The name comes from the Old English æscet , indicating a ford near a clump of ash trees . It has been

3700-548: The district is covered by civil parishes , which form a third tier of local government for their areas. The council has been under no overall control since 2022. Following the 2023 election a coalition of the Ashford Independents and the Green Party took minority control of the council, led by Ashford Independent councillor Noel Ovenden. The first elections to the council were held in 1973, initially operating as

3774-536: The field; And with a stronger faith embrace A sword, a horse, a shield. The council's coat of arms uses gold to symbolise richness, three sprigs of ash tree representing former council areas, and a lion to commemorate nearby Tenterden as one of the Cinque Ports . By road, Ashford is about 61 miles (98 km) southeast of central London, 13.0 miles (20.9 km) southeast of Maidstone , and 15.3 miles (24.6 km) northwest of Folkestone . The town lies at

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3848-402: The internationally recognised mathematician and one of Isaac Newton 's main tutors was born in Ashford in 1616, but moved to Tenterden in 1625 to avoid the plague . He was a promising student, and subsequently graduated from Emmanuel College, Cambridge . By the 1780s, local farmers had begun to hold informal market days, and advertised the town's ideal location between London, Chatham and

3922-523: The intersection of two valleys in Kent – the south edge of the North Downs and the valley of the River Stour , at the confluence of the Great Stour and East Stour rivers. This made it an ideal place for a settlement. The Borough of Ashford lies on the eastern edge of the ancient forest of "Andredsweald" or "Anderida". This originally stretched as far west as Hampshire and formed the basis from which

3996-542: The late 1920s an Ordnance Depot was established at Ashford; it remained in use until 1996. The town was a target in the Battle of Britain during World War II , including an attack on 15 September 1940. During the latter war ultimately 94 civilians were lost to enemy action in the Urban District. The Joint Services School of Intelligence was based at Templer Barracks to the west of town. Robert Runcie , later to become

4070-403: The listings: Grade I listed buildings in Ashford (borough) . Beyond the town of Ashford , most of the borough's land area is rural, with fields, woodland and fruit orchards . Much of the woodland is coppiced . Changes in rural land use over the past century mirror those in the rest of the present County. The north-east of the borough, including the villages of Wye and Chilham , is within

4144-520: The north of the town. In 2017, the Kent-based Curious Brewing constructed a factory on a brownfield site adjacent to Ashford International station in 2017 after a £1.7m crowdfunded cash investment. It opened in May 2019. The train operating company Southeastern partnered with Curious, and advertise the brewery around Ashford International station. In 2004 Regional Planning Guidance set out plans to invest £2.5m in Ashford, including

4218-499: The northeast of town in 2015. Ashford's main library originally opened in 1966 on a war-damaged site on Church Road. In 2010, the building was redeveloped to house Ashford Gateway Plus, which provides local council services in addition to the library itself. Other attractions near the town include Ashford Borough Museum, Godinton House and Gardens and the New Mill at Willesborough, which is Grade II listed. The first cinema in Ashford

4292-454: The park has been marked by Ashford Borough Council as a nature reserve. This area includes Victoria Park, which lies to the immediate south of the town centre and the railway. It includes an ornate fountain first shown at the 2nd International Exhibition in London in 1862, and presented to the park by George Harper on 24 July 1912. The Coningbrook Lakes Country Park opened on a former quarry site to

4366-553: The pupils to evaluate their own work. In 1917, her pupils' work was exhibited by Roger Fry , who brought her work to public attention. Richardson was also close to his sister, Margery Fry , who encouraged her to teach art in prisons, including Winson Green prison in Birmingham . In 1923, Richardson moved to London where she took private pupils and taught voluntarily at Holloway prison . An exhibition of her Dudley pupils' artwork in London in 1923–24 attracted much interest and created

4440-464: The town centre. The town's main shopping centre is County Square, which was built over Hempsted Street and connecting roads, opening in 1973 as the Tufton Centre. In 1989, the centre was renamed to County Square and refurbished by CIN Properties, who added a glass roof. In 2008, the centre was expanded to include 50,000 sq ft of new retail space including a Debenhams store. Outside the town centre

4514-791: The town centre." Ashford now has the oldest surviving St John Ambulance unit. John Furley , founder of the association, was born in Ashford. He established the British Red Cross Society in 1868, gaining support from the Duke of Edinburgh via a royal admiral living at Eastwell Park , close to the town. The Grosvenor Sanatorium opened in 1915 to help patients with tuberculosis , and could cater for 110 male patients, and 78 female. The philosopher Simone Weil lived in Ashford after escaping from France during World War II. She felt guilty about leaving French people behind in suffering and did not eat well. She subsequently contracted tuberculosis and

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4588-566: The town's growth. Developers agreeing to invest in the town include Quinn Estates, GRE Assets, U+I and Stanhope . In 2014, Ashford Borough Council launched loveashford.com, a website designed to promote new businesses in the town centre as part of the Portas Pilot scheme, which encourages regeneration of town high streets in decline. Brandon Lewis , High Streets Minister said he would "encourage all businesses in Ashford to sign up and be part of this excellent opportunity to boost their trade in

4662-468: The town. These include Waterbrook Park, where there is dedicated space for HGV parking, Eureka Science and Business Park, including manufacturing sites and office complexes; and Orbital Park, the market's current location, which has a regular boot fair. Three modern shopping centres are located in the town. Park Mall opened in 1985 on the former Folkestone Glass Works site and is now managed by Ashford Borough Council, as part of its strategy to regenerate

4736-521: The town. The first proposed was the Commercial Quarter near the station, which opened in 2018, and the second was a new junction 10A of the M20 motorway. The first of the housing projects to make progress was Chilmington Green, a 5,750-house development near Ashford's suburbs. A primary school is set to be built as part of the residential development, with planning permission granted in 2022. The first of

4810-469: Was 'A Mere Girl'. Richardson was educated at Winchester High School for Girls , Uplands School, and Milham Ford School in Oxford . She trained to be an art teacher at Birmingham Municipal School of Arts and Crafts from 1908 to 1912 where she studied under Robert Catterson Smith who influenced her future work. During her training she was a pupil teacher at Moseley School of Art , where she also worked as

4884-523: Was The Picture Palace on Tufton Street, followed by the Odeon on Lower High Street, which opened in 1936 and closed in 1976. The current main cinema in Ashford is a 12 screen theatre in Eureka Leisure Park to the north of town. In 2013, Ashford Borough Council announced plans to build a new cinema in the town, using vacant land off Elwick Road. Construction of the six-screen Picturehouse cinema (along with

4958-406: Was built over the tank in 1988. H.S. Pledge & Sons Ltd built two flour mills in Ashford, and became an important employer in the town. The first opened on Victoria Road in 1890 while the second opened on East Hill in 1901. The mills closed in 1972 and were both partially destroyed by subsequent fires. The East Hill Mill fire occurred in 1974, but the main six-storey tower block survived. It

5032-657: Was identified as one of four key areas for expansion in South East England. Subsequently, the Ashford's Future Company was set up to support a mix of publicly and privately funded projects in the town. The soup manufacturer Batchelors became a significant employer in Ashford when they opened a £2.5m factory in Willesborough, east of the town centre, in 1957. A substantial proportion of Batchelors staff moved from their main production unit in Sheffield to Ashford. The factory

5106-491: Was moved to the sanatorium where she died in 1943. A section of the old Ashford Bypass is now named Simone Weil Avenue, while the sanatorium subsequently became the Ashford Police Training Centre . Ashford Hospital opened to the west of town on 3 August 1928, replacing a smaller 19th century building in town. It has more recently been used as a health centre and retirement home but plans to redevelop it into

5180-407: Was originally used for trade, but during the early 20th century its role expanded to cover dinners, dances and trade shows. The building was extended to improve capacity in the 1930s. It was demolished in 1963. The Ashford Green Corridor is a linear park alongside the two main rivers through the town, which is protected from development by lying on the main flood plain. Most of the area covered by

5254-519: Was presented to the town on 1 August 1919 to thank the townsfolk for their war efforts. It is situated in St Georges Square near the town centre. For some years, electricity provider Seeboard fitted an electricity substation inside the tank, but this has now been removed; the substation is cited as the reason the tank was not reclaimed during World War II for its metal to be used, as happened with other tanks gifted to municipalities. A protective cover

5328-540: Was published posthumously in 1948, and was a great success. Sir Kenneth Clark wrote in his introduction that "I believe that I recognise the same tone of voice which I hear in the dialogues of St. Catherine of Sienna ." Her influence remained after her death and her Writing and Writing Patterns was still used in schools in the 1980s. The Senrab Street School in Stepney , east London was renamed Marion Richardson Primary School in her memory. Her grave has been rediscovered by

5402-509: Was reported in nearby Hinxhill, while an earthquake struck the town on 1 June 1756. The 2007 Kent earthquake , which registered 4.3 on the Richter magnitude scale , was felt in Ashford, though its effects were greatest in Folkestone . Ashford gets around 750 millimetres (30 in) of rain a year, though the town generally has less rainfall than areas closer to the North Downs . The area around

5476-459: Was used as a nightclub until 2014, when the nearby Ashford School , which acquired the building in 2011, decided not to renew the lease. The Victoria Mills were almost completely destroyed by a fire in September 1984, and the remainder of the building had to be demolished. The Corn Exchange, situated at the junction of Bank Street and Elwick Road, opened on 3 December 1861. As the name implies, it

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