Ashington – A Proud Past Bright Future Home of the Pitmen Painters

If you venture along Woodhorn Road
you won’t fail to spot the town’s
iconic, grade II-listed Co-op store.
It was built in 1924 as a shopping
arcade, with a ballroom above it
where the town’s residents danced
the night away for over half a century.
Undoubtedly mining
was hard graft,
dirty, dusty and
dangerous - nearly
300 miners lost their
lives at Ashington
Colliery winning the
black diamonds.
However these
conditions fostered
a community
spirit which led to
a thriving cultural
and recreational life
above ground.
The town’s main shopping street; Station Road,
developed to meet the needs of a rapidly growing
population. At one time the town centre could boast
several department stores, five cinemas, theatres and
ballrooms. Indeed Ashington was once described as the
largest shopping area between Edinburgh and Newcastle
upon Tyne and it is said that Sir John Hall’s Metro Centre
was based on Ashington’s main street with a roof!
In the 1850s Ashington was a small hamlet of just 76
people surrounded by countryside. All that changed in
1867 with the sinking of the Bothal mine shaft. This was
the start of Ashington Colliery which was to become
one of the biggest pits in the country. By 1901 many of
the familiar colliery rows were built and the town had a
population of over 6,000. King Coal was to dominate the
town’s life until the last pit closed in 1986.
Ashington has other claims to fame playing host to the
World Leek Championship until 2008. Pigeon racing also
rose to a new height in 1965 when a resident from nearby
North Seaton won a Gold Medal at the Pigeon Olympiad
in London with a racing pigeon named Iron Man.
Ashington – A Proud Past
Bright Future
Today Ashington is a town
very much ‘on the up’ with a
number of major developments
underway, including significant
improvements to education
facilities and local housing.
The town has also successfully
attracted business investment,
the latest of which is Akzo Nobel, manufacturer of global
brands such as Dulux and Hammerite.
The town centre is
benefitting from huge
investments, including the
development of the new
Ashington Leisure Centre
and improvements to public
realm, traffic management, offices and retail. Ashington
has a bright future, so visit soon and see how it’s changing.
Home of the Pitmen Painters
Local Heroes and Sporting Legends
The town is well known for producing some notable
footballers throughout the years including the 1966
England World Cup winning brothers Jack & Bobby
Charlton, Jackie Milburn of FA Cup fame with Newcastle
United, Cecil Irwin who made over 300 appearances
for Sunderland and Jimmy Adamson who later went
on to manage both Leeds United and Sunderland.
The town was the birthplace of the Ashington Group
of artists known affectionately as The Pitmen Painters.
Between 1934 and 1984 this group, largely made up of
miners, captured life in paint in and around the town.
Their work became known globally and in 1988 a book,
The Pitmen Painters by William Feaver, was published. This
was turned into a stage play by Lee Hall of Billy Elliot fame,
reaching audiences from Broadway to Buenos Aires.
Following the decline of the mining industry the former
colliery sites were redeveloped creating the QEII Country
Park and Ashington Community Woodland. In 2006
a fantastic £16 million mining museum ‘Woodhorn’,
was completed and provides a world-class setting for
the Ashington Group of paintings as well as a home for
Northumberland Archives and is well worth a visit.
Whilst little physical evidence remains of the mine, visitors
can also get a real insight into its importance and influence
by following the new Ashington Colliery Heritage Trail based
on the former site of the pit.
Ashington
is also the
hometown
of former
England
International
cricketer Steve Harmison.
Other
well-known
Ashington
folk include
soprano
singers
Sheila Armstrong
and Janice Cairns,
entrepreneur Sir John Hall
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
Ashington Market
The general market operates every
Tuesday on Station Road in the town
centre. With loads of stalls and a
great atmosphere you are sure to
find a bargain.
Whether you are on holiday
in the area or popping
to Ashington for leisure
or business, there are a
wide range of shops, cafés
and restaurants located
throughout the town centre
(main shopping area shown
on the map below).
From buying gifts, to getting a
hair cut or enjoying a spot of
lunch, you won’t be short of
things to do throughout the year.
Ashington Colliery Heritage Trail
If you want to find out
more about the history of
Ashington Colliery, then
take a stroll along this great
trail. It starts at Wansbeck
Business Park, former home to
the pit, with panels situated
along a half mile way-marked
trail bringing history to life.
For more information about the trail and how to get
there go to: www.ashingtoncollieryheritage.org
For further information about Ashington Market go
to: www.northumberland.gov.uk
Ashington Community Woodland
A real treasure within
walking distance of the
town centre, this woodland
is home to a diverse range
of plants and animals
including a colony of red
squirrels.
Ashington Leisure Centre
Offering a wide range of classes and
activities.
For opening times and information
Tel: 01670 542222 or go to:
www.activenorthumberland.org.uk
Ashington Town Centre
Entrance
to Community
Woodland
Ashington
Community Woodland
e Trail
Ashington Colliery Heritag
nville
Linto se Park
rpri
Ente
KWAY
R
RY PA
ROTA
ASDA
le
cast
New
Wansbeck Riverside
To the south of Ashington
lies the picturesque River
Wansbeck offering a
network of riverside and
woodland walks and links
to cycle routes. The river
is also popular for rowing
and other water-based
activities.
89)
(A1
97
A1
Police
Station
New Ashington
Leisure Centre
A196
Wansbeck
Business Park
For further information about the woodland and the
programme of events and activities throughout the
year go to: www.ashingtonwoods.org.uk
rk &
ry Pa
ount useum
C
I
I
QE
nM
dhor
Woo
Morpeth (A1)
For further information about Wansbeck Riverside go
to: www.northumberland.gov.uk
BUS STATION
O
LIN T
A197
(opening Autumn 2015)
L
NVI
LE T
BUS STOP
OAD
RN R
ROUTE 155 NATIONAL CYCLE PATH
Location Map
E
ROAD
RRAC
TON
M TE
H SEA
NORT
PEDESTRIANISED AREA
RNU
Cricket
Ground
T
REE
PUBLIC CAR PARKING
N ST
J OH
MAIN RETAIL AREA
KENILWORTH ROAD
KEY
Taxis
LABU
re Centre
Ashington Leisu
Wansbeck Square
Northumberland
County Council & Library
For general information on visiting the area go to:
www.visitnorthumberland.com
THO
STATION ROAD
O
WO
OAD
NR
OR
H
D
HAW
WC
STATION ROAD
ACE
ERR
Town
Hall
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed
SCOTLAND
SCOTLAND
A1
A1
Coldstream
Coldstream
A68
A68
Kelso
Kelso
Bamburgh
Bamburgh
Seahouses
Seahouses
Wooler
Wooler
Jedburgh
Jedburgh
Woodhorn Museum & Northumberland Archives at
QEII Country Park
Based in original colliery
buildings and with a
stunning modern building
inspired by the monster
coal-cutting machines once
used deep underground,
Woodhorn’s entertaining and interactive displays paint
a picture of life in this former mining community.
For more information about the Museum and Archives:
Tel: 01670 624455 www.experiencewoodhorn.com
QEII Country Park and Narrow Gauge Railway
A beautiful 16 hectare lake, surrounded by grassland and
woodland and a haven for wildlife. Hop on the heritage
railway which offers short trips along one side of the lake.
Rothbury
Rothbury
Ashington Events
The town and surrounding area host a range
of events during the year from the annual
Miner’s Picnic at Woodhorn to the Town
Fayre Day with rides, stalls and music on
Station Road. The Christmas Lights Switch-On
event is now one of the
biggest in the County
and there is traditionally
a large organised Fireworks Display
that attracts thousands.
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A696
A69
A69
How to get here
By car - Ashington is approximately 15 miles north of Newcastle
and easy to access by car. Follow the A189 from Newcastle or
take the A1 and then the A197 from Morpeth.
By bike - Local cycle paths include Route 155, connecting at
Newbiggin by the Sea to Route 1 Coast and Castles, which is
part of the North Sea Cycle Route.
For more information on cycle paths go to:
www.sustrans.org.uk or www.northumberland.gov.uk
Credit for photography and images: Ashington Colliery Heritage Trail, Ashington AFC, Ashington Town Council, Mik Critchlow, Woodhorn Narrow Gauge Railway, Keith Saint, Arch Northumberland, Active Northumberland, Woodhorn Museum.
Images provided with the permission of Northumberland Archives, including from the collection of the late William Harrison. Pitmen Paintings reproduced with permission of The Ashington Group Trustees.
Text written by Ashington Town Team with support from Barry Mead and Ashington Town Council.
A1
A1
Alnmouth
Alnmouth
Amble
Amble
A1068
A1068
Newbiggin by the Sea
Newbiggin by the
Sea
A197
Morpeth A197 ASHINGTON
ASHINGTON
Morpeth
Blyth
A189
Blyth
A189
Cramlington
Northumberland
Cramlington
Northumberland
North
Hexham A69
North
Hexham A69
Shields
Shields
Haltwhistle
NEWCASTLE
Haltwhistle
NEWCASTLE Sunderland
UPON-TYNE Sunderland
Allendale
UPON-TYNE
Allendale
Northumberland
Northumberland
National Park
National Park
A1
A1
For more information on events and activities throughout
the year go to: www.ashingtontowncouncil.gov.uk
By bus - To plan your journey by bus telephone Traveline on:
0871 2002233 or go to: www.travelinenortheast.info
For visitor and timetable information go to:
www.woodhornnarrowgaugerailway.weebly.com
Alnwick
Alnwick
A68
A68
Useful Information
Designed and printed by Azure Printing - Tel: 01670 510271
In The Local Area
This leaflet has been produced by:
With support from:
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