Historical Ashbourne

Ashbourne became a prominent town in the 18th and 19th century as a way point at the meeting of six coaching roads. Bonny Prince Charlie proclaimed his father king of England when he was in Ashbourne on his abortive march on London, and Oliver Cromwell took a few pot shots with his artillery at St Oswald's Church but generally History, like the stage coaches of old, seems to have also treated Ashbourne as a way point.

Many important people, such as Bonnie Prince Charlie, Queen Victoria, Doctor Samuel Johnson, George Elliot, Thomas Moore, have stayed in Ashbourne, visited it or passed through it (and during the Napoleonic Wars - were imprisoned here) - but the major upheavals of the past seem to have left it untouched.

A monument can be found in Ashbourne Park to Cathrine Mumford Booth, who was the mother of the Salvation Army.