Ashey is a hamlet on the outskirts of
Ryde
Ryde is an English seaside town and civil parish on the north-east coast of the Isle of Wight. The built-up area had a population of 23,999 according to the 2011 Census and an estimate of 24,847 in 2019. Its growth as a seaside resort came af ...
on the
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight ( ) is a county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the largest and second-most populous island of England. Referred to as 'The Island' by residents, the Isle of ...
in southern
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. The appropriate
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority ...
is called Havenstreet and Ashey
Ashey is the site every year of an amateur horse race known as the "Isle of Wight Grand National and Ashey Scurry". There are four races that include jumping over fences. It is open to horses and ponies of all sizes and breeds. Riders of all ages enter. It includes a beer tent and betting.
There was a racecourse opened in Ashey in 1884. It included a grandstand as well. It burned down in 1929 and was never rebuilt.
There is a railway station in Ashey, the
Ashey railway station
Ashey railway station is a station serving the village of Ashey on the Isle of Wight in England. It was on the line which ran from Ryde to Newport. It was resited during the BR era because of subsidence at the original site, it was also descr ...
, which reopened in 1991 and is between the stations at
Havenstreet
Havenstreet is a village on the Isle of Wight, located about 2 miles southwest of Ryde, in the civil parish of Havenstreet and Ashey.
History
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway Museum is located in Havenstreet, along with a station. Activities a ...
and
Smallbrook Junction
Smallbrook Junction railway station is a railway station on the Isle of Wight, England. It is unusual because it has no public access but exists purely to provide a connection between two rail systems.
Another similar station is Manulla Junction ...
. At one time, there was a separate station that serviced the Ashey Racecourse.
There is a manor in East Ashey called the East
Ashey Manor
Ashey Manor (also Aissheseye, Aschesaye, Asshaye) is a manor house in Ashey on the Isle of Wight, situated within the Newchurch parish.
It was historically linked with Ryde Manor. History
It was granted to the abbey of Wherwell near Andove ...
.
Ashey Down is the site of some ancient burial mounds. The summit of Ashey Down is a good viewpoint and this fact has been gratefully accepted by sailors in their use of the solid, white stump - the Ashey
sea mark
A sea mark, also seamark and navigation mark, is a form of aid to navigation and pilotage that identifies the approximate position of a maritime channel, hazard, or administrative area to allow boats, ships, and seaplanes to navigate safely.
Th ...
- which was constructed in 1735. In a variation on the medieval beacon system the Navy built four semaphore stations at key high points on the Island. These relayed to the admiral at Portsmouth details of all shipping seen off the island, and the final messages all passed through Ashey.
There is a story that in 1969, a Dr. White of
St Helens and his wife saw some mysterious lights when driving by Ashey Down at night.
References
External links
Official Scurry event website
Hamlets on the Isle of Wight
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