Ashby de la Zouch is famous for its castle. It also became prosperous as a Spa town in the 19th century and its main street has many fine buildings from this era.
The name Ashby de la Zouch comes from a nobleman of the 12th century but Ashby is also a word in Anglo Danish wich means Ash tree farm or settlement. The La Zouche family took lands here after the Norman Conquest but eventually the town and estate came into the ownership of the Hastings family. The castle was actually built by the first Lord Hastings in the 15th century and today it is an impressive ruin and a tourist attraction.
Coal mining and brick making around the town were the main industries until recent times along with leather and cotton working. Today United Biscuits provides much needed emplyment in the area.
Ashby de la Zouch has its own museum which tells the story of the towns history. Nearby there is also the Heart of the National Forest Visitor Centre at Moira which provides an outdoor forest experience in a woodland setting. Throughout the year events take place here and there is an Adventure Woodland play area and woodland trails and sculptures.
For more photographs of Ashby-De-La-Zouch click here or view on You Tube
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