Ashford, Kent International Rail Terminal

Welcome to the Ashford (UK) section of FerryCrossings.org, the site for information about major UK and continental ports or terminals and the ferries and trains connecting them. Our site includes an introduction to a number of ports and feature pages about the various crossing ways, lanes and routes and companies operating between them to help you plan your journey and discover interesting travel destinations along the way.

Ashford and the Rail Terminal

Ashford. Ashford in Kent has been voted one of the best places in the UK to live. It is located on the River Great Stour and has motorway and rail links to London, south east towns and cities, and European cities. The town's existence probably goes back to well before Norman times and Ashford is mentioned in the Domesday Book with a church and two mills. During the Middle Ages it was an important Market Town, an importance that continued and grown right up to modern times. One change , however, is that the livestock are no longer bought and sold in the main street! The parish church dates back to the 13th century but much of it was restored and or altered during the 15th century. The free grammar school that grew up alongside the church, which was founded in the early 17th century and in use until the mid 19th, is now used as a museum. Little remains of the old market town but from Ashford, in its place at the centre of a network of road and rail links, you can visit virtually anywhere without taking tortuous detours or enduring long, boring waits for rail connections. Spread the map of south east England in front of you and take your pick. There is so much to see that, if you can't make a choice, just stick a pin in the map and plan a route accordingly!

Kent offers everything from historic villages, towns and cities oozing atmosphere to seaside towns with all the attactions that the children or the young-at-heart might want. There are monuments, country parks, conservation reserves and preserved railways; You name and you're almost sure to find it in Kent; and, within easy reach of Ashford! If you don't want to organise your day for yourself then there are many tours operating that will take you to explore historic buildings, on river trips, sea trips to see the seals, or to breweries and vineyards. Canterbury is one of the jewels in Kent's crown and no visit to Kent should be made without including this beautiful and ancient city.

Kent's maritime history is impressive, lengthy and also well documented and preserved. Visit the maritime museums, both big and small, and find out where the smugglers brought their contraband ashore. If your interest lies in the sea and ships then a visit to the historic boatyard at Chatham might be on your list. You'll be able to see 400 years of maritime history unfold before your eyes in the exhibits and displays and it's all brought to life as you meet the characters from the past.