River Ash Ashford

River Ash
The River Ash flows eastwards

An area of 19th and early 20th housing in an area with lots of open space and sports facilities but dominated by the large women's prison and the sites of other institutions,  some of a punitive nature. The Staines By Pass runs through the area as does the railway to Staines. To the north west are the Staines Reservoirs and to the south east is the Queen Mary Reservoir.

Post to the west Staines
Post to the east Ashford


Kingston Crescent
The Well. Includes Kings Community Church and other activities

Staines By Pass
The road appears to cover the site of the Sewage treatment works for the West London District School.

Woodthorpe Road
This was once known as District Road.
West London District School. The West London District was a union of a number of inner London parishes in 1868 – Paddington, Fulham, Westminster etc. This site was to be their residential school for 800 children and used form in 1872. In 1930 it was taken over by the London County Council and closed in 1955. The site was self sufficient in that it had its own, boiler house, laundry, chapel, gas works, sewage works and other amenities
Ashford Remand Centre. This opened in 1961 for young offenders, although originally planned as a Borstal.  It closed in 1990 as the result of a merger with Fetlham Young Offenders Institution.
HMP Bronzefield, a purpose-built and privately-run women's prison opened in 2004
Ashford Table Tennis Club. In 1939 a new club was set up from Ashford Methodist Church Table Tennis Club because their hall was to be demolished. They moved to a hall at The District Arms.  The Second World War meant a shortage of balls and afterwards they moved from hall to hall.  In 1960 they moved to Ashford Sports Club and in 1981 they got their own centre and did extremely well in national competition – and since including the World No.1. player
W.R. Sports Club is part of Ashford Sports Club and it provides facilities for amateur sports of bowls, darts, pool, table tennis and tennis in the local area. 
The Centre. Ashford Community Association
The District Arms. Pub – presumably named when the local prison was the District School.

Sources
Ashford Community Association. Web site
Ashford Table Tennis Club. Web site
Kings Community Church. Web site
Middlesex County Council. History of Middlesex
National Archives. Web site
Pevsner and Cherry. Surrey
The Well. Web site
Walford.  Village London,
WR Club. Web site

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