Ashton-on-Ribble

Ashton-on-Ribble is a suburb of Preston, Lancashire, England. The population of the Ashton Ward taken at the 2011 census was 4,459.The terms Ashton-on-Ribble and Ashton are often used synonymously, although Ashton is a specific electoral ward whilst Ashton-on-Ribble is a term applied more generally to much of the west of Preston. This is reflected in the fact that Ashton Community Science College and Ashton Park are not in Ashton ward (they are in Larches ward) but are in the more loosely defined Ashton-on-Ribble.The Ashton electoral ward is located in the City of Preston, returning two councillors to Town Hall. Ashton ward is also one part of the Preston North West division of Lancashire County Council, returning one Labour councillor to County Hall.The settlement of Ashton-on-Ribble was recorded in the Domesday Book. Ashton was named after a family called Estun who lived in the area at the time of the Domesday Book's compilation, although it is not known exactly where they lived.DemographicsThe 2011 census records the ward's population at 4,459; in 2001 the recorded population was 4,430. At the Preston Council election, 2007 the ward had a valid electorate of 3,104.From the census results, 67.8% of the population considered themselves Christian.GeographyA ward in the western part of Preston, Ashton is a largely suburban area where large houses and cars border the renewed Docklands area. The largest area of the ward are largely terraced housing, however, running from the Lane Ends shopping area to Ashton Park. The railway line from Preston railway station to Blackpool North railway station runs through the ward.