Discover Ashford

If you’re looking for a hotel in Ashford, choosing a focus for your trip can help you find your way around: architecture and local history, sporting activities, or the connection to London. Despite its proximity to London, the town centre retains its small-town character. Mainline trains run to London Waterloo. Churches, golf and tennis facilities, and historical and landscape-related themes give a stay a variety of possible focuses.

Churches and remembrance

The Parish Church of St Matthew brings together architectural history and a variety of materials. It was built from 1856 to 1858 to a design by William Butterfield in the Decorated Gothic style; the tower was added in 1865. The building is made of Ragstone, with dressings and bands of Bath Stone. At this church, you can consider its construction period, later additions and use of materials together.

The Roman Catholic Church of St Michael offers a different architectural point of reference. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott designed it in a restrained neo-Romanesque style; construction took place in phases from 1927 to 1960. At St Matthew, the construction dates, the tower added later and the named building materials are the main points of interest. At St Michael, Scott’s design and the phased construction period are the defining features.

The Ashford War Memorial commemorates 219 former pupils of the West London District School who died in the war. This specific memorial to former pupils adds to the architectural history of the two churches.

Golf, tennis and sailing

The golf course at Ashford Manor Golf Club has 18 holes and is 6,400 yards long. As a parkland course, it has tree-lined fairways and bunkered approaches to the greens. These details give you an idea of both the course’s size and its described layout. The original Ashford Manor House still stands and serves as the club’s clubhouse, overlooking the golf course.

For tennis, Ashford Recreation Ground offers public courts for hire. This is a distinct sporting focus alongside golf: here, the emphasis is on using the tennis courts, while the information about Ashford Manor Golf Club describes the course’s size and layout.

Queen Mary Sailing Club offers opportunities to learn to sail and develop sailing skills at an RYA-recognised training centre. Through its RYA Sailability programme, the club offers sailing experiences to children and adults with physical, sensory or learning disabilities. The offering described therefore includes both learning and skill development, as well as specific experiences through this programme.

Landscape and a sense of time

The Queen Mary Reservoir opened in 1925. A much more recent landmark is the Miyawaki forest planted in 2026 on Hengrove Recreation Ground in North Ashford/South Stanwell. The two dates span a historic opening year and a more recent planting. If you’re interested in how different places and sites have developed over time, they offer two clearly distinct points of reference.

Together, these themes give you different ways to plan your Ashford trip: the churches and War Memorial represent architectural and commemorative history, while golf, tennis and sailing cater to different sporting interests. Mainline trains to London Waterloo are an additional point of reference when planning your journey.

Discover more destinations: Chilworth, Buckland, Ewhurst, Tatsfield, Hindhead, Godstone, Mickleham, Peasmarsh

For the broader travel overview: Surrey.