Ascot, Berkshire

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Ascot
Ascot, Berkshire (Berkshire)
Ascot, Berkshire

Ascot shown within Berkshire
OS grid reference SU925685
Parish Sunninghill and Ascot
Unitary authority Windsor and Maidenhead
Ceremonial county Berkshire
Region South East
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town ASCOT
Postcode district SL5
Dialling code 01344
Police Thames Valley
Fire Royal Berkshire
Ambulance South Central
European Parliament South East England
UK Parliament Windsor
List of places: UKEnglandBerkshire

Coordinates: 51°24′30″N 0°40′15″W / 51.4084, -0.6707

Ascot is a small town within the civil parish of Sunninghill and Ascot, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Berkshire, England. It is most notable as the location of Ascot Racecourse, home of the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting. The region is split into three distinct areas: Ascot itself, North Ascot (partially in the civil parish of Winkfield) and South Ascot.

Contents

[edit] Governance

Ascot is part of the district administered by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, a unitary authority.

[edit] Amenities

Facilities tend to be geared towards the racecourse, although there is sufficient, if limited, shopping available in the wide High Street. Most of the expected facilities one would expect to find in a small town are here, including a supermarket, petrol station and many cafes (including a new Starbucks). Most buildings are post-war with flats above the ground floor retail space. Heatherwood Hospital is at the western edge of the town. Ascot has a station on a bi-section of the railway line from London's Waterloo station to Reading, Bagshot, Aldershot and Guildford, originally built by the London and South Western Railway and now operated by South West Trains. As a consequence of the frequent service on this line, Ascot is now a commuter centre with its residents in both directions (westwards to Reading and eastwards to London).

[edit] Local Schools

One of the local schools in the Ascot area is Charters School, which recently achieved a 'Grade 1 Outstanding' from the Schools watchdog OFSTED.

[edit] Royal Ascot week

Main article: Ascot Racecourse

The centrepiece of Ascot's year, Royal Ascot is one of the World's most famous race meetings, steeped in history dating back to 1711. The royal family attend the meeting, arriving each day in a horse drawn carriage. It is a major event in the British social calendar. Although this has placed Ascot onto the British social map, it has many direct effects on the local community, not least of which are the associated traffic problems.

[edit] Other

Tittenhurst Park, the former home of former Beatles John Lennon and Ringo Starr is located in Ascot.

[edit] External links


Settlements in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
Towns: Ascot | Maidenhead | Windsor
Civil parishes: Bisham | Bray | Cookham | Cox Green | Datchet | Eton | Horton | Hurley | Old Windsor | Shottesbrooke | Sunningdale | Sunninghill and Ascot | Waltham St Lawrence | White Waltham | Wraysbury
Other villages and suburbs: Bray Wick | Burchetts Green | Cheapside | Clewer | Cockpole Green | Cookham Dean | Dedworth | Eton Wick | Holyport | Knowl Hill | Littlewick Green | Paley Street | Pinkneys Green | Sunninghill | Touchen End