Editing Ashtons

{{Short description|House builder in Yorkshire, 1933 to 1972}}
{{For|Suburb in Dublin|Clonskeagh}}
{{Infobox company 
| name  = Norman C Ashton
| logo  = 
| caption        = 
| fate          = Acquired
| successor     = [[Persimmon plc]]
| foundation    = 1933
| defunct       = 1972
| location      = [[Leeds]], [[West Yorkshire]], England
| industry      = [[Home construction|Housebuilding]]
| key_people    = 
| products      = 
| num_employees = 
| parent        = 
| subsid        =
}}

[[Image:Ashtons.jpg|thumb|right|Ashton semi detached houses in [[Holt Park]], [[Leeds]], built in the early 1970s.]]
[[Image:Ashtons houses in Holt Park, Leeds.jpg|thumb|right|Ashtons Housing in [[Holt Park]], [[Leeds]]]]
'''Ashtons''' was a [[home construction|housebuilder]] in [[Yorkshire]] in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.

==History==
Norman Ashton started his Leeds-based housebuilding business in 1933, and it was incorporated in 1938 as Norman C Ashton Ltd. Following the outbreak of war in 1939, the company was restricted to contracting for local authorities; it also established a motor repair business.<ref>[Company Prospectus Feb. 1964]</ref> Private housebuilding resumed after the war and when Ashton was floated in 1964 it claimed to be one of the largest housebuilders operating in the [[West Riding]]. Growth was only modest thereafter and Ashton was acquired by Orme in 1972.<ref>Wellings, Fred: Dictionary of British Housebuilders (2006) Troubador. {{ISBN|978-0-9552965-0-5}},</ref>

The company constructed many homes in northern England during the 1960s and 1970s. It was one of several pioneers of the British three bed semi, a style of house used frequently from the 1940s until the 1970s, they also built many four and five bedroomed detached houses. Most Ashtons housing were built in close proximity with [[council housing]]; [[Holt Park]] in [[Leeds]] was a joint project between Ashtons and [[Leeds City Council]]. [[Ainsty, Wetherby|Ainsty]] in [[Wetherby]] is also a large mixed development with many Ashtons and Leeds City Council houses. [[Knottingley]], [[Mirfield]] and [[Washington, Tyne and Wear|Washington]] also include many Ashtons houses.<ref>[http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?resourceIdentifier=20041012_44486636 Hall Orchards, house and garden], Leodis</ref>

==Controversies==
The company was at the centre of a controversy concerning a [[Covenant (law)|covenant]] on one of their early developments in 1956. This resulted in the Bell v Norman C. Ashton Ltd (1956) P&CR 359 case which came before the Leeds Courts.  Ashton had purchased land with a covenant that meant they could not build on it.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bell v Norman C Ashton Ltd: 1957 |url=https://swarb.co.uk/bell-v-norman-c-ashton-ltd-1957/ |website=May the Law be with you - swarb.co.uk |publisher=David Swarbrick |access-date=1 March 2021 |page=P and CR 358}}</ref>{{clarify|date=June 2024|reason=What was the result? Did they build or were they blocked? Is it known where the land was? }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Construction industry of the United Kingdom}}

[[Category:Housebuilding companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1972 disestablishments in England]]
[[Category:British companies disestablished in 1972]]
[[Category:British companies established in 1953]]
[[Category:1953 establishments in England]]