Ashford is a town in the county of
Kent, England. It lies on the
River Great Stour at the south edge of the
North Downs, about southeast of central London and northwest of
Folkestone by road. In the 2011 census, it had a population of 74,204. The name comes from the
Old English æscet, indicating a
ford near a
clump of
ash trees. It has been a market town since the 13th century, and a regular market continues to be held.