Ashington is a town and civil parish in Northumberland England. With a population of around 27,000, measured at 27,764 at the 2011 Census; it was once a centre of the coal mining industry. The town is located some north of Newcastle upon Tyne and west of the A189. The south of the town is bordered by the River Wansbeck. The North Sea coast at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea is about from the town centre.