Ashbourne - Gingerbread

I love gingerbread in all its different forms. Ashbourne gingerbread is nothing like Grasmere gingerbread or Grantham gingerbread or Market Drayton gingerbread or Scottish gingerbread. Apparently Whitby and Ormskirk have their own gingerbread - more research is needed :-).

Legend has it that Ashbourne gingerbread was created by a former French prisoner who made his home in the town after the Napoleonic wars. His special recipe was then handed down through generations.

The shop at the top of this post was originally built in the late 15th century, in the 17th century it became the Roebuck Inn and then in the Napoleonic wars it became a bakery. It's been a bakery since 1805.

In Ashbourne I've found two shops selling Ashbourne gingerbread (sorry if I missed any).

Every time I go to Ashbourne I can never remember which one I prefer, so I buy some from each!

My favourite gingerbread is the one from Spencer's bakery:

Since this post was written (in 2008), Spencers have closed the the café and shop in the square and I've heard reports that the Ashbourne Gingerbread Shop no longer sells gingerbread! Can anyone please let me know where Ashbourne gingerbread is sold?