Edward Ashe (1599 – 31 October 1656) was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1652.
[1] After establishing himself as a Draper in the City of London during the 1620s, he built a substantial business in Cannon Street exporting a high-quality fabric known as Spanish cloth, produced in Somerset by his father and his elder brother John Ashe (of Freshford).
His most important customers were the Paris merchants, Jacques and Jean Le Couteulx, and Marie Moulard.
By the late 1630s Edward and John Ashe were both wealthy men and were drawn into politics.
[1] Edward Ashe was succeeded to his estates by his son William, who rebuilt Heytesbury House c.1700.