Coordinates: 51°29′N 2°35′W / 51.48°N 2.58°W / 51.48; -2.58

Ashley Down is an area in the north of Bristol. It lies on high ground east of Bishopston, north of St Andrews and St Werburghs, west of Muller Road and south of Horfield. The main artery is Ashley Down Road. It is in the Ashley ward of Bristol City Council.

Ashley Down was developed in Victorian times. A number of large detached villas were built on Ashley Down Road. Smaller terraced houses were built in the north of the district.

In 1845 George Müller entered into a contract for the purchase of 7 acres (28,000 m²) of ground at £120 per acre (£0.03/m²) for the accommodation, feeding, clothing and education of 300 destitute and orphan children. On 18 June 1849 the orphans transferred to the new building, designed by local architect Thomas Foster. By the time he died in 1898, Müller had received £1,500,000 through prayer and had over 10,000 children in his care.

The orphanage continued on the Ashley Down site until 1958. Orphan Houses 2, 4 and 5 are now owned by Bristol City College, while No 3 House (in which Müller lived for the last few years of his life and in which he died), on the other side of Ashley Down Road was converted into private flats in 2007. No 1 House is currently (2010) being redeveloped as flats.

The terms Old Boys and Old Girls are the usual expressions in use in the United Kingdom for former pupils or alumni of primary and secondary schools. While these are traditionally associated with independent schools, they are also used for some schools in the state sector. The term is also used for those who attended New Zealand schools, Sri Lankan schools, a few universities in the UK and, to a lesser extent, schools in Australia, Canada and South Africa.

The Old Boy form is given a specific identification for each school. Some schools use an adjectival form of the school name, such as "Old Etonian", "Old Harrovian", or "Old Reptonian" (old boys of Eton College, Harrow School, and Repton School). Some use a Latin form derived from the Latin name of the school or its location as "Old Novocastrian" (old boys of the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne). Some are based on the name of the founder, such as "Old Wykehamist" and "Old Alleynian" (for old boys of Winchester College, founded by William of Wykeham, and Dulwich College, founded by Edward Alleyn). Some are based on the school's location or street, such as "Old Gowers" (for University College School, originally in Gower Street). Many of the schools have histories dating back several hundred years, and the Old Boy forms may have been in use for a hundred years or more. Other more recently established schools have devised Old Boy names that are distinctive to prevent confusion with other schools. The tradition for many girls schools has been to use the term "Seniors" rather than "Old Girls".