Sir Anthony Ashley, 1st Baronet

Sir Anthony Ashley, 1st Baronet, PC (1551 – 13 January 1628) was Clerk of the Privy Council, which was the most senior civil servant in the Privy Council Office. Ashley accompanied the fleet to Cádiz as a representative of the Queen. He distinguished himself by the capture of Cádiz and was knighted by Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex at Cádiz after the capture of the city. Ashley sat in several parliaments, and was highly distinguished by favor of Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Ashley was the older brother of Robert Ashley, founder of Middle Temple Library (1565–1641) and Sir Francis Ashley of Dorchester (1569–1635). Sir Francis was the father-in-law of Denzil Holles, 1st Baron Holles, one of five members of the Long Parliament whom King Charles I attempted to arrest in 1642. Sir Anthony Ashley inherited the family estates at Wimborne St Giles on his cousin, Sir Henry Ashley III's death.