Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  RANDOLPH ROBERT KIRK
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
09/16/2005		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ASHLAND INC. [ASH]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
900 ASHWOOD PARKWAY, SUITE 700		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Vice President
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

ATLANTA, GA 30330		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Restricted Stock 7,500 (1)
D
 
Common Stock 1,783
I
LESOP (2)
Common Stock 32
I
401(k) (3)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Options (Right to buy) 09/19/2003 10/19/2012 Common Stock 1,365 $ 23.2 (4) D  
Stock Options (Right to buy) 09/18/2004 10/18/2013 Common Stock 910 $ 28.04 (4) D  
Stock Appreciation Right 09/16/2005 10/16/2014 Common Stock 3,032 $ 45.19 (5) D  
Stock Appreciation Right 09/15/2006 10/15/2015 Common Stock 20,000 $ 58.5 (5) D  
Common Stock Units   (6)   (6) Common Stock 15,197 $ 0 (7) D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
RANDOLPH ROBERT KIRK
900 ASHWOOD PARKWAY, SUITE 700
ATLANTA, GA 30330		       Vice President  

Signatures

David B. Mattingly, Attorney-in-Fact 09/26/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Represents shares of Restricted Common Stock acquired pursuant to Ashland's stock incentive plans as approved by the shareholders and exempt pursuant to Rule 16b-3.
(2) Shares accrued under Ashland's Leveraged Employee Stock Ownership Plan as of 9-15-05.
(3) Based on Employee Savings Plan information as of 9-15-05, the latest date for which such information is reasonably available.
(4) Employee stock option (represents a right to buy Ashland Common Stock) granted pursuant to Ashland's Amended and Restated Incentive Plan which vests in three annual installments: 50% after the 1st year, the next 25% the 2nd year and the remaining 25% for the 3rd year. The employee stock option includes a tax withholding feature pursuant to the plan.
(5) Stock Appreciation Right granted pursuant to Ashland's Amended and Restated Stock Incentive Plan which vests in three annual installments: 50% after the 1st year, the next 25% the 2nd year and the remaining 25% the 3rd year.
(6) Common Stock Units acquired pursuant to Ashland's Deferred Compensation Plan as of 9-15-05, and exempt under Rule 16b-3(d). (One (1) Common Stock Unit in the Deferred Compensation Plan is the equivalent of one (1) share of Ashland Common Stock.)
(7) Converts to common stock on a one-for-one basis.

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