
                                                                    Exhibit 23.3


                        Consent of Independent Auditors

     We consent to the  incorporation  by reference  in  Amendment  No. 4 to the
Registration  Statement (Form S-3 No.  333-54762) and the related  Prospectus of
Ashland Inc.  (Ashland)  for the  registration  of 149,300  shares of its common
stock,  of  (i)  our  report  dated  January  24,  2001,  with  respect  to  the
consolidated  financial statements of Arch Coal, Inc. and (ii) our opinion dated
March 28, 2001 with respect to the  financial  statement  schedule of Arch Coal,
Inc.,  included  in  Ashland's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K (as  amended by Form
10-K/A) for the year ended  September 30, 2000,  filed with the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission.



/s/ Ernst & Young LLP


St. Louis, Missouri
May 23, 2001



