Ayshford Chapel

Ayshford Chapel stands beside Ayshford Court in the parish of Burlescombe, Devon. It is a private chapel built in the 15th century by the Ayshford family. The chapel is constructed from local Westleigh chert rubble with Beer stone dressings and has a slate roof. It is a single rectangular cell with no division between nave and chancel, supported by corner buttresses. The west end holds a bellcote and the east end an apex cross, with Perpendicular tracery in all windows. The chapel is maintained by the Friends of Friendless Churches under a 125-year lease since 2000. The chapel is notable for its 15th-century open wagon roof with oak bosses and a carved oak chancel screen. The 19th-century renovation introduced stained glass, the first signed work by John Toms of Wellington. Inside, red and black glazed tiles cover the floor, and memorials to the Ayshford family remain in place. A single bell dated 1657 hangs in the bellcote, and the interior retains traces of 19th-century paint on the screen and pews. The chapel’s architecture reflects both medieval craftsmanship and later restorations. Visitors find a quiet interior with a continuous open roof and foliage-carved bosses. The chancel screen, repainted in the 19th century, shows remnants of red, blue and green paint. Floor memorials include the worn gravestone of Henry Ayshford and a black marble chest-tomb for his infant great-grandson. A baroque marble mural monument on the north wall commemorates John Ayshford, the last lord of the manor. The chapel’s setting beside the Grand Western Canal and Ayshford Court adds to its peaceful atmosphere.