Ayshford Chapel
Encyclopedia
Ayshford Chapel is a former private chapel in the village of Ayshford
, Devon
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches
. It is situated to the south of the manor house of Ayshford Court, and to the north of the Grand Western Canal
.
. Since it was declared redundant, the chapel has been maintained by the charity
, the Friends of Friendless Churches, who hold a 125 year lease
with effect from 1 February 2000. In 2001–02 the charity undertook major conservation work. This included restoring the salmon-pink limewash in the interior, and repairing the stained glass.
rubble
, with dressings in Beer stone. It has a slate
roof. The plan consists of a rectangular building in one cell with no division between the nave
and chancel
. It is supported by corner buttress
es. The ends are gable
d and coped
; at the west end is a bellcote, and at the east end is an apex cross. There are three two-light windows in each side wall and a three-light window in each end; all contain Perpendicular tracery
. There are two doors, one at the west end, the other on the south side.
Internally the roof dates from the 15th century; it is a continuous open wagon roof and contains oak bosses
with foliage carving. The carved oak chancel screen dating from the same period is panelled
and includes blind arcarding
. It was painted in the 19th century. Some of red, blue and green paint is still present. The remainder of the furniture dates from the 19th century. The chapel is floored with red and black tiles, and it contains memorials to members of the Ayshford family. The stained glass is said to be in Art Deco
style. There is a single bell inscribed with the date 1657.
Ayshford
Ayshford is a village in Devon, England....
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches is a registered charity active in England and Wales. It campaigns for and rescues redundant historic churches threatened by demolition, decay, or inappropriate conversion. To that end, as of August 2010, it owns 43 former churches or chapels, 23 of which...
. It is situated to the south of the manor house of Ayshford Court, and to the north of the Grand Western Canal
Grand Western Canal
The Grand Western Canal ran between Taunton in Somerset and Tiverton in Devon in the United Kingdom. The canal had its origins in various plans, going back to 1796, to link the Bristol Channel and the English Channel by a canal, bypassing Lands End...
.
History
The chapel was built in the 15th century for the Ayshford (or Ashford) family of the nearby Ayshford Court. It was renovated during the 19th century. This renovation included installation of stained glass; this was the first signed work by the glass painter John Toms of WellingtonWellington, Somerset
Wellington is a small industrial town in rural Somerset, England, situated south west of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district, near the border with Devon, which runs along the Blackdown Hills to the south of the town...
. Since it was declared redundant, the chapel has been maintained by the charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
, the Friends of Friendless Churches, who hold a 125 year lease
Leasehold estate
A leasehold estate is an ownership of a temporary right to land or property in which a lessee or a tenant holds rights of real property by some form of title from a lessor or landlord....
with effect from 1 February 2000. In 2001–02 the charity undertook major conservation work. This included restoring the salmon-pink limewash in the interior, and repairing the stained glass.
Architecture
Ayshford Chapel is constructed in local Westleigh chertChert
Chert is a fine-grained silica-rich microcrystalline, cryptocrystalline or microfibrous sedimentary rock that may contain small fossils. It varies greatly in color , but most often manifests as gray, brown, grayish brown and light green to rusty red; its color is an expression of trace elements...
rubble
Rubble
Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture. This word is closely connected in derivation with "rubbish", which was formerly also applied to what we now call "rubble". Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as brash...
, with dressings in Beer stone. It has a slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roof. The plan consists of a rectangular building in one cell with no division between the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
. It is supported by corner buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es. The ends are gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d and coped
Coping (architecture)
Coping , consists of the capping or covering of a wall.A splayed or wedge coping slopes in a single direction; a saddle coping slopes to either side of a central high point....
; at the west end is a bellcote, and at the east end is an apex cross. There are three two-light windows in each side wall and a three-light window in each end; all contain Perpendicular tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
. There are two doors, one at the west end, the other on the south side.
Internally the roof dates from the 15th century; it is a continuous open wagon roof and contains oak bosses
Boss (architecture)
In architecture, a boss is a knob or protrusion of stone or wood.Bosses can often be found in the ceilings of buildings, particularly at the intersection of a vault. In Gothic architecture, such roof bosses are often intricately carved with foliage, heraldic devices or other decorations...
with foliage carving. The carved oak chancel screen dating from the same period is panelled
Panelling
Panelling is a wall covering constructed from rigid or semi-rigid components. These are traditionally interlocking wood, but could be plastic or other materials....
and includes blind arcarding
Blind arcade
A blind arcade is an arcade that is composed of a series of arches that has no actual openings and that is applied to the surface of a wall as a decorative element: i.e. the arches are not windows or openings but are part of the masonry face. It is designed as an ornamental architectural element,...
. It was painted in the 19th century. Some of red, blue and green paint is still present. The remainder of the furniture dates from the 19th century. The chapel is floored with red and black tiles, and it contains memorials to members of the Ayshford family. The stained glass is said to be in Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style. There is a single bell inscribed with the date 1657.