Ayshford Chapel

ST 01 NW 4/15 5.4.66

BURLESCOMBE AYSHFORD Ayshford Chapel

GI Private chapel of the Ayshford/Ashford family.C15,renovated in the mid or late C19.Local chert stone rubble laid to rough courses,Beerstone detail;slate roof.Plan:rectangular aisleless block with diagonal corner buttresses containing a nave and chancel under a continuous roof and with a bellcote at the west end.It is pretty large for a private chapel in Devon.Exterior:the windows are restored to a greater or lesser extent.All have Perpendicular tracery and plain hoodmoulds;three two-light windows each side and a three-light window each end.There are two doorways,one in the west end and the other west of centre on the south side.Both are two-centred arches with moulded surrounds including caps to the shafts and they have C19 hoodmoulds.Both contain heavy studded oak doors with massive strap hinges.Along the wall plates are the original moulded oak wall plates.Each gable end has shaped kneelers and coping.The east gable is surmounted by a small apex cross and the west gable is surmounted by a small open-sided gabled bellcote.Interior:the roof is C15,a continuous wagon roof(now open)with moulded purlins,ribs and wall plate and has oak bosses carved with four-leaf motifs.C15 carved oak chancel screen;the panelled wainscotting has applied blind arcading,the windows are square-headed and contain slender Perpendicular tracery and the headbeam is carved but relatively plain.The screen was painted in the C19.The furniture is all C19.The floor is made up of C19 red and black tiles and the sanctuary includes the gravestone of one Sir Henry Ashford but the date of his death has worn off.Two good monuments:both are C17.In the sanctuary there is a black marble chest tomb in memory of Henry Ashford(died 1666).The inscription is on the plain flat lid which also includes the family coat of arms.The sides have an inscribed arcade which includes an inscribed text.The second is the marble mural monument on the north wall in memory of John Ashford(died 1689).It comprises a rectangular plaque flanked by Corinthian columns which carry a moulded entablature surmounted by the Ashford arms flanked by carved flaming urns.The columns sit on a shelf supported on consoles carved as cherubs heads.The apron is carved with swags,cherubs and the Ashford arms.There are more Ashford memorials in the Ashford Chapel in the Church of St Mary,Burlescombe(q.v.).This chapel forms part of a very attractive group of buildings associated with Ayshford Court(q.v.).

Listing NGR: ST0483315207