Overcrowding in church graveyards became a serious health risk during the mid 19th century. This led to the Burial Act of 1853. This Act empowered local authorities outside London to manage their own cemeteries. In Ash, this led to the creation of Ash Chapel and its burial ground.
In 1886, the Ash Vestry decided a new burial ground was needed. They appointed a Burial Board to oversee the project. By the end of 1887, they had purchased a field near St Peter’s Church for £152.
The estimated cost for the burial ground and a chapel was £970. This included £360 for the Ash Chapel itself. The contract went to Tompsett and Kingham, who used Bath Stone for the construction. The chapel, about 25 feet long and 14 feet wide, featured a high-pitched tiled roof and a large wooden south doorway.
Inside Ash Chapel original furnishings like the pulpit and vestments cupboard remained. The organ, still in working condition today, stands as a testament to the chapel’s history.
In 1921, Henry Morris Chester, a local benefactor, donated a stained-glass window in memory of the men lost in the Great War. This beautiful window, crafted by J Wippel & Company of Exeter and London, still graces the east end of the Ash Chapel. Today, Ash Chapel serves as a museum, showcasing the history of Ash and the surrounding area.