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Entry Prices

The Chapel of St Lawrence Heritage Centre is completely free to view but welcomes donations from visitors.


Opening Times

The Chapel is open during the summer season from May to the end of September from 2.00pm to 4.30pm Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays.

Parties and other bookings can be made outside of normal season by Appointment. (see contact details at the bottom of the main page)
The school at St. Lawrence Chapel produced many worthy scholars, including the following:

John Dunning (1713 - 1783)
Became the greatest lawyer Devon has produced and rose to the peerage, becoming the first Lord Ashburton and a descendant was responsible for the founding of Ashburton, New Zealand. He was related by marriage to the Baring (Banking) family.

William Gifford (1776 - 1826)
became the first editor of The Quarterly Review and is buried in Westminster Abbey.

John Ireland (1761 - 1842)
became Dean of Westminster and officiated at the Coronations of William IV, George IV and Queen Victoria.

Richard Carlile (1790 - 1843)
became one of the greatest fighters for the freedom of the press, freedom of speech and free discussion.

 St Lawrence Chapel
The Chapel of St Lawrence is one of Ashburton's oldest and most interesting buildings. It started its life as a private chapel for the Bishop of Exeter. Ashburton was held by Bishop Stapledon who was Lord of the Manor and stayed in his 'Palace' in the Town.

In 1314 he gave the Chapel to the Town to be administered by the original Guild of St Lawrence, led by the Portreeve of the day on the stipulation that a Chantry School was maintained there. This evolved into a Grammar School, which celebrated 600 years of history in 1914. The school closed in 1938 due to a fall in numbers but the building was still used as an annex to the county and primary schools until 1994. The building also housed the town's library for over forty years and the Town's museum.

At present the local community, through a reformed Guild of St Lawrence in partnership with the Dartmoor National Park Authority, is providing this unique building's continued use as a Heritage Centre throughout the summer season (see opening times, left).

The Courts Leet and Baron and the Portreeve have used it for many centuries and many other town groups also use the recently improved facilities for community events. (For more information on community use of rooms please call - 01364 652380)

" Bishop Stapledon granted his chapel to the town, provided that they appoint a chantry priest who would say prayers for his soul
and all the Bishops of Exeter,
past and future. "


For more pictures and a more in-depth look around the Chapel visit the Chapels official website at: www.stlawrencechapel.ik.com
Chapel Opening Times: 2.00pm - 4.30pm Tue, Thu, Fri & Sat May 1st - September 30th
Address  St Lawrence Chapel
St Lawrence Lane
Ashburton
Devon
 Phone  01364 652073 or 01364 653414
Fax   
Email  stlawrencechapel@ashburton.org


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