Holy Trinity Church

All Welcome.

Second Sunday at 9.30am

Fourth Sunday at 11.15am

See the ‘Villager‘  ( website Home page ) for full details of all services in the Benefice in the current month.

Holy Trinity Church, Ash Priors in the Milverton Benefice, of the Tone Deanery, of the Diocese of Bath & Wells, is the Parish Church of the small Somerset village. The earliest record of this Church is in 1084.

The Church is situated in the centre of the village. The village of Ash was ceded to Taunton Priory in the 14th century as its mother church. This led to the village being known as “Ash Priors”. Parts of the church are dated to circa 1140 and there is some evidence of a much older church on this site.

A largely symmetrical Church with Chancel Nave, north and south Aisles, a vestry to the south of the chancel, west tower and North Porch. Walls are of random red sandstone rubble with Ham and Bath stone dressings.

The North Aisle appears to have been built in the 15th century and includes a projection for a Rood stair. The Nave and parts of the Chancel could predate this. The South Aisle was added in 1833 and this probably included moving the south Nave windows outwards to the new Aisle wall, as well as adding new east and west Aisle windows.

Holy Trinity Church is the parish church and used by villagers for marriages, christenings, funeral services and remembrance days in front of our war graves. The graveyard is a history of the village. The churchyard is well-maintained, including floral displays along with regularly used seating for the enjoyment of locals, walkers, cyclists and other visitors. – despite the precipitous unfenced fall on the neighbours greenhouse along the southern edge.

Our census population is below 150 but the community is very active. Church members have formed part of the village helpline during this past year, as well as arranging online services and telephone friends.

The church has served the village for centuries and in return the villagers have looked after the church. Without a safe and functioning church the village would lose the backbone of their community.

The Parish Meeting (we are one of the 2 or 3 villages in England that have no Parish Council but a meeting of all residents), and the Village Hall are all in firm support of our Church and village Heritage.

There was a comprehensive reordering in 1873-4 with grants from the Incorporated Church Building Society. The fabric suggests that this included reroofing including new roof structures, reflooring and a scheme of re-pewing to include ‘free’ seats. The Vestry at the southeast, and the interior fittings of the font, pulpit reredos and altar also date from this time.

National Grid Reference: ST 15178
Somerset Historic Environment Record no Historic England List entry Number: 1344823 Grade:II*
An Excepted Charity – The Charities (Exception from Registration) Regulations 1996
Pevsner Architectural Guides – South and West Somerset: page 99
‘Memorials of Ash Priors (1908)” – Arthur Wilfred Baynham
Baynham book – https://archive.org/details/memorialsashpri00bayngoog

Holy Trinity Church is situated in Ash Priors, Taunton, Somerset. It is part of the Tone Deanery in the Diocese of Bath and Wells within the Church of England.

The correspondence addresses at year end are:

• Revd Helene Stainer – Rector
  The Vicarage, Parsonage Lane, Milverton, TA4 1LR
  milverton.vicarage@gmail.com
• Mr John Taylor – Churchwarden
  The Mill, Ash Priors, Taunton, TA4 3NQ
  ashpriorsmill@gmail.com
• Dr Simon Harrison – Treasurer
  Park Gate Lodge, Ash Priors, Taunton, TA4 3NF
  srbharrison@me.com

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is a charity excepted from registration with the Charity Commission.

PCC members who have served at any time since AGM 2024 until the date this report was approved are:

• Incumbent – Chair – Revd Helene Stainer
• Community Chaplain Sandra Lee

Wardens:
John Taylor
Peter Lock (Emeritus)

Secretary  Ros MacDonald

Elected members:
Jill Taylor
Maria de Broë Ferguson
Patricia Cruikshank
Ros MacDonald

Co-opted members:
Simon Harrison (treasurer)

Hon Independant Examiner:
Mr Christopher Close

The ecclesiastical arm of the three village groups; administrative, spiritual and secular.