About Us

Holy Trinity Salway Ash is part of the Beaminster Area Team Ministry which covers 50 square miles of beautiful rural West Dorset. The team consists of 14 individual parishes plus the chapel in the grounds of Mapperton House. Our worship shows a wonderful variety of styles ranging from services from the Book of Common Prayer to the child-centred Messy Church, with music a vital part of our activities.

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This interesting church, described by Sir Nikolaus Pevsner as "rather Home Counties with tilled roofs", is brilliantly sited to take advantage of its high commanding position. At 250 feet above sea level, the views are wonderful.

Prior to the building of the present church, the vicar of Beaminster and Netherbury, the Reverend William Bookland BA, built a chapel of ease at Coles Ash, which opened in 1842. Although called a chapel of ease, the new building was only a licensed room for divine services. This meant that funerals and weddings had to be conducted at Netherbury. The chapel doubled during the week as a schoolroom and the arrangement continued until the opening of Holy Trinity and it remains part of the school to this day.

The foundation stone for the new church was laid by a Mrs. Reeves on 5th August 1887 and the church was consecrated on 17th January 1890. The church is in the early English style by architects Crickmay of Weymouth.

The organ is by The Sweetland Organ Co. of Bath and cost £125.00. It was pumped by hand for 47 years, until 1951 when it was electrified. Electric light was installed in 1947.

The chancel stained glass is of 1895.