A chapel was built on High Street in 1800 for the followers of William Gadsby who used to walk from Hinckley to preach in Desford. Gadsby was ordained here. Unfortunately, we have found no picture or photograph of the chapel but it is thought to have resembled a brick built barn with a simple wooden pulpit and pews. Gadsby would preach in Hinckley in the morning and walk to Desford to preach in the afternoon. Gadsby’s pulpit survived and last year it was tracked down in Luton and donated to Hinckley Museum.

 

The chapel went into disuse and disrepair around 1900 and was eventually pulled down.

 

The last person to be buried here was William Gregory, a shoemaker of Vine Cottage, in 1922, but his tombstone is not amongst those remaining in the graveyard. See list of gravestones.

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In 2021 a blue plaque was installed in the graveyard to acknowledge the connection to William Gadsby. Desford Parish Council and volunteers from the Community Action Group have worked together to improve access to the graveyard and make it a peaceful place to sit.