Listed Building record MDR12580 - United Reformed Church, Derby Road, Ashbourne

United Reformed Church, Derby Road, Ashbourne, built c1800. 'Zion Chapel (Congregational) was founded by Mr John Cooper in 1801, and in 1868 it was remodelled, enlarged, and an organ chamber added, at a cost of £2,000. It is a handsome building of brick and stone, capable of seating 400.' (1) This building no longer appears to be in use as a place of worship [2011]. (2) From the National Heritage List for England: 'SK1746 ASHBOURNE DERBY ROAD 822/1/10003 The United Reformed Church GV II Non-Conformist church, attached railings, gatepiers and boundary wall. c1800, with later C19 remodelling. Endowed by Mr John Cooper of London, formerly of Ashbourne, d.1808. Red brick, laid to Flemish bond, with ashlar sandstone dressings, coped gable to front and Welsh slated roof. FRONT (north-east) ELEVATION: wide pedimented gable rising from a plain brick plinth with ashlar plinth band. Central doorway with curved heads to panelled and part-glazed double doors with curved heads beneath a banded segmental arch. This is now enclosed by a late C19 open porch with semi-circular arched openings, the arches and keystones of moulded ashlar. Above, a parapet balustrade with moulded balusters. Flanking the porch are tall window openings rising from a plain cill band with stilted semi-circular arched heads of ashlar sandstone, below gauged brick outer arches. Each window opening is set back within a wider arch headed opening, also with gauged brickwork to the arch. The arches rise from a moulded base expressed as an interrupted band across the elevation, which is set above an interrupted string course. Between the outer openings, a central arched window opening rises from the level of the balustrade. The opening is subdivided into 2 semi-circular headed lights supporting a circular light, all in ashlar, the central mullion a circular column with a foliated capital. Window frames with glazing bars and margin lights. Low wall to street frontage with ramped central section carrying porch front wall. Entrances to either side with low, square, ashlar capped gatepiers supporting ornamental cast-iron gates. Matching railings to ramped walling and to north-east corner of chapel, linked to gatepier of north entrance. INTERIOR: Not inspected, but known to retain an east end gallery with tiered benches and pilastered frontage supported on 2 tapered cast-iron columns with lotus leaf capitals. Queen post roof trusses with pendant finials are carried on side wall corbels. C20 stained glass to south side windows, and to window openings flanking the apsidal organ recess and pipe organ at the west end. Arched opening to organ recess defined by pilasters with foliated capitals. Wall monuments to John Cooper (d. 1808) and the Rev. Alexander Start (d. 1843) below the gallery. The chapel is attached to the range of almshouses to the north (item 1/126) which was also endowed by John Cooper. Listing NGR: SK1813046302.' (3)