Listed Building record MDR12580 - Former Zion Methodist Chapel, Derby Road, Ashbourne

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) A grade II listed Non-Conformist church, including attached railings, gatepiers and boundary wall. It was built circa 1800, with later 19th century remodelling. It was endowed by Mr John Cooper of London, formerly of Ashbourne, d.1808. It is built of red brick, laid to Flemish bond, with ashlar sandstone dressings, a coped gable to front and a Welsh slated roof. The front elevation has a wide pedimented gable rising from a plain brick plinth with an ashlar plinth band. There is a 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 19th century open porch with semi-circular arched openings, the arches and keystones of moulded ashlar. 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 two semi-circular headed lights supporting a circular light, all in ashlar, the central mullion a circular column with a foliated capital. There is a low wall to the street frontage, with a ramped central section carrying porch front wall. There are 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 the gatepier of the north entrance. The interior is known to retain an east end gallery, with tiered benches and pilastered frontage supported on two tapered cast-iron columns with lotus leaf capitals. Queen post roof trusses with pendant finials are carried on side wall corbels. There is 20th century stained glass to the south side windows, and to window openings flanking the apsidal organ recess and pipe organ at the west end. The arched opening to organ recess is defined by pilasters with foliated capitals. There are wall monuments to John Cooper (d. 1808) and the Rev. Alexander Start (d. 1843) below the gallery. The chapel is attached to a range of almshouses to the north, which was also endowed by John Cooper. (2) This building no longer appears to be in use as a place of worship [2011]. (3)