Zion House And Attached Railings And Gateways

Zion House is a Congregational chapel, dating from 1830 and originally built for John Hare. It has since been converted into offices. The building is constructed of Pennant stone rubble with limestone ashlar detailing, topped with a slate roof. It is designed with an open plan and in a Classical style. The two-storey structure, along with a basement, features a five-window facade. A prominent portico features tetrastyle-in-antis cast-iron Tuscan columns, supporting a deep entablature that extends at the ends. The pediment contains a louvred oculus above a wide blank panel decorated with relief palmettes. Four steps lead up to a flagged area beneath the portico, where a Greek Revival doorway is centrally located. Flanked by a battered, eared architrave, the doorway is accompanied by nine-light windows on either side, with an architrave detail extending to the ground floor. Plain doorways are found within the interior walls. Single ground-floor windows sit either side of the portico, characterised by segmental-arched heads and rubble relieving arches beneath, each with nine lights and margin bars. Tall, semicircular-arched windows are present on the first floor, each with eighteen lights, and moulded hoods with palmette stops to the side windows. The central three windows are set back under the pediment and linked by an impost band. The side elevations comprise two storeys and a basement, with five bays divided by rubble pilaster strips. Ashlar detailing includes a plinth and band that extends around from the front to form an impost band to the basement windows and a sill band to the first floor. The interior features a nave enclosed by a ceiling inserted around 1980, and a gallery supported by eight reeded and fluted Ionic columns, with a balcony featuring overlapping ring decoration. Stone winder stairs, complete with a curtail and cast-iron rail, are located on either side of the portico, leading to the first floor. A former school room occupied the basement. The property is enclosed by iron railings with bud tops, accompanied by two gateways with piers of single Pennant stone and caps. The gates themselves feature overthrow arches with lamp baskets. These elements form a strong presence marking the entrance to Bedminster.