Mount Zion Church, Church Road, Quarriers Village

Mount Zion Church, built in 1888 to the design of architect Robert Alexander Bryden, is a Gothic church with significant later additions and alterations dating to circa 1900 and circa 1910. It stands as a prominent landmark within Quarriers Village.

The building is a seven-bay asymmetric-plan church dominated by a distinctive five-stage square tower with an ogee roof in the Baronial style, topped with a clock. A two-bay two-stage transept extension projects to the northwest, added around 1910. A two-stage gallery extends to the northeast, created when the nave was extended circa 1900. Single-storey offices occupy the southwest elevation.

The exterior is constructed of squared and tooled sandstone with ashlar margins; the base course features bull-faced sandstone. Horizontal divisions are marked by a base course, first-floor string course, and eaves course. Buttresses divide the bays, culminating in finialled gables. Windows throughout are stone mullioned and transomed, featuring tripartite cusped designs in the main elevations and geometric and cusped windows in the two-stage galleries.

The principal southeastern elevation displays six bays with windows recessed within segmental-arched surrounds. Buttresses between the bays are embellished with carved foliate motifs set within circular panels. A two-stage gabled bay to the right features a segmental-arched ground-floor window and a pointed-arched first-floor window set within a label-stopped hoodmould.

The northwestern rear elevation comprises three bays plus a two-stage gabled bay to the left, matching the southeastern design. A two-storey transept extension projects to the right, with two bays set in a re-entrant angle. These bays have segmental-arched ground-floor windows and pointed-arched upper windows. The end elevation displays a four-part pointed-arched window above and a four-part cusped segmental-arched window below, flanked by single cusped lancets at ground level.

The southwestern elevation features a gabled entrance bay with a three-leaf timber boarded door set within a segmental-arched surround inscribed "THEY SHALL ABUNDANTLY UTTER THE MEMORY OF THY GREAT GOODNESS". To the left stands a bipartite cusped lancet window. A gabled bay to the right contains a rose window. Advanced single-storey offices, possibly of later date, occupy the remainder of this elevation, featuring a central bay with a four-light window, flanking single windows, and flanking gabled bays with bipartite windows, all within roll-moulded openings.

The northeastern elevation displays a gable between flanking buttressed engaged octagonal towers with blind lancets above the eaves. A segmental-arched entrance features a shouldered doorway and timber boarded two-leaf door, flanked by a plaque bearing a religious scene and the inscription "PRAISE YE THE LORD". Short lancets flank the entrance, all contained within a continuous hoodmould. A string course divides the ground and first floors, with a pointed-arched traceried window set within a label-stopped hoodmould above.

The tower is accessed via the southeastern vestibule at its base, located in a re-entrant angle. The entrance comprises a timber four-leaf boarded door leading to a vestibule with two-leaf timber panelled and glazed inner doors. The lintel is inscribed "MOUNT ZION" with olive branches, and above stands a three-pane fanlight within a segmental-arched surround, flanked by short gabled buttresses. An engaged circular stair turret projects to the southwest, topped with a red tiled conical roof and featuring a single slit window. Each side of the tower contains three louvred round-arched transomed openings with stone balustrading to the lower sections, all within label-stopped hoodmoulds. A stringcourse runs below, and a recessed circular clock with a white face and black Roman numerals is positioned above. At the fourth floor, octagonal ogee-roofed bartizans with arrow slits and water spouts corbelled out at each corner alternate with bowed balustrrades corbelled out between them to form balconies. Segmental-arched surrounds frame the openings on each side, and ball finials crown the lead roofs.

The interior contains an outstanding decorative scheme. The southeastern vestibule features a mosaic tiled floor, dark-stained timber panelling to approximately half the height of the doorways, plastered walls, and a timber panelled ceiling stencilled with Gothic pattern-book designs featuring quatrefoils and Tudor roses. Timber panelled doors with corniced and dentilled overdoors are set within recessed segmental-arched surrounds.

The inner vestibule is laid with encaustic tiles and features timber panelling to the lower walls and doors. Stone steps descend to a toilet and rear hall. A wall-mounted white marble drinking fountain and an oak commemorative plaque are displayed here. The timber panelled ceiling features a naturalistic Tynecastle Tapestry in embossed paper. The entrance to the nave opens from this vestibule.

The nave features a ribbed vaulted ceiling with a ridge rib and timber diaper-pattern panelling to the lower wall sections. Foliate carved corbels divide the bays, and vaulting shafts with stiff leaf capitals support the vault. Timber pews occupy the floor, and a timber-balustraded gallery at the northeast is inscribed in gilt. Gallery benches are fitted with hinged hymn-book shelves. A modern partition below the gallery contains a timber barrel-vaulted area. A pair of two-leaf timber doors opens to the principal entrance vestibule. Historically, the Quarrier family pew was located at the rear but has since been removed.

The chancel contains a Tudor arch framing the organ, with a stained glass rose window behind. The organ case is constructed of Gothic panelled oak with relief-carved cherubs at each end and foliate carved spandrels. A panel features a gilt cross above a shield plaque dated 1899. An integral bench and a raised platform, possibly of later date, occupy the chancel, together with oak church furniture.

The transept, to the right of the chancel, features a steeply raked gallery with bench pews above a partitioned area now housing a museum to Quarrier's Village, with the pews removed. The gallery is accessed via a wellstair tiled to the dado, with a timber newel post and iron quatrefoil balustrade. A mosaic-floored inner hall contains plain leaded cusped windows.

The principal entrance vestibule features an oak two-leaf panelled door with a dentilled cornice. Flanking stairs ascend to the gallery above, fitted with oak newel posts and a handrail, together with a wrought-iron balustrade. The floor is laid in mosaic tiles with plain tiles featuring foliate-moulded dados. Doors in Gothic surrounds open to toilets in a re-entrant, fitted with stained glass panels. A bronze low-relief plaque depicts William Quarrier and his wife Isabella.

The stained glass throughout is of significance. A rose window features a central panel depicting a dove. Windows to the nave and northwest gallery display Aesthetic-style painted designs with fruit and flowers. Later stained glass windows to the northeast gallery represent Prayer, Praise, Hope and Faith through figurative designs.

Original timber sash and case plate glass windows remain in the offices. Grey slate roofs with flat skews and terra cotta ridges, crested to the hall at the southeast and to the roof of the nave, are finished with cast-iron rainwater goods.

The cemetery extends to the lower ground to the north of the church, bounded by a low rubble wall and accessed via stone steps with a low coped and iron-railed sandstone wall. Sandstone piers support wrought-iron gates. The cemetery contains headstones of William Quarrier, his family and others. A retaining wall displays a bronze plaque commemorating the children of Quarrier's Homes. A coped sandstone wall with pierced foils, transitioning to railings and piers, separates the church from the cemetery.