Zion Chapel
The Zion Chapel was on Highgate just to the south of the Marvic Hotel (now Milne Moser solicitors and estate agents). It is now the Kendal United Reformed Church (website). The original church building was through the arch but is now no longer used as a church - the United Reformed Church has moved to the front of the premises on the street frontage. There is a high banking behind the old church with Garth Heads above. The hall at the rear of the church was the venue for the Zion Badminton Club, Sunday school, 6th Kendal Girl Guides and Brownies, jumble sales, MIND (charity), ballet school (lecture room left under arch), Zion Youth Club (above lecture room)playgroup.
The church has a 2 manual organ made in Wilkinson' Organ Works on Aynam Road - The William Henry Somervell Memorial Organ.
History
"Kendal United Reformed Church was built as Zion Congregational Chapel in 1898 to replace an earlier, adjacent chapel of 1844. The chapel was designed by the local architect, Stephen Shaw F.R.I.B.A. The foundation stone was laid on 10 September by Miss Whitwell and Mrs W H Somervell and the chapel opened on 5 October 1898. It provided seating for 389 people on the ground floor and 268 in the galleries. In 1923, the original plaster ceiling fell and was replaced with pine boarding. The URC was established in 1972 as the union of the Congregational Church of England and Wales and the Presbyterian Church of England; the Kendal Zion Congregational Church and St John’s Presbyterian Church voted to join this union. They amalgamated in 1980 and decided to use the Zion premises. The organ was inserted into the apse in 1936 as a memorial to William Henry Somervell (1860-1934)." Historic England - Listed Building entry
