Zion Hill Chapel, Tisbury

In 1669 a group met for Independent worship at the house of Samuel Coombes in Chicksgrove, and for many years Dissenters continued to meet at Chicksgrove. By 1725 they were large enough and strong enough to build their own chapel on the High Street in Tisbury, despite opposition from the established church. The chapel was built at night by quarrymen and guarded by their wives and daughters during the daytime. Regrettably the opposition and vandalism of the building was encouraged by the Anglican church. Although the chapel was Congregational, the church government was Presbyterian in form. Some members left the chapel after 1782 to join the Congregational chapel established by Mrs Turner.

In 1796-7 a Congregational form of government was introduced and the two factions reunited in 1797. The congregation continued to grow in numbers and it was decided to build a larger chapel on a site between Cuff's Lane and Duck Street. £1,500 was raised by public subscription and the chapel, called Zion Hill, was opened on 1st June 1842. It was built from stone quarried from the northern side of the ground on which it stands. The hill is of solid rock and so no foundations were needed for the neo-Gothic building. It had a slate roof and could seat 410 people. A manse for the minister was completed in 1854 and in 1902 a new heating system and incandescent lights were installed.

The chapel thrived during the 19th and early 20th centuries but experienced a decline in numbers in the middle of the 20th century. During severe thunderstorms in 1977 the central pinnacle of the tower was struck and fell to the ground. When an examination was made it was discovered that there was serious deterioration in other parts of the chapel, and that repairs would prove too costly for the congregation. The members held separate services in the Methodist church and eventually merged with then as a URC/ Methodist church. Zion Hill was closed and later converted to a private house.