Bible House was built for the British and Foreign Bible Society, and so is a reminder of those early years of Protestant missionary zeal.

It is architecturally significant as one of the best examples of secular Gothic Revival style to survive in Adelaide. The use of this style for secular buildings is unusual in Adelaide. We might notice the detailing of the building which includes: the large front window, the four-centred arch doorway, and the corner corbelled oriel window.

The building is important to the streetscape of Coromandel Place and is distinctive as part of the Grenfell Street streetscape.

The interior has been modernized to accommodate a coffee shop, but it is claimed that the changes are superficial.

So, who was Bertram? Jon Russack from the Bible Society has searched through the Bible Society’s annual reports and found that the property from the time it was purchased in 1887 until its sale in the early 1960’s, was always referred to as ‘Bible House’. Perhaps the name ‘Bertram House’ was given later?