Press release: Historic church spire restored
First issued October 2023
A £300,000 repair project is nearing completion on a much loved local landmark.
The well known spire of St Andrew’s Church in Bebington has been shrouded in scaffolding since early this year, but the scaffolding is now being dismantled following completion of the repairs.
Rector of St Andrew’s Church, Revd David Vestergaard, said: “This spire was constructed to the glory of God and as a witness to the community, and has stood for centuries. It’s great to see it restored and able to continue to bear witness to future generations.”
The oldest part of St Andrew’s Church is believed to date from the 12th century (written records of 1093 show that Scirard de Lancelyn gave the chapel and several acres of land as an endowment to the new Abbey of St Werburgh in Chester which had been founded the year before). The tower and spire date from the 14th century (with the top part of the spire having been rebuilt in the 19th century). The windowsills to the lucarnes (window openings) in the spire had been eroded by centuries of rain from flat stones to a U shape, allowing water into the spire, and the carved stones over the openings were badly eroded with some starting to become dangerous.
The current repair project has involved repointing the entire spire and some of the tower; replacing eroded stonework; and replacing the tie rods at the top of the tower. The weathervane has also been refurbished, and the bird mesh over the openings and the lightning conductors replaced.
The total project cost was some £307,000 excluding VAT. The bulk of this was covered by a generous legacy to the church, supplemented by grants totalling £26,000 from Benefact Trust and Garfield Weston. The works have been carried out by Phillips & Curry, under the supervision of the church Architect, Bryan Martin, and Quantity Surveyor, Gordon Cain, and with the scaffolding provided by Jarvis Scaffolding.
Photos provided include a time capsule being placed inside the spire, by the Rector, Revd David Vestergaard, recording details of the project; and the refurbished weathervane being installed at the top of the spire.
Updated