Pests devouring church spire that gave rise to Salisbury Cathedral
A CHURCH spire that was used as a model for Salisbury Cathedral is being eaten by pests, parishioners have warned, as they appeal for funds for the “urgent repairs”.
Inspections of Europe’s tallest lead-covered wooden spire at St Mary’s church in Long Sutton, Lincolnshire, have revealed significant infestations of deathwatch beetle and woodworm in its timber frame.
The local vicar has said that the state of the lead-clad structure is a “great worry”, with a structural engineer judging that the top part of the framework will need completely replacing. Parishioners are appealing for help to reach the £30,000 funding target for the necessary repair work, as the Church of England does not automatically finance building repairs.
The church was built in 1170 and some of the timber has been carbon dated to 1120.
The 162-feet tall structure was reputedly used as the model for the original Early English spire at Salisbury Cathedral.
Deathwatch beetles have however bored deep inside the wooden frame and woodworm have attacked the surfaces of the timber.
Fr Jonathan Sibley, vicar at St Mary’s, said: “It is a great worry that this very important historic structure is in need of such urgent repair and we hope that organisations and individuals will be generous enough to help fund it.
“At the moment the church architect, the structural engineers and the timber specialist are deciding on the best course of action.
The pests have also penetrated the wooden ladders and platforms which are used to access the structure, which makes repairs “difficult” and “dangerous”, he added.
A timber specialist working on the structure has also discovered a “special type of spider” in the frame which is eating the woodworm and the death watch beetles, which he believes should mean that chemical treatment is not needed to get rid of them, according to the vicar.
The timbers have been replaced and reinforced many times since the 13th century, most recently in the 1970s.
The spire is also a roosting place for bats, with the Bat Conservation Trust advising that any work should be carried out in April to avoid disturbing the creatures.
Rowan Williams, the former archbishop of Canterbury, paid a visit to the church in March and is a close friend of Fr Sibley, having met him when teaching theology in Cambridge in the 1970s.
Dr Williams, who held the most senior role in the Church of England until 2012, said of the church: “What is inspiring here is that the church is still very much part of the community, hundreds of people coming through the doors during flower festival week, and people have enough confidence in themselves to do things that are generally celebratory of the place they are in, whatever the challenges.”
Parishioners raised enough funds to pay for all the surveys that have taken place, however, more is needed to pay for the timber replacements.
In January, the Most Revd Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, acknowledged that many parishes’ finances are “stretched”, with analysis last year revealing that churchgoers had failed to return to services following the pandemic.
A Gofundme page set up to accept donations for the St Mary’s spire said: “We are at a point where this magnificent building can still be saved but we need everyone’s help.”
The vicar added that “all help will be gratefully received”.
The National Churches Trust has described St Mary’s architecture as “captivating” with “glorious furnishings”, having previously awarded the church a £10,000 grant for repairs and essential community facilities.
SIR – Much has been made of the falling numbers of worshippers in the Church of England, with special blame being laid on the shoulders of Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Letters, December 27).
While there are several attitudes and working practices within the Church that I disagree with, I do know that the early Christian story was effectively “gossiped” among the people who witnessed the events of Jesus’s life and death. They did not remain silent, but talked about what they had seen and heard, and how it affected them.
If we attend church and are part of a local congregation, just how much do we talk of God’s importance in our lives? Do we offer to help others, to pray for them and tell them about our experiences? Or do we keep quiet?
Empty pews are not just the responsibility of senior clergy or the diocese. We all, as people who attend church, have a role to play in telling others how God is involved in our lives.
Heather Erridge
Weston-super-mare, Somerset