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- 13a - Tower & Spire |
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The spire of Prescot church, high on its hill, stands as a beacon
of hope for the surrounding region. It was used as a
trigonometrical point for the first ordnance survey. The 150 foot
spire is surmounted by a golden lion weather vane, an emblem of
King's College, Cambridge.
There were already bells here in 1291 and money was left for a new bell-tower in 1393. There have been several re-buildings since. The first stages of the present tower (designed by Henry Sephton) bear the inscription 'Conditum anno domini 1729', testifying to their rebuilding in that year. The spire of that date (also designed by Sephton) was destroyed by lightning in 1797 and the upper portion was again rebuilt, following decay, in 1992.
There seems no basis whatever for the often repeated claim that the 1729 spire was designed by Hawksmoor.
Photos Copyright:- Jamie Williams
