Inspiring Spire

By Henry Harington

Not many of Luccombe’s residents have the opportunity to ascend the tower of our village church, Saint Mary the Virgin. I recently accompanied a surveyor who is investigating the possibility that a mobile telephone mast could be installed on top of the tower that would, for the first time, give Luccombe mobile phone reception. The project, that may be repeated in a number of local churches, is being overseen by the Diocese of Bath & Wells. Advances and the miniaturisation of technology mean that the mobile phone equipment will not visually impact the tower. The surveying is at a preliminary stage. Once it progresses villagers will have the opportunity of commenting on the desirability of the installation.

While accompanying the surveyors to the top of the church tower I took the opportunity to take a few photographs that I hope will be appreciated by those who don’t haven’t climbed the tower or who suffer from worse vertigo than I do and could not face the incredibly narrow, steep, spiral stair case!

The spiral stairs rise from the narthex, the entrance porch, at the rear (western) end of the church. The first level houses the workings of the faceless clock that used to peal the time over Luccombe. A few years ago the winding device crashed through the ceiling of the tower into the narthex destroying a robustly built wooden seat.  Fortunately the church was not in use at the time. The clock has been silent since.

The second stage is the bell room where campanologists (bell ringers) ply their musical skills and which is well lit by a charming, leaded casement. The bell room displays a number of citations to bell ringing events that are normally only seen by bell ringers. The next stage up is the bell loft that houses the church’s pealing bells. The final stage takes one to the top of the tower and the spectacular views over the village.

Click on the images below for more info about each one.