Save Standish Spire Appeal halfway to its £500,000 target – but time is running out

The 130ft structure at St Wilfrid’s CE Church has towered above Standish for more than 150 years, but architects have discovered problems with its fabric which means it could collapse if vital repairs are not carried out.

A money-spinning appeal was launched this time last year and has so far raised £276,000 – with a substantial amount coming from the church’s own funds but with generous donations from people across Standish and beyond.

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But the clock is ticking to hit the fund-raising target for the restoration – which includes mending the broken clock – as it needs to begin next February to prevent costs spiralling.

Rector, Rev Andrew Holliday, said: “We are so grateful to everyone who has donated to the Save Standish Spire Appeal. People have been very generous but we need more people to come forward to give towards these vital repairs.

“The community of Standish has been looking after St Wilfrid’s Church since the building was built in the late 1500s and it is bound up in the history of the village. It is now our turn to ensure this wonderful building survives for coming generations and I have no doubt the people and businesses of Standish will meet that challenge.

“We have been advised that the repairs to the spire need to begin as soon as possible so time is running out for our appeal. We try many ways to raise the money needed – including applying for grants – but donations from the public are vital for us to achieve our goal.

The church was described by the authors of the Buildings of England as “one of the most interesting churches in Lancashire”. When rebuilt in the 1580s, the tower and spire from the previous mediaeval church were retained.

But, in 1814, the spire was badly damaged by lightning and eventually blew down during a storm in 1822. The replacement was badly designed and out of proportion to the church and, in 1867, it was decided another should be built.

The present 155-year-old spire, with a weather vane in the form of the Standish family crest, the owl and the rat, sits atop a tower housing a peel of eight bells that have been rung to mark many notable events, from the Jacobite defeat at Preston in 1715 to the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

David Johnson, chairman of the Save Standish Spire appeal, said: “We are delighted that the community of Standish – and people far and wide who love St Wilfrid’s Church – have been able to give donations to our appeal.

"But we need one final push to reach our goal to pay for this vital restoration, which will preserve the spire for decades to come.

"Standish spire is a well-loved landmark and we need to ensure it towers over our village in perpetuity.”

To contribute, visit the church’s Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/save-standish-spire or send a cheque with “Spire” on the back to The Parish Office, St Wilfrid's Parish Hall, Church Street, Standish, Wigan, WN6 0JT.