Work has begun on a £500,000 scheme to renovate Standish’s St Wilfrid’s Church spire.

The steeple – a landmark for the village and surrounding area for more than 150 years – requires full restoration after architects discovered substantial disrepair.

The church launched a Save Standish Spire appeal and organised fundraising events and activities which have brought in tens of thousands of pounds for the project.

The proceeds have been supplemented by a large donation from the church itself and a substantial grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which will also pay for a project to promote the history of the Grade I-listed building to the community.

Rev Andrew Halliday, Rector of St Wilfrid's CE church is delghted as the restoration on a Wigan landmark is about to begin after a successful fund-raising appeal

placeholder image — Rev Andrew Halliday, Rector of St Wilfrid's CE church is delghted as the restoration on a Wigan landmark is about to begin after a successful fund-raising appeal

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Scaffolding has now reached the top of the church’s 130ft spire, enclosing it for the restoration project which will address structural problems and fix the broken clock.

The repairs are expected to be completed by about October.

Described as “one of the most interesting churches in Lancashire”, when St Wilfrid’s was rebuilt in the 1580s, the tower and spire from the previous medieval church were retained but, in 1814, the spire was badly damaged after being struck by lightning and eventually blew down during a storm in 1822.

The work is expected to be complete by October

The replacement spire was badly designed and out of proportion to the church and, in 1867, it was decided a new one should be built.

The present 155-year-old spire, surmounted by a weather vane in the form of the Standish family crest, the owl and the rat, sits on top of a tower which houses a peel of eight bells.

The bells 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, but are now silent during the repairs.

The £500,000 target for the work has almost been reached and the church has recently launched a guidebook to help raise money.

The 57-page guidebook is entitled Parish Church of St Wilfrid Standish and will cost £7. It currently has a limited print run of only 500 copies.

You can buy the book from the Parish Office, in the Parish Hall next to the church, which is open 10am-12pm each weekday.