Guidebook launch to help raise money for Wigan spire restoration
A glossy guidebook detailing the history and architecture of Wigan’s only Grade I listed building is being launched to raise money for its renovation.
The Save Standish Spire appeal has created the full-colour souvenir guide, packed with photos and stories of the church, which is almost 500 years old.
Standish St Wilfrid’s launched the £500,000 appeal when architects discovered the need for vital repairs and fundraising events and activities have brought in tens of thousands of pounds.
The appeal has been given a large donation from the church itself and a substantial grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
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.
Rev Andrew Holliday, Rector of St Wilfrid’s CE Church, said: “We are delighted with our new guidebook, which celebrates this wonderful building – truly a gem in the heart of Standish and, indeed, the whole of Wigan Borough.
“It is a stunning retelling of the story of our church, from medieval times until the present day, and the amazing treasures, both aesthetically and historically, that are contained within it.
“Everyone is welcome in church for our launch event, to have a look round and buy a copy and we hope many people will come, especially those who have not yet seen inside this stunning building.”
The church was described by the authors of the ‘Buildings of England’ 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 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 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.
David Johnson, Chairman of the Save Standish Spire appeal, said: “This guidebook is just one of the many fundraising projects for Save Standish Spire and we hope it will be as successful as the rest.
“Generous donations have meant we can now start work to preserve the spire – an iconic landmark in the local area – so it can be enjoyed by generations to come. But we still need to raise more money to reach our target.”
The guidebook launch event is in the church on Saturday, April 26, from 11am to 2pm.
You can also buy the book from the Parish Office, in the Parish Hall next to the church, which is open 10am-12pm each weekday.