The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-09-24 00:00:00

ST. MICHAEL'S SPIRE.-VIEW FROM THE TOP.

The scaffolding erected preparatory to the pulling down of
the spire surmounting the tower of St. Michael's Church,
which was shattered by the lightning on the morning of
Tuesday the 31st ultimo, having been completed up to the
ball and cross, we were last week induced to ascend to the
summit, in company with a friend, to obtain a bird's-eye
view of the town and the surrounding country. The day
was fine, and though the prospect was slightly dimmed by
the smoke that hung over the dense masses of buildings, and
the exhalation from the suburban fields evolved by the ardent
beams of the sun, the panoramic prospect, bounded by the
distant circle of the horizon, amply repaid the slight toil of
attaining an elevation to which we had never before aspired.

The ascent was somewhat difficult, and, it may be added,
occasionally perilous, for those who, like ourselves, are " all
unused to the climbing mood" ; and a short previous ap-
prenticeship to a slater would be no indiscreet preliminary
to the uninitiated who may undertake a timilar adventure.
We mounted by two flights of pretty long ladders to the roof
of the church at its south-east corner, an intermediate plat-
form being formed by the leaded top of the vestry-room. A
walk along the leads withi❑ the blocking, and thence to the
middle of the roof at the west end of the church, brought us
to another long ladder reaching to one of the large lower
windows of the tower over the clock ; and another, inside,
led us into the bell-loft. Successive ladders, with temporary
small scaffolds between them, took us to the height of the
lower tier of oval loop-boles above the base of the spire.
In our progress we marked the apparent direction and
destructive effects of the electric fluid, which appears to have
first struck the spire, which is octagonal, near its top, on
one of the mouldings at the south-west angle, and probably
passed down it in a somewhat spiral direction, shattering
much of the stone, breaking large fragments out of it in
several places,and leaving irregular rents and several large holes
freely admitting the light. The largest of these apertures is
close to the spring of the spire, on the north-west side. Se-
veral large pieces of stone " shot " from their position near
the top, fell upon the framework of the large bell, dis-
lodging it on one side from the socket or step on which it
swung, so that its lip on the south side rests on the floor.
The lightning, after passing down through the steeple, here
and there abrasing the stonework in its impetuous progress,
appears to have passed out through the thick wall, between
the ridge of the church-roof and clock-face, on the east side
of the tower, bursting away exteriorly considerable portions
of the large blocks of stone. It is worthy of remark, as ex-
emplary of the extraordinary freaks of lightning, that one of
the large stones about half way up the spire is split in two,
in a vertical direction, in the centre of the wall, and one-half
of it forced out an inch or two at one end, and the other
equally projected interiorly, in the form of the letter C re-
clined, or rather a more acute angle. Neither of the halves
is otherwise broken, so that an angular cavity is left between

Emerging from the interior by creeping out on our hands
and knees through one of the lower loop-holes above the
base of the spire we got upon the first or lower floor of the
exterior scaffolding, which ri.s.es to the top in the conical
. .

Form of the building, encircling it in eight successive stories
Jr heights, each of a little above two feet wide, and railed
and stayed exteriorly. The work of erecting these was.

I.otri the shattered and insecure state of thiit part of the

building, a work of considerable difficulty and danger; but
it was happily accomplished without accident, under the im-
mediate superintendence of Mr. Shadrach, foreman of Messrs.

'oster and Steward

The carpentry is ingeniously contrived : each scaffold is se-
cure in itself, forming as it were_a hoop round the spire,

tightly fitted, so that if the wood below any one of them were
removed, it would still securely stand, the weight being
almost solely on the spire itself. It became necessary, how-

;ver, for the workmen to secure the stone work where it was

dilapidated, by upright planks laid flat upon it here and
there. These form as it were, huge staves, and the scaffolds
being the hoops that secure them ; the shattered fabric may
be said to be " coopered up," in a manner sufficiently secure
for the purpose of taking it gradually down. We observed
also that for additional security several of the rents and holes

in the masonry are temporarily- made good with brick and

Roman cement

The view from any of the scaffolds is fine, but that from
the top, which we reached by a succession of small ladders
and little hatchways at the top of each, is of course; from its
elevation, the most extensive. The height of the tower is
157 feet 8 inches, and that of the spire 54 feet 10 inches, ex-
clusive of the cap and cross, which are 9 feet 6, making the
entire height of the building to the cross 222 feet from the
street. We mounted to the ball, and finally sat and stood
on the arms of the cross, which though it appeared small
from below, (for it is since removed) was three feet eight
inches in height over the ball, and three feet five inches
across. The diameter of the ball was one foot nine inches.
Both were supported, though in rather a fragile manner, by
a vertical copper rod, 1 inch in diameter, and wormed so as
to screw them down from the interior. This rod penetrates
the crow❑ stone, and the solid stone work which is 15 feet
in height. _ .

We may here remark that the spire is to be rebuilt pre-
cisely of its original height, and in the same form, but of su-
perior material and workmanship. The masonry, indeed, of
the steeple, (as we noticed at the time of the accident that
befel it) was defective from the first, the stone being poor

and soft, and withal insufficiently finished and jointed for a
work so much exposed to the weather. The ashler wall of
the spiral part is nine inches thick, and is but roughly
dressed inside with the pick. It was built by contract, with-
out being subjected to the wholesome surveillance of a com-
petent surveyor, as our present buildings properly are. Since
there appears to be a difficulty in securing the top part of our
spires, we do not see why light bronze castings might not be
substituted for stone for 15 or twenty feet of the attenuated
part, secured by an upight strong rod, sockettee into a
beam of timber reaching down to the tower, and stayed in-
teriorly to the walls. The top could not then be unsettled
by gales of wind unless the tower itself gave way, which is
improbable ; and we might then have the advantage of a
weather-cock, that best and most useful finish to a spire,
which our modern ecclesiastical architects appear to be afraid
to affix.
Considerable vibration of the cross and the slender stone-
work below was caused by our movement upon it. Indeed
the whole to a considerable distance down could be sensibly
put in vibratory motion by the hand ; and our companion—
very wisely we must say—declined ascending to the "
tip-
top."
We were here reminded of our excellent townsman Mr.
Samuel Hohne, who ascended the spire of St. George's sows
years ago, when it was undergoing repairs. Mr. Holme had
only ascended about half the height, when he suddenly be-
came unnerved and tremulous, and it was with great diffi-
culty Mr. H. was landed in Castle-ditch.
It is very evident that Mr. H. would not then do for a
high churchman—low church and no Puseyism suits him
better. It is not a little remarkable that one of the men who
assisted Mr. H. down the spire of St. George's, is employed
on that of St. Michael's : he is now upwards of seventy years
of age. But to return to the cross of St. Michaal's.
We are unable to do justice to the splendour and extent of
the prospects that presented themselves on every side, form-
ing an uninterrupted panorama, in which the beauties of na-
ture, and the achievements of art, were brilliantly blended,
producing an harmonious whole, the contemplation of which
gave rise to indescribable feelings of delight, and conjured up
a thousand reminiscences of the olden times, and the pro -
gress of human science and perseverance. Our first sensa-
tions were those of surprise and admiration of the extent and
diversity of the world of land and water, plain and mount.:in,
field and grove, hamlet and town that surrounded us. The
whole of Liverpool appeared to be spread out under our eye
like a map, or rather a finely chiselled model, over which
hung here and there a thin veil of smoke. Other portions
were clearly definable, but individual objects lost their ap-
pearance of magnitude, and partook of miniature neatness.
The streets immediately below became long, narrow, smooth
walks ; the proud lords of the creation who traversed them,
(how humbling to their vanity) ! appeared no bigger than
Lilliputions creeping about ; the more distant public edifices,
and rows of stately mansions on elevated sites resembled
chimney ornaments. The public squares showed like little
parterres or children's gardens, yet the whole town occupied
an immense area that impressed the mind with a sort of tri-
umphant sense of its magnitude. The sun gleamed on the house
tops, and on dome and tower and spire, throwing the
latter into bolder relief; and rows of windows in peculiar
positions gave back his evening rays like burnished gold.
The broad expanse of Old Mersey, seen from its mouth
to the Helsby hills, also glittered in the gladdening beam,
and the gallant ships merely spotted his bosom. Che-
shire looked like a beautifully-coloured crumpled map,
and the 'Welsh mountains rose majestically behind. The
fields and enclosures in Flintshire were less distinctly
yet pleasingly developed, for as the poet sings " 'tis distance
lends enchantment to the view." Had the atmosphere been
a little clearer, the Isle of Man, and the sea, far to the north-
west would have also met. the eye, On the Lancashire side,
the land, with every promenent object, was distinctly defined
from Speke in the south, round to the north beyond the ex-
tremity of the heights of Everton. The houses and buildings
of the town had a clean, lively, and we may add, splendid
appearence ; and when we gazed upon its wide extent and
palacial buildings ; heard the loud hum of commerce that
ascended from its busy streets and quays, and beheld its noble
river—we could not but inwardly exclaim, with a feeling of
pride and gratification, " This is what was but a few centuries
ago a little fishing village, and more recently her Majestic's
poor decayed towne of Lerpole,' as it was denominated by
' Good Queen Bess,' when in consideration of the poverty of
the inhabitants, she remitted the small amount of taxes that
had previously been levied upon them !"
But we must here conclude. Having gratified our curiosity
and given three cheers for the future prosperiety of the
" good old town," we descended from our airy height, and
with less difficulty than we accomplished the ascent, safely
reached terra firma, again to mingle with the forked bipeds
of the nether world.

LIVERPOOL AUTUMN MEETING

THURSDAY

SEPTEMBER 23

The ST. LEGER STAKES of 25 sovs. each, £5O added, fo
thug., yrs old. Colts Bst 71b, fillies Bstslb. One mile am
three-quarters.
Mr. Bell's gr c The Squire
Mr. Ogden's b c Brother to Harpurhey
The PALATINE STAKES, a Handicap Sweepstakes of 2
sovs each, 10 ft, with a Gold Cup or 100 Sovs added by the
members of the Palatine Club. Two miles
Mr. Graydon's ch la Clinker, 5 yrs
Mr. Vansittart's ch g Smollett, 6 yrs
Mr. Bell's b c Thirsk, 3 yrs
The SELLING STAKES of 10 sovs each, h ft, with 50 sovs
added. Three yrs old 7st 21b, four Bst 71b. five Bst 121 b.
six and aged 9st 21b ; mares and geldings allowed 31b
Mr. Bell's b m La Sage Femme, 5 yrs .. (Conolly) 0 4 1 1
Mr. Wilkins' ch g Clem-o'th'-Clough, 5 yr 5...... 0 1 5 2
Mr. Buckley's ch c by Laurel, 3 yrs
Lord Eglinton's br c Assagai, 3 yrs
Mr. Worthington's b h Northenden, 6 yrs....
Mr. J. Osborne's ch g the Emperor, 3 yrs. 0 2 d
Mr. Goodman's b f Sister to Glencoe, 3 yrs 0 3 d

(Conolly)

(Noble)

The first a dead heat
THURSDAY.

The ORMSRIRK PURSE added to a Handicap of
sovs each, for three yrs old. One mile
Sir R. W. Bulkeley's b f Cerrito
Mr. Vansittert's b c Galaor
The WILTON STAKES of 30 sovs each, 20 ft, with 50 adde
Lord Eglinton's br c by Velocipede, 2 yrs (Oates)
Mr. J. Osborne's br f The Gipsey Queen, 2 yrs
Mr. Jacques's b c Playfellow, 2 yrs
Lord Stanley's blk f The Lady of the Lune, 2 yrs
Mr. Ogden's br c Brother to Harpurhey, 3 yrs
The STEWARDS' CUP, or 100 sovs in specie, added to a su
scription of 20 sovs each. Two miles and a half. Three
yrs old 7st, four Bst 71b. five Bst 131 b, six and aged 9st 21b
Mr. Bell's gr c The Squire, 3 yrs
Mr. Wreford's b c Warden, 4 yrs
Mr. Mostyn's b c Prince Caradoc, 3 yrs
Mr. Wreford's br h Roscius, 5 yrs
Mr. Goodman's b m Orelia, 5 yrs ...
A PLATE of 50 sovs, for three years old 7st, four Bst 51b, fiv
Bst 121 b, six and aged 9st 21b ; mares and geldings allow
21b. Heats, once round.
Mr Graydon's ch h Clinker, 5 yrs .....
Mr Heywood's gr c Mr Whippy, 3 yrs
Mr vansittart's ch g Smollett, 6 yrs . •
Lord Eglinton's br c Assagai, 3 yrs.. • .
Lord Stanley's blk f Nightshade, 3 yrs.
Mr J, Taylor's br m Margaret, 5 yrs
Seven drawn.

(Stagg)

Conolly 1 0 1
5 1 2

6 0 d
3 d
4 d

PJtlDE.—Pride_ is as loud a beggar as Want, and a great
deal more saucy. When you have bought one fine thing, you
must buy ten more, that your appearance may be all of a
piece ; but it is easier to suppress the first desire, than to
satisfy all that follow it. Franklin,