Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-08-23
Chester fields CuriOusIy Crooked
Hteeple.
London Daily News.


The more timorous occupiers of the
old fashioned houses that cluster
around the Chesterfield parish church
have not felt thoroughly at ease dur.
ing recent gales. They have retired
to bed hesitatingly, not to slumber,
but to toss sleeplessly on their pillows,
rendered nervous by the thought that
the crooked steeple, unable perhaps to
Withstand the tempestuous blasts,
might come suddenly and even with
less warning than an avalanche gives.
Luckily these fears had far less foun-
dation than the spire; and the famous
steeple, the object of much curiosity
to all travellers on the Midland,
has not been toppled over
by the fierce gusts that
have rioted in "the wrathful skies"
1t is doubtless the most extraordinary
structure in the world, for
whichever way you turn your
eye it always seems to be
awry." No one can tell exactly when
it was put up, but for at least FIVE
hundred years the grotesquely, shaped
steeple, with its huge warped timbers,
and cloak of lead, has defed the tens
pests bowling and the lightning's in
ciSive touch. Although assailed by
many terrible storms the spire still
rises crookedly, but firmly, 230 feet
above the church tower; aud those
who love old land marks and relics of
by gone time trust that it may long
remain on its dark stone pedestal,
crowning the ancient church, which
is not only rich in knightly monu-
ments but contains a rib of the mar
vellous dun COW killed by the Earl of
Warwick.
The steeple has created more fun
than any Of Gilbert and Sullivan s
operas. 1t has been likened to the
uplifted tail of the Dragon of Wantley
to corkscrew, to the leaning tower
of Pisa, and to a man perpetually
tipsy; while one writer asserts that it
sticks with a mock gravity air on the
church tower, looking as comlcal as a
Jester on an Archbishop's back. "
There are many legends to account for
its peculiar shape. One of these
taken from a very old book on
"Ohurch History" states tlat q
Derbyshire magician engaged a village
blacksmith to shoe Satan, but the
work was done so carelessly that Lu-
cifer's hoof was pricked, and the pain
made him kick out SO violently on
passing Chesterfield church that he
twisted the spire. Another story
charges the King Of Darkness with be-
ing the cause Of thesteeple's deformity
ip an even more laughable way. 1t
10 to the effect that Satan, alighting
one day 10 rest on the summit OF the
fabric, had lis nose so tickled by the
incense arising from the altar beneath,
"tbat he gave a terrible sneeze and
not merely shook but actually twisted
the steeple with this diabolical spasm. y
Yet q third tradition, says the writer
of "0ld and New Chesterfield" en-
deavors ito slander the fair sex oi
Chesterfield in its efforts to give a
reason for the steeple's corkscrew-like
form. 1t ungallantly asserts that
pretty and virtuous women we're scarce
in the town; so scarce indeed thai
when a lovely and good woman ap.
preached the church one day to bt
married the steeple was astonished
and in its astonishment bowed to the
bride who possessed such rare quail,
ties. Attempting to regain its orig.
inal position the steeple wrenched
its back, and never recovered its up
right attitude; nor is it likely tC
do so until another lovely and virtuouI
woman whispers her marriage vows in
the church. But the legend, like the
spire, has been twisted. 1t really
ought to say that so many lovely and
virtuous women enter the old church
that the steeple is perpetually bowinG
| in recognition Of their cOmliness anC
purity" = ** Quite apart from
the fables that have almost become ,
portion of its history, the steeple hal
no practical reasons for its leaningl
than many politicians. II was straigh
when first erected. Neither demons
kick nor woman's frailty is response
BILE for its whimsical shape. The
suns heat and the winds relentles
force have shrunk its timbers ant
twisted its lead covering until tn