Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 December 1908 — Church Curtailed Steeple. [ARTICLE]

Church Curtailed Steeple.

The historic St Bride’s Church, the aged vicar of which recently died, has had the novel experience of baring Its steeple shortened on two occasions. The steeple, which is considered to be one of Wren's masterpieces, was originally 234 feet high, and, with the exception of St Paul’s Cathedral, ws? the highest spire in London. It was struck by lightning in 1754 —not the first time in its history—and as a result of the damaxa-ywas reduced to 226 feet A few y&yi ago it became expedient, owing to the action of the weather to slice off several feet more and to strengthen the structure generally. The steeple of the original church, destroyed by the great fire, had a novel claim to notoriety, for one of the vicars had a bed chamber fitted up in it, in order that he might expend on the poor the money 11 would cost to live in a rectory.—London Mall. i