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Croft Goode helps St Michael’s restore faith in spire

A year-long project to dismantle and rebuild a historic church spire is finally at an end, thanks to the expertise of Kirkham-based architecture practice Croft Goode Ltd.

Architects from Croft Goode have been working with English Heritage and expert contractors since April 2007 to restore the spire at St Michael’s Church, Kirkham, which had began to lean due to corrosion.

The £500,000 project involved dismantling all of the tower’s original stonework piece by piece and having the stones taken away for inspection by specialist stonemasons.

The corroding iron that held the structure together was then replaced by stainless steel and Croft Goode’s exacting plans used to ensure every stone was replaced in its original position. Scaffolding around the church has finally been removed to reveal a spire as straight and identical as the day it was built in 1844.

Croft Goode director Michael Goode said: “The octagonal spire of St Michael’s can be seen for miles around and is one of the iconic images of Kirkham. Finding a way to dismantle, restore and rebuild it was a painstaking task for everyone involved.

“From an architectural point of view we had to work closely with English Heritage to ensure all of the tower’s features were replaced to their original appearance. Despite the complex nature of the restoration, the project has been a complete success and the spire is back in perfect health.”

The Rev Keith Brockbank, of St Michael’s, added: “The contractors and subcontractors have done a beautiful job and we are very grateful to them for the professional way they have gone about the project.

“The stone work, and also the lead work that you can’t see, has been beautifully restored. One of the most pleasing things for me is to see the gargoyles spouting water again, it’s wonderful.”

The earliest evidence of a church in Kirkham dates back to 684AD, but the building of the present day St Michael’s was begun in 1822 by the Preston architect Robert Roper and the West tower and spire were added in 1844 by Edmund Sharpe, a Lancaster architect famed for his Decorated style.

Croft Goode has considerable experience of working with listed buildings. As well as St Michael’s Church, Croft Goode also worked as architects on the restoration of the Grade II listed St John the Evangelist in Kirkham which dates from 1845 and the Grade I listed St Walburge’s church in Preston.

Croft Goode, which was formed in 1994 and has 18 staff, has completed design projects in the local authority, education, healthcare, community and building conservation sectors, as well as many other commercial and residential building projects. The practice is currently working on design projects for developments with a building works cost value of £280million.

Email: andrew@freshfield.com