In Order to make the slender upper area of a spire stable, it is necessary to install a "centre rod" which is attached to the bottom of the finial (weathervane). This centre rod then drops a significant distance down the inside of the spire and bolts down securely into a beam known as a "cross tree".

This puts the area of masonry between the summit and the cross tree into compression, and makes the top of the spire effectively a single unit, with a low centre of gravity, which results in very good stability and resistance to high winds.

This spire did have a centre rod, but it was anchored very close to the top of the spire (about 6 feet), and the finial attached to the top was unusually heavy. It was immediately apparent that the spire was vulnerable to high winds, so we specified replacement of the finial with a lighter and more attractive version (a copy of the original finial which had been removed some years before) made of stainless steel and copper, and a stainless steel centre rod that would drop 30 feet down the inside of the spire and attach to a new stainless steel cross tree beam.

The above task was by far the largest and most important part of the contract. Other tasks carried out were:

• Make safe the 2 ton bell inside the steeple by temporarily suspending it from lifting tackle, remove the existing (badly corroded) hanger mechanism, install a new suspension point for the bell, and attach the bell to it.
  
  
• Carry out slate patching on the church roof.
  
  
• Fit new gutter clips to the existing main roof gutter, which was previously held by badly corroded and unsafe clips.
  
  
• Paint the clock faces.