St Mary’s Church in Long Sutton’s spire restoration plans submitted to Lincoln Diocesan Advisory Committee for approval

Reconstruction work to Europe’s oldest and tallest wooden church spire could begin next year - using similar methods to that deployed on the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

St Mary’s Church spire in Long Sutton needs urgent work after it was deemed unsafe, ridded with woodworm and deathwatch beetle, - with repairs expected to cost around £50,000.

Proposals to fix the spire have been submitted by Buttress architects to Lincoln Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) for approval before work can start and a hi-tech 3D model showing the intricate timber frame has been produced by specialist architects.

The 3D model of the frame has been produced by James Brennan with drawings by structural engineers, Renaissance Associates Ltd, using the most up-to-date technology.

Steve Welsh, studio principal at Buttress, said: “The proposals have been submitted and the DAC may ask for more information or make a recommendation for approval.

“If the latter, the proposals are subject to a 28-day public notice period before the application is submitted to the diocesan registrar for a faculty, a formal approval, to be issued by the chancellor of the diocese.

“We will be seeking competitive tenders from suitably experienced contractors to do the work which will involve largely traditional carpentry techniques but working at height in the confined space of the spire.”

St Mary’s spire was built c1200 - with timbers carbon dated to as far back as 1120 - at a similar time to the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris which has had restoration work with contractors working at height, using scaffolding, abseiling and repairs to timber frames.

Specialist contractors, who are able to work very high up and in confined spaces, will be sought.

Father Jonathan Sibley, vicar at St Mary’s, has held a number of fundraising events and applied for grants to raise three quarters of the £50,000 needed for repairs.

He is confident the remaining money will be granted and is keen for the restoration to happen before his retirement in the spring.

Fr Jonathan said “If the DAC are happy and once approved it means we will be a position to go ahead with the restoration early year and it should only take a few weeks.

“The architect diagrams are amazing showing the timbers that need restoring and the timbers that need repairing.”

“We are still fundraising and someone recently made us a legacy which is very kind.”

Restoration works will hopefully begin in January 2025 if planning approvals are met.

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