FARTHING IN THE SPIRE.

Steeplejack's Find at Winterbourne.

Taking down the top of Winterbourne Parish Church spire, damaged by the corrosion of iron, two steeplejacks, Mr Peter Dawson and Mr Eddie Hill, found bedded in the joints a George farthing dated 1823, in perfect condition.

Recessed in the finial stobe was also a small bottle with a note inside, but as the cork had perished, allowing moisture to enter, the paper was in fragments and could not be read.

The top stones of this spire are held down by a large weight swinging on an iron rod-like pendulum, some 30 feet from the top. At the bottom of this weight is an iron crock with side handles, and there is no doubt that it was used to run molten metal into to form weight with cast iron rings above. This weight will have to be lowered with chain blocks.

Extensive restoration work is being carried out to the church and spire by J Dawson and Sons, of Clutton, the well-known local steeple contractors.

From the Church Magazine, June 1952 - reprinted from the Bristol Daily Press.