The Cooked Spire - Cleobury Mortimer

Photo by Keith Ison

St. Mary's church in Cleobury Mortimer is renowned for its crooked spire. It dates back to the 13th Century. The twist and lean was caused by the spire being placed on the tower without any tying or flashing. As a result the soft stone crumbled in the wet and the timbers rotted. The twist was partly due to the timbers drying out.

In 1793 Thomas Telford, the County surveyor, was building the ‘new bridge’ at the east of the town, and he was called in to suggest a remedy for the walls of the church leaning outwards. He had brick buttresses built. These were changed to stone during the Gilbert Scott restoration in the 1870s. More here - http://pages.cleoburycountry.com/fosmc

Lauri Lindsay The local legend was that the spire would straighten if a virgin was married in the church.

Paul Starling Not a chance now-a-days!


Paul Nicholas Williamson I also rang the bells here, the vicar was a bit of a lad as he would dash across the road after morning service with a lighted fag and straight into the Kings Arms for a half pint or two.


Keith Ison Nothing wrong with a couple of glasses of holy water!


Trev Teasdel  No wonder the steeple is wonky!!

Thomas Telford

Photo by Keith Ison

Photo by Keith Ison