Illustrated Dictionary of British Churches - Spire Definition

History and Architecture

Spire

A tapering structure on top of a church tower, usually conical or pyramidal in shape. The word comes from the old Saxon word for spear, and certainly a very slender spire might be tought to resemble a spear. One variant is a broach spire, with the spire set atop a square tower. The spire is often topped by a weather vane, flag, or cross.

Related: Broach Spire  




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