Renovation of church getting to the point

Contractors are racing to finish the work ahead of the rededication - and they are nearly there Photo by Bob Wayne

The race is on to finish rebuilding the tower and spire of Thimbleby Church in time for the rededication by the Bishop of Grimsby on September 22.

As the stonework of the new spire tapers towards the sky, the stonemasons working for the main contractors, Stone Edge Ltd of Pocklington, find themselves working higher and higher with less space.

The extended scaffolding now outreaches the hoist used to bring up the bulk of the materials, requiring a secondary lift and a lot of manual struggling.

However, the end is in sight and on Friday a huge crane is booked to lift the last three stones into place, leaving only the lightning conductor and a new weathercock to be fitted.

Within the tower, the clock has been reinstalled after a complete overhaul by its original maker, Smiths of Derby, and the restored bell rehung.

If everything goes well, the scaffolding and sheeting that have clad the tower for the past few months will be removed to reveal the finished structure in time for the Horncastle and Villages Churches’ Festival on September 8 and 9.

Visitors to St Margaret’s will be especially welcome to see not only the shining new tower stonework, but also an exhibition and display telling the story the historic and beautiful church saved from demolition.