Electronic alarms installed at Ledbury church (From Hereford Times)

Electronic alarms installed at Ledbury church

9:00am Sunday 22nd January 2012 in Ledbury

ELECTRONIC alarms have been installed high in the spire of Ledbury Parish Church, following concerns that the huge metal counter-weight holding the spire steady is corroding and could need replacing in the future.

A sturdy metal grid would catch the internal iron rod should it fall, preventing it from hitting the ground, and the alarms would give an immediate alert of the counter-weight’s failure.

But Ledbury’s rector, Rev Paul Dunthorne, said: “The spire is not about to fall down.”

The alarms are there as a precaution, following a recent architect’s report on the medieval St Michael and All Angels Church, one of the largest parish churches in Herefordshire.

Rev Dunthorne said he hoped the counterweight would cause no problems at all for the next five years, when another architect’s report will take place as a matter of course.

He said: “That the spire will be an issue in the future is undoubtedly the case, but right now it does not require any repairs or an appeal.

But he added: “One does not know whether the corrosion on the bar is superficial or more significant.”

The iron bar counter-weight is essential to create a centre of gravity for the spire, to prevent movement in high winds.