St Andrew'S Church Tower

SO8454NE 620-1/16/208

WORCESTER DEANSWAY (West side) St Andrew's Church Tower

22/05/54 GV II*

Also known as: St Andrew's Tower COPENHAGEN STREET. Also known as: St Andrew's Church Tower ST ANDREW'S GARDENS. Church tower. C15 with spire rebuilt in 1751 by Nathaniel Wilkinson, a journey-man of Worcester. Limestone ashlar. 3-stage Perpendicular tower with slim, recessed, octagonal Gothick spire. Chamfered plinth. Diagonal off-set buttresses to first and second stages, those to first stage have engaged columnettes, with clasping pilasters to third stage. Pointed arches to east, north and south with Perpendicular moulding. 5-light pointed west window. First-stage band. To second stage a 2-light pointed window with Perpendicular tracery to head; second stage band. Third stage has 2-light pointed belfry window. Spire has one level of 2-light, then single light lucarnes. Surmounted by Corinthian capital. INTERIOR: lierne-vault over lower stage, to the east the springers of the first bay of the arcades. To south-west angle a plank door in ogeed surround. HISTORICAL NOTE: the medieval, probably C12 church was demolished in 1948/9 as it was believed to be structurally unsound. It now stands in a public garden, opened 1953 to commemorate the coronation of Elizabeth II. The original top of the spire stands in the same garden. The spire is locally known as "The Glover's Needle" due to its shape and to Worcester's association with the glove-making industry. A significant streetscape feature, forming an important landmark. It forms part of the visual context for Worcester Cathedral (qv) from the River Severn, together with Worcester Bridge, Bridge Street (qv), Gascoyne House, Brown's Restaurant and Bond House, South Quay (qqv) and grouping with Merchant's House, Quay Street (qv). NMR photographs. (The Buildings of England: Pevsner: N: Worcestershire: Harmondsworth: 1968-1985: 317-8).