Here's
the Church, Here's the Steeple…
A primer on
choosing the right one for you
In the United States, churches and steeples are almost
inseparable. "Just as we associate shapes with items such as stop signs, the
Coca-Cola®
bottle, the Nike®
swoosh, or the Red Cross®, so too
the shape of a steeple represents the church," says Douglas Caudle,
president of Piedmont Fiberglass in Mooresville, North Carolina.
They are inspiring, but they don't necessarily serve any
practical architectural purpose. So for the curious, all these steeples beg
the question: Where did the idea come from? Steeples have been associated
with churches for a long time, but how long?
The spire originated in the twelfth century, but
America's steeples are descended from those designed by Sir Christopher Wren
after the Great Fire of London in 1666. The fire began early on September 2,
not far from the famed London Bridge, and spread quickly, overtaking
everything in its path. Over four days the conflagration destroyed most of
the city. Many famous buildings, including St. Paul's
Cathedral and 86 other churches (not to mention more than 13,000 homes),
were destroyed, and the city smoldered for months.
The task of rebuilding many of these houses of worship fell
to Wren, a young architect. Noted for his Oxford background as a
mathematician and astronomer, Wren was commissioned by King Charles II to
rebuild St. Paul's Cathedral. In his design of St. Paul's and about 50 other
city churches he included steeples, leading men and women to turn their gaze
toward God in his heavens.
Wren's simple, straightforward treatment of the steeple
quickly caught on. They were increasingly found on American churches, often
with bells built in the tops. These bells served dual purposes, calling
worshipers to services and summoning citizens for special announcements or
emergencies. Early American steeples were usually made of wood.
Today most congregations have replaced their wooden steeples,
which were showing the effects of time and weather, with beautifully
designed steeples made from lightweight fiberglass or metal. Fiberglass has
become the more common material to use, prompting some companies to look to
high-end boat makers for ideas on developing new and better products, says
Rick Vernon, owner of High Point, North Carolina's L. Vernon and Company, a
supplier of all-fiberglass steeples.
In terms of size and shape, steeples are as varied as the
church buildings they accentuate. But even in their variety, steeples still
serve their traditional purpose—to guide people's eyes toward the heavens,
to God himself.
"A steeple points one to the heavens, symbol of the dwelling
place of Christ. Through city streets, across the valleys and lakes, through
the countryside far and wide, the steeple declares Christ," says Jerry
Bennett of Campbellsville Industries, a leading manufacturer of modern and
reproduction metal steeples. Campbellsville Industries in
Campbellsville,
Kentucky,
manufactured the world's tallest steeple, a 229-foot structure atop First
Baptist Church of Huntsville, Alabama.
Selecting a Steeple
Choosing a steeple need not be a difficult experience as long as your church
committee knows what factors to consider. Here's a list of some of the major
considerations that go into a steeple purchase.
Steeple style.
Larry Lydick of Fiberglass Specialties in Henderson, Texas, the world's
largest producer of fiberglass steeples, outlines several church
architectural styles and offers steeple styles to match.
Traditional church buildings are usually rectangular-shaped
with a steep-pitch roof. Cupolas, small roof structures with a domed
ceiling, or small steeples with a tall spire best accent this style.
Popular since the 1960s, church buildings with contemporary
design are usually dramatic in appearance. They require a dramatic steeple.
Otherwise, this feature will get lost in the building's other elements.
Churches in the Colonial, Federal, and Georgian styles of
architecture are dominated by large columns and extensive detail moldings.
Choose a steeple that repeats these features.
Utilitarian church buildings usually have flat or low-pitch
roofs to maximize floor space in relation to cost. Simple steeples and
spires without bases or detailing should be selected.
Some churches resemble the one-room schoolhouses built in the
nineteenth century. A simple spire with a small base usually works best on
these structures. Some churches will want to have a bell, which requires a
wider base with vents to allow sound to penetrate to the outside. Make sure
the base will allow the movement of the bell on the fulcrum.
Steeple size.
Virginia Barnes of Steeples, Etc., in Birmingham, Alabama, says proportion
is a key element when considering what size steeple you will need to
complement your church building. Her suggestion is that the steeple should
be about the same height as the distance from the ground to the ridge of
your building, and the steeple's base should be approximately one-tenth the
width of the building. Many manufacturers offer computer-aided design to
help deal with these issues.
Wind load, or the speed of wind an object can withstand
before it's damaged.
While most steeples are designed to sustain 100-mile-per-hour winds,
churches within 50 miles of the coast should have extra bracing. According
to Allen McDade of Wiedemann Church Products in
Muscatine,
Iowa, their Deluxe Steeple models can withstand winds up to 150 miles per
hour, the highest performance rating on the market. These
seamless-construction steeples also come with a 15-year warranty.
Lightning protection.
Although fiberglass will not conduct electricity, lightning can follow water
down the side of a steeple into a building. Sometimes a stainless steel or
aluminum cross, with a rod inside leading to a ground connection, can be
installed. Of course, a lighting rod also can be used. This is a minor cost
compared to replacing an entire church!
The gel coat.
The outer paint used on a fiberglass steeple, referred to as the gel coat or
color coat, comes in different grades. A steeple should have an LE-grade gel
coat, which is high in styrene to resist yellowing from ultraviolet
radiation. While the traditional steeple color is white, any color can be
used, and fiberglass steeples never need repainting.
Price.
Many models are reasonably priced, starting at under $1,000, and can be
easily installed by skilled church members for an additional savings.
A Modern Application
Some
churches are installing antennas inside their steeples to accommodate a
growing trend in the cellular telephone industry. Hoping to control visual
pollution, many areas have passed regulations against new towers, making
steeples a valued commodity, says Lydick of Fiberglass Specialties. Steeples
can easily be designed to accept cellular equipment, benefiting the phone
company and becoming an extra source of income for the church. Some
companies have even paid churches for a new steeple and its installation.
While church building styles are always changing, steeples
continue to mark a place as a house of worship. That's unlikely to change,
making a steeple a worthwhile investment for any congregation.
