Bell Tower, St Andrew - Andreas, Isle of Man
Posted by: 
Mike_bjm
N 54° 21.847 W 004° 26.471
30U E 406360 N 6024991
Bell Tower of St. Andrew's Church in the village of Andreas.
Waymark Code: WMWZN9
Location: Isle of Man
Date Posted: 11/05/2017
Views: 1
This Bell Tower was added to the Church in 1869 and was designed by Henry Christian.
The following information is shown on an information board inside the Church:
"The present tower was originally much higher - 120ft. The foundation stone was laid by Mrs. Frances Hall (widow of Archdeacon Hall) on 30th May 1867 - Ascension Day.
The Bishop was present and after the ceremony,tea was provided for the Sunday School children of the Church and Chapel and the Band of Hope.The work was completed in August 1869 and Archdeacon Moore gave a supper for all the workmen. The following day their wives and children were treated to tea in the School Room. A large bell is housed in the tower.
In July 1941 the Air Ministry was given permission to cut down the flag pole on top of the tower and to place an obstruction light on top of the tower. The tower was later reduced by removing the middle section, this was a result of the aerodrome in Andreas.
The numbered stones were stored and were originally intended to be restored at the end of the emergency. The restoration never took place and the stones mysteriously disappeared."
The reduction in the height of the Tower was intended to improve the approach to RAF Andreas which is a short distance from the Church.
The Church is now largely Victorian in appearance as a result of later additions but there is in fact a late Georgian shell underneath.
source: (
visit link)
source: Churches of Man by Jonathan Kewley (ISBN 978-1-899602-82-7)
source: An Introduction To The Architecture of the Isle of Man by Patricia Tutt (ISBN 978-1-907945-10-6)