THE area beneath the tower at St Mary’s Church in Ross-on-Wye has been cordoned off as part of safety measures due to the stability of its pinnacles.

Following a visit from steeplejacks and a structural engineer last month, it was discovered that three pinnacles on top of the tower have failed.

These pinnacles are the one closest to the Phoenix Theatre and the one on either side of it.

These three were completely replaced in 1985. The fourth pinnacle, repaired in the mid 1970s, is still sound.

Church warden Mark Sanderson said that they are still awaiting additional reports but put forward a theory that it is the stainless steel rod inside each pinnacle that has expanded in the heat and pushed off the finial stone to which it seems to be fixed.

The top five or six stones on each pinnacle are loose, though the rod is holding them in place.

Mr Sanderson said: “For safety reasons we ask people to avoid this area of the churchyard, and the path by the tower has now been closed off completely. “Unfortunately, this means that there is no disabled (level) access through the churchyard or into the church. We hope to find a way of providing this as soon as possible.”

Repairs are likely to take some time, not least because the church will need to source funding. That process is beginning now.

The church dates mainly from the late 13th and 14th centuries though two sensitive restorations in the 19th century and a complete reordering of the nave in recent years are responsible for the look and feel of the building today.

The spire of St Mary’s, towers 205 feet into the air making it the tallest in Herefordshire.