SPIRE, a pyramidal acutely-pointed covering or roof, most usually found on towers of churches and on turrets. Spires are constructed either of stone or of wood, covered with lead, slate, or oak shingles. They were probably not introduced into England till some time after the Norman conquest. In the earliest examples, they are usually of the same plan as the tower, either square, circular, or octagonal, and are of no very great height. In early English examples of later date, they are sometimes of the same plans, but more fre quently octagonal, and also of much loftier proportions ; where an octagonal spire stands on a square tower, the angu lar spaces left unoccupied are covered by pinnacles, or by semi-pyramidal masses of masonry sloping against the spire. The outline is frequently broken by one or more tiers of small open windows, termed spire-lights, the faces of which are vertical, and therefore project out at the top from the sloping face of the spire ; they are usually covered with ga blets or sharp pediments, which in the later and more orna mented styles are often enriched with crochets, finials, pin nacles, &c. Spire-lights are frequently placed on the alternate
faces of the spire in alternate tiers. Early English spires - • are usually what are termed broach-.spires; that is to say, they spring directly from the edge of the tower, without the intervention of a parapet, whereas, in the later styles, the parapet is seldom omitted. In the Decorated and Perpen dicular styles, the spire is more enriched, usually having angular pinnacles, and often flying-buttresses from the pin nacle to the spire ; crochets sometimes adorn the angles of the spire, and ornamental bands divide it into several stages. Spires are terminated at the apex either with a finial or metal cross or vane, the latter being frequently in form of a cock, as an emblem of prayer and watchfulness. Spires of open work are not unfrequent in the larger continental churches.