There are various other circumstances which, though they do not affect the spire itself, produce greater or less difference in regard to the character of the structure of which it is a component feature. Very much, for instance, depends upon its situation in the general plan : at Salisbury and Norwich, the spire is raised upon a tower at the inter. I section of the cross, or in the centre of the plan ; whereas in most continental cathedrals and large churches there are two spires on the towers of the west front, though in BMW Instances (Strasburg, Ant werp) only one has been erected. Several, however, have a single tower and spire in the centre of the west front (Ulm, Freyburg, Thann in Alsace), in which case the tower itself begins to diminish almost from the ground, and the whole becomes what we have described as of the tabernacle character. In most of our English churches (not cathedrals) the spire is placed upon a tower at the west end, as at Grantham, Louth, Bloats:an, &c. If we except Peterborough, where they are very diminutive, the only English cathedral which has two western spires is Lichfield, which is further remarkable as having a central tower and spire also. Besides the richness and variety thus produced, the larger central spire serves to balance the whole composition, whereas else the body of the structure is apt to look low in comparison with the west end. At SL Stephen's, Vienna, the tower and spire are singularly placed on the south side of the edifice, it having been intended to balance them by a corresponding tower on the north side. At Gelnhausen, on the contrary, there is a group of spires at the
east end.
Though so much depends upon the proportion of spires to their own diameters and to the height of the towers, almost the only thing that is specified in the usual description of spires is the entire altitude from the ground, which single measurement, unaccompanied by others, gives no idea of the relative dimensions of the spire or how it is proportioned. Some of the loftiest spires, as they are popularly termed, are by no means lofty, being not above a third of the entire height, and not more than four of their own diameters. The spire of Strasburg, for instance, is only 110 feet out of 474, or less than one-third of the tower itself. At Antwerp again the spire is a mere peak crowning the upper most stage of the tower, while the tower itself is twice as high as the roof of the church. If we compare Salisbury with Norwich, the spire of the latter cathedral will be found, though of less dimensions, much loftier in relation to the rest than the other, being in the ratio of 163 to 303 feet, while Salisbury is only 197 to 404. We have, therefore, drawn up a short table of spires (see preceding page) showing, where we can, the separate as well as united heights of the respective towers and spires.