Linlithgow spire gleams in gold again following £400,000 restoration

A church spire in West Lothian is gleaming in gold once again following a £400,000 restoration project that saved it from potential collapse.

The Crown of Thorns spire of St Michael’s Parish Church in Linlithgow has undergone refurbishment to repair extensive rot in its structural timbers and to replace external cladding.

The new cladding, a bronze alloy, returns the spire’s colour to the golden glow of the original structure when erected in 1964.

This time, however, the gold is here to stay, aided by modern sealing technology designed to keep the Scottish weather at bay for decades to come.

Retired architect Brian Lightbody, who led the project, said: “From investigative surveys, we knew that the timber structure under the external cladding had been badly affected by water ingress.

“But the extent of the damage uncovered as all the old cladding was removed has demonstrated that the only alternative to major restoration would have been removal of the entire Crown – in itself a demanding and costly project, and a deeply unattractive prospect for funders.”

Reverend Dr Liam Fraser, minister of St Michael’s, added: “Sixty years on from the installation of the spire in 1964, the excitement this project has generated locally is astonishing.

“Linlithgow’s Facebook groups have been awash with images of the renewed spire as it has emerged from the scaffolding. Both a beloved symbol of the town and a representation of Christ’s Crown of Thorns, it speaks to people in many different ways: of certainty, of renewal, and even of eternity.”