The South Porch, flanked by broken windows of the South aisle. 1/10/97. It was when taking this picture that I was lucky to get invited in. The W pier of the N arcade can be glimpsed through the open door.
The second of the protesters climbs back into the tower through the shattered west window. Shortly afterwards the bell rang out to startle passers-by. (1/10/97)
Compare this picture with that in the main article. It shows the interior looking east to where the high altar used to be. The east window is partly obscured by brown sacking and the east wall is painted royal blue. The marble base of the pulpit can be seen on the left and the bowl of the font lying on its side under the arch beneath the hole in the roof. The screen has gone. In front of the altar the wooden floor blocks were badly scorched. (1/10/97)
View from the south porch entrance, showing the noble arcades. Each capital had different carving, mainly of foliage, but the one nearest the camera was composed of winged angels and was exceptionally beautiful.(1/10/97)
The beginning of the end on the 16th October 1997. The South porch, transept and chapel had all gone and the tiles on the roof were being removed and saved for future reuse. The spire was removed by crane after this date.
There were to have been more photos but a combination of holiday and influenza has prevented me from revisiting.
Now (March 2000) the housing scheme has been completed and Pig Sty Hill has lost one of its more notable features. The impact of the red brick flats has been reduced by the many mature trees in the churchyard which have thankfully been retained, although not all of them survived either. The buildings across the road continue to be boarded up as work continues on the new church centre.
