LONDON has the Shard, Paris the Eiffel Tower – now Alton has its very own unofficial Christmas tree!

The landmark on the town’s skyline has been brought about as a result of a restoration programme at St Lawrence Church.

The spire of the 900-year-old church is currently bedecked in scaffolding and safety nets which are giving the building a very different and memorable ‘look’ while enabling repairs to be completed to keep the building weatherproof.

Hidden behind the green netting, which makes the structure resemble a Christmas tree, work is going ahead to remove the old and delicate cedar shingles and to replace them with new oak shakes. Not only were oak shakes the original type of covering for the spire but they will have a much longer life than the cedar ones.

This phase of the programme should be completed in January, when the scaffold will be dismantled.

Scaffolding was first erected in May to enable ventilation to be installed for the church roof. However, work was stopped because a large colony of swifts arrived to breed in the church tower. Swifts are a protected species and it is illegal to disturb their nests.

During this time the church was guided by the Hampshire Swifts Group who counted the birds and recorded their departure in August. At that stage, scaffolding was erected around the tower and spire, together with some dramatic side structures to ensure its stability.

In the meantime, inside the building repairs are going ahead to make good the damage caused by death watch beetle. The insects have attacked three beams in the nave.

This job has also required scaffolding, some expert advice from a structural engineer, and skilled construction by metal workers and carpenters. The beetle attack was possible because the oak beams were softened by previous damp, both from the roof and from condensation inside the church.

While it is hoped the interior work will be completed by Christmas, it could be delayed by technical details until January.

All these repairs have been funded by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund of £203,100, plus significant contributions from Hampshire County Council, East Hampshire District Council, the Allchurches Trust, Hampshire and Islands Historic Churches Trust, National Churches Trust, Alton Town Council, the Wolfson Foundation and the church’s own fabric fund, bringing the amount raised so far to £266,000.

Church warden Tim Codling said: “Two remaining aspects of the restoration programme will go ahead in February. These are the installation of a new drainage system outside the church and improved disabled access.”

At one stage, it was feared that these works would be cancelled due to lack of money. However, a gift day in May raised more than £47,000.

“We have been almost overwhelmed by the generosity of members of the church and many other well-wishers in the town,” continued Mr Codling.

“We are now confident that we will be able to go ahead with this work, which will prevent further water penetration into the church building. It is this damp that has caused the death watch beetle attack and we should be able to protect this marvellous piece of Alton’s heritage for the future and provide better access for wheelchair users.”

And he added: “We are enormously grateful to all those who have contributed in such a magnificent way.”

The church is continuing to generate income by offering sponsorship of the new oak shakes. People can write their name, a family name or a message on the wood, which will then be part of the new spire roof.

Alternatively, the old cedar shingles can be bought for £5 each. These will be sanded and have an image of the church stuck to the surface, so they can be hung as a picture and memento of the church restoration.

The image has been designed by church member Paul Ebbutt and printed by Wildly Upbeat Printers.

The shakes and shingles, with their images, will be on sale during the run up to Christmas in the parish churches of St Lawrence, All Saints, Holy Rood at Holybourne, and St Peter’s, Beech.

Mr Codling said: “They will make unusual and lasting Christmas presents.”