St Michael’s Tower to be unveiled after restoration

St Michael’s Tower, the 15th-century Gloucester landmark which has been shrouded in scaffolding for the past year is set to be unveiled in time for Gloucester History Festival.

The Grade II* listed building that has been covered in scaffolding has undergone extensive repairs funded by Gloucester City Council and Historic England.

The masonry on the scheduled monument, known locally as The Tower, had been deteriorating and the building was placed on the Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register in November 2023.

Restoration work saw the Tower’s lead roof and stonework repaired and large architectural stones carved and replaced by stonemasons skilled in conservation.

The works will be complete in time for this year’s Gloucester History Festival, with the removal of the scaffolding taking place from August.

Councillor Sarah Sawyer, Cabinet member for Planning at Gloucester City Council, said: “I’m delighted that this important landmark has been given the skilled restoration that it desperately needed. In Gloucester we’re extremely lucky to have such a wealth of beautiful and historically important buildings so it’s vital that we preserve these for current and future generations to enjoy. I hope that local people will support the fantastic history festival and come and find out more about St Michael’s Tower.”

Ross Simmonds, South West Regional Director at Historic England, said: “We’re pleased to have been able to support this highly skilled restoration with a grant of £137,000. It’s great that the repaired Tower will be unveiled in time for the Gloucester History Festival and Heritage Open Days – well done to all concerned.”

Martyn White, Chairman of Gloucester Civic Trust, said: “Gloucester Civic Trust manages St Michael’s Tower as a small heritage centre and increasingly as a tourist information centre for the City. It’s an ancient building and we are delighted that, with the support of Historic England and the City Council the Tower is now structurally sound and ready for us to once again welcome visitors and residents.

“Gloucester Civic Trust provides daily City tours beginning at the Tower at 11am. along with a wide range of special interest tours, mostly available to book at www.gloucestercivictrust.org Guide books for Heritage Open Days will be available at the Tower. On the weekend of September 13-15 the Civic Trust will be hosting the weekend, one of the most comprehensive and successful programmes of free visits and activities in the country.”

St Michael’s Tower is the only surviving fabric of the former parish church of St Michael and All Angels, which was built between 1455 and 1472.

The parish church was demolished in 1849 and rebuilt in 1851, but it was later demolished in 1955, leaving the tower an isolated monument at the crossroads of Gloucester’s four main streets.

St Michaels Tower is at the heart of Gloucester City, located in a prominent position overlooking the cross of the gate streets. The ground floor is used by the Civic Trust as a base for their tours of the City Centre.

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