Glover's Needle, Church steeple in Worcester, England
Glover's Needle is a slender church steeple in Worcester with a narrow spire that rises above the city's roofline. The stone tower has a distinctive tapering form that defines much of the skyline when viewed from various parts of the city.
The original church spire was destroyed by lightning in 1733 and rebuilt in 1751 by Nathaniel Wilkinson using an innovative construction approach. This rebuild established the structure's distinctive form that has endured to the present day.
The name comes from Worcester's long history as a glove-making center, with this structure representing the city's industrial past. Visitors walking around it today can sense how deeply this trade shaped the local identity.
The tower is visible from many vantage points around Worcester, making it a helpful landmark when exploring the city. The closest views can be found from nearby streets and squares where the full structure comes into view.
The tower has an extremely narrow angle of taper that makes it the most slender church steeple of its height anywhere in England. This unusual construction creates an optical illusion when viewed from ground level, making it appear taller than its actual dimensions.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
