At 53 meteres high, St Nicholas church was the tallest building in Liverpool  from 1813–1868. After the tragedy of the tower's collapse in 1810, a new tower and lantern design by Thomas Harrison of Chester and replete with a new ring of twelve bells was built on the north side over the next five years.A weather vane in the form of a ship, was restored following the 1810 incident and reinstated atop the tower. The first stone was laid on 25 September 1811 by James Drinkwater Esq.  At the same time, the last remains of the original chapel of St Mary del Quay, which had been used as a tavern, were demolished. Gas lighting was added in 1834 while more extensive alterations took place in 1851 to 52.

Image details: H Toussaint