Pineapple chunks!
See the rest of the view in the 1990's
Early in 1990 the church tower was struck by lightening and one of the pineapples exploded - there were chunks of stone pineapple all over the church yard.
"It is always a bonus when a church opens its tower to the public. The views are usually unparalleled. I thought that Willen would be particularly good as it was so rarely open and it looked out over my home and the lake.

I climbed the vertical ladders and popped my head out of the trap door and was astonished at the sight of three towering stone pineapples. Close too, they are huge! I climbed out gingerly as there was only the smallest parapet and clung nervously to the central boss of the roof. I noticed some chunks of yellow stone lying on the roof and gradually realised that they were the fragments of the fourth pineapple blown to pieces in the lightening strike. I picked up a piece and marvelled at the weight of it - it was nearly a foot long! I wish now that I had kept it as I expect it was finally thrown away."

Mark Strutton
Of course it seems obvious now that a man of Hooke's intellect would naturally allowed for the fact that the pineapple would only be seen from 50 feet below.

You can just see a piece of the pineapple next to the trap door in the picture above.
Photographs by Mark Strutton