Which English cathedral has the tallest spire among medieval churches?

Salisbury Cathedral has the tallest spire among surviving medieval churches in England, rising 404 feet, or about 123 metres.

Built in the Early English Gothic style, Salisbury Cathedral was constructed mainly between 1220 and 1258. Its central tower and spire were completed around 1330, creating an exceptionally unified medieval building because most of the cathedral was erected within roughly 38 years.

The spire’s height is remarkable but structurally demanding. The tower and spire impose enormous loads on the crossing supports, which have bent over time. Reinforcing measures, including bracing arches and tie beams associated with Christopher Wren’s 17th-century interventions, helped stabilize the structure.

Lincoln Cathedral once had a taller medieval spire, generally estimated at 525 feet, but it collapsed in 1548. That distinction explains why Salisbury is the accepted answer for the tallest surviving medieval church spire, rather than York Minster, Canterbury Cathedral, or Lincoln Cathedral.