The New England Steeple
New England's multi-tiered wooden steeples evolved from small bell turrets in 17th century meeting houses to become a ubiquitous sight in the region, often overlooking some vestige of the Village Green. Kirk Shivell has a detailed account of their history in his book The Steeples of Old New England.
The illustration below is based on the Congregational Church in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Click on the highlighted sections for information on the four major components of a typical steeple.