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The St. William bell tower, or campanile, has long been a Price Hill landmark and can be seen from blocks away in any direction. The sandstone on the outside of the tower is from Briar Hill, Ohio. The four bells inside the tower originally hung in St. Michael’s church; the largest weighs 2,600 pounds and the smallest 400 pounds. The bell tower rests on solid bedrock.

The cross on the apex of the roof is made of solid stone and is four and a half feet high. The original cross had to be replaced in 1946 when a crack developed after a workman drilled two holes into it to attach a lightening rod. The statue of St. William below the cross is carved in stone.

The great rose window is set high in the eastern wall of the church, eight feet in diameter. Catching the rays of the morning sun, it is made of Norman slab glass and was created by the G. C. Riordan Studio of Covington, KY in 1940.

A clustered colonnade below the great rose window is composed of a double row of twelve columns, each carved differently, with a crest of each of the twelve apostles at the top of each capital.

Below the colonnade are symbols of the four evangelists, the winged man for St. Matthew, the winged lion for St. Mark, the winged ox for St. Luke, and the eagle for St. John.

Two polished granite columns and two pilasters form three arches that lead to the doors of the church. The capitals are carved with four symbols; (left to right) a griffin representing the incarnation, a cross representing our redemption, the tree of Jess representing Jesus’ human nature, and a peacock representing the resurrection.

In each arch are carved symbols of creation: birds, beasts, flowers, and foliage. In the ceiling of the porch are butterflies, bees, asps, dolphins, signs of the zodiac and many more.

Five round carved medallions within the porch depict in stone the five joyful mysteries of the rosary.

Heavy oak doors lead into the vestibule. The symbols in the center door recall our entrance into eternal life.

The Grounds
The Grotto in honor of Our Lady of Lourdes occupies a prominent spot on the hillside separating the school level from the church grounds. This Grotto was a favorite project of Father Reardon in 1938; statues have been restored or replaced as necessary. A pool was installed in the ‘90’s, with large flat rocks surrounding the water and with appropriate plantings in this area. Rose gardens are on either hillside flanking the Grotto, along with other seasonal plants.

Farther on the hill, toward Sunset Avenue, stands the Peace Cross, placed in 1945 in memory of World War II dead. The large crucifix is of oak and bronze, encased in a pedestal that contains petitions, promises, letters, and mementoes of men and women who served in the war. On the plaque is a list of the twenty who did not return.

The side entrance to the church carries the figures of Saints Peter and Paul and of Moses and Aaron, a carving of an eagle, and symbols of the seven sacraments.

On the southwest corner of the church property is a beautiful perennial and annual garden planted and maintained by Mary and John Lacey for almost 20 years.

On the northwest side of the church is the terraced and landscaped St. Francis Garden with roses to the west. At the entrance to Our Lady of the Universe Chapel is a very secluded garden of perennials, annuals, and flowering shrubs.

Numerous “pocket-size” gardens surround the church and school property. A complete reconstruction of all gardens was undertaken by the St. William Garden Club in the late ‘90’s. All gardens are presently being maintained by the Garden Club.

In September 2000, St. William Garden Club was awarded first place in the “Church” category for outstanding beautification efforts by the Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati. We are very proud of our beautiful church and grounds.