h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is a quick and easy one. A simple question with a simple answer, and no cryptic clues.

A lot of old churches have pinnacles on top of towers, and sometimes along the tops of side and end walls. They are often decoratively carved, but they also have a practical function. What is it?

No googling allowed, but you'll be pleased to hear that there are also no s

Lightning conductor?

RF

Do they let out rain water?

Air vent kinda things so chimneys work?

Lightning conductor - no. There may be a lightning conductor attached to one pinnacle (though more usually to the flag-pole) - this is something that all pinnacles do.

Let out rain water - no. Spigots, sometimes built into gargoyles, are lower down.

Air vents - no.

Do they act as a windbreak?

Not a windbreak, lil, no.

roof over a tower so you have somewhere to put the bells so they dont get rusty

Do they keep away 'evil spirits'?

Taff & Vip - both no. Also, bell metal doesn't rust. And there are no evil spirits. Well, not many.

To prevent birds sitting on them?

Nope. The pinnacles are usually pretty substantial. Birds sit on them quite happily.

to pierce heaven and get nearer to god and be an ear trumpetr for god to get all the prayers

I hate to be the one to have to break this news to you Taff, but...there is no god.

Snow barriers - to stop it all sliding off before it melts?

*clutches at straws*

In Transylvania, a church tower having four smaller towers around it at the top means that the town has its own court of law. Something along those lines?

Hmm, perhaps along those lines - no other building is allowed to have such a thing, so they denote it as a church.

Pinnacles are not indicative of anything, no. Or if they are, it's not the answer to this question. Other buildings are allowed to have them, and they won't hold back snow.

Air conditioning? It's a speciality of the Middle East (especially UAE and Oman) but works perfectly in colder and damper climes. The Compact Theatre in Manchester is a particularly striking example.