The story appears to be "true" but "inaccurate"
http://inel.wordpress.com/2007/02/09...sor-guildhall/
The columns in this church in fact do not touch the ceiling, and were added at the insistence of the local government. There is no dome, and most folks of the time having seen at least one domed structure would know a dome is self supporting, like an arch.
There were no inspectors, just a few elected busy bodies who thought the ceiling would fall in. Since 1690, the ceiling is right where is was, un-budged.