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We learn from the Parish Magazine that prior to the installation of the organ in 1870, music for divine service had been supplied by a barrel-organ since 1837. This in turn had replaced the services of the eight singers who had occupied a musicians’ gallery under the tower, and sang very loud. Singing was also led by string and woodwind instruments until 1861.
The organ itself is a splendid early unaltered example of the work of Thomas Christopher Lewis, one of the leading English Church Organ builders in the late nineteenth century. Lewis espoused the use of low wind pressures, which gave a huge quality tone that contrasted with the high wind pressure systems favoured by other organ builders of the period, and went on to build the organs at Ripon Cathedral, Southwark Cathedral and St Peter’s Eaton Square, before retiring in 1905.
Michael Latham, the Parish’s organ consultant, writes that “The great strength in Lewis’s organs undoubtedly lies in the beauty and boldness of the voicing of the diapason ranks, closely followed by the excellent flutes and strings which were based on stops of a similar nature made by his mentor, the German organ builder Edward Schulze. The Titchmarsh organ is a fine early example of this particular feature, with the Diapason chorus being outstanding despite the small number of pipes.”
Visiting organists who would like to play the organ are invited to contact the churchwardens through the web-site e-mail address.
Lewis Organ from the nave
Organ Console
Organ Pipe Array