© Maggie Kilbey & Marcel Glover 2024
BARREL 1
GREEN
Tune
Metre
1.1
LM
1.2
LM
1.3
LM
1.4
104th
1.5
LM
1.6
LM
1.7
CM
1.8
CM
1.9
CM
1.10
SM
1.11
87.D
1.12
87.87.47.
1.13
1.14
1.15
BARREL 2
GREEN
Tune
Metre
2.1
77.77.
2.2
LM
2.3
112th
2.4
CM
2.5
LM
2.6
7s
2.7
87.87.87.
2.8
LM
2.9
76.76.D
2.10
87.87.87.
2.11
LM
2.12
2.13
2.14
2.15
St Mary the Virgin, Avington (Hampshire)
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Barrel organ by an unknown builder, possibly Benjamin Flight. Given by Mrs John Shelley on Christmas Day 1849. Her husband (brother of
the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley) had purchased the Avington estate the previous year.
The organ is located in the west gallery, only accessible from the tower, and is operated from the rear. The stained softwood Gothic case
has three panels of gold painted dummy pipes backed with blue cloth. The mechanism is accessed by lifting a flap hinged at the top of the
case. This makes it very dark inside the organ, and two candleholders have been provided inside the case.
Restored by John Budgen in 1960, and an electric blower was fitted. In 1995 it was overhauled by Bishop & White. Tunes recorded in 1997.
Two green carriage-mounted barrels (originally three, later four) x 15 tunes corresponding with the handwritten tunelist pasted to the
case. Barrel 2 has been repinned at some point, as the tune ‘Resignation’ was not composed until 1853. Two barrels were disposed of
during the 1950s because of woodworm damage.
References: MacDermott (1948); Boston (1959); Country Life (6 Apr. 1961) p.756; Boston & Langwill (1967); Turner (2002); NPOR N18659.
© Maggie Kilbey & Marcel Glover 2024
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
St Mary the Virgin, Avington
(Hampshire)
Barrel organ by an unknown builder, possibly Benjamin Flight. Given
by Mrs John Shelley on Christmas Day 1849. Her husband (brother of
the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley) had purchased the Avington estate
the previous year.
The organ is located in the west gallery, only accessible from the
tower, and is operated from the rear. The stained softwood Gothic
case has three panels of gold painted dummy pipes backed with blue
cloth. The mechanism is accessed by lifting a flap hinged at the top of
the case. This makes it very dark inside the organ, and two
candleholders have been provided inside the case.
Restored by John Budgen in 1960, and an electric blower was fitted.
In 1995 it was overhauled by Bishop & White. Tunes recorded in
1997.
Two green carriage-mounted barrels (originally three, later four) x 15
tunes corresponding with the handwritten tunelist pasted to the
case. Barrel 2 has been repinned at some point, as the tune
‘Resignation’ was not composed until 1853. Two barrels were
disposed of during the 1950s because of woodworm damage.
References: MacDermott (1948); Boston (1959); Country Life (6 Apr.
1961) p.756; Boston & Langwill (1967); Turner (2002); NPOR N18659.
BARREL 1
GREEN
Tune
Metre
1.1
LM
1.2
LM
1.3
LM
1.4
104th
1.5
LM
1.6
LM
1.7
CM
1.8
CM
1.9
CM
1.10
SM
1.11
87.D
1.12
87.87.47.
1.13
1.14
1.15
BARREL 2
GREEN
Tune
Metre
2.1
77.77.
2.2
LM
2.3
112th
2.4
CM
2.5
LM
2.6
7s
2.7
87.87.87.
2.8
LM
2.9
76.76.D
2.10
87.87.87.
2.11
LM
2.12
2.13
2.14
2.15
