© Maggie Kilbey & Marcel Glover 2024
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
St Thomas à Becket, Brightling
(E. Sussex)
Barrel organ. Label inside windchest: W.A.A. NICHOLLS Son-in-law and
successor to the late Mr G.P. England, Organ Builder, No. 9 Stephen St.
Tottenham Ct. Rd. London’. Given by the local squire, John Fuller MP
(1757-1834) in c.1820 to replace previous barrel organ (see Directory).
Fuller presented the male choir members with white smocks, buckskin
breeches and yellow stockings and the females with red cloaks to be
worn on the day the organ was first played and afterwards. Fuller is
said to have previously provided the choir with nine bassoons.
The organ is located in the west gallery, is operated from the rear and
blown by pedal. The castellated case has five panels of gold painted
pipes backed with cloth.
Restored by Harrison & Harrison in 1960 & 1964, and by Stuart Dobbs
and Dominic Gwynn in 1999:
https://www.goetzegwynn.co.uk/organ/brightling-church-in-sussex-
restoration-of-the-ca1820-nicholls-barrel-organ/
BIOS Historic Organ Certificate awarded 1999 (ungraded).
Tunes recorded in 2022 by Andrew Wedmore and team:
https://brightling.community/barrel-organ-1/
References: Country Life (15 Aug. 1903) p.192, (25 Jun 1943) p.1153 &
(21 Dec. 1951) p.2109; Nottingham Journal (5 Aug. 1913) p.2;
MacDermott (1922); Sussex Agricultural Express (1 Nov. 1929) p.12;
Hastings and St Leonards Observer (4 Feb. 1933) p. 2; West Sussex
Gazette (9 Feb. 1933) p.5; Wenlock (1955); Boston & Langwill (1967);
Anne Holman, Of Bruite Beasts and Horses' Legs (Brightling, 2000);
NPOR, N15468.
BARREL 1
Tune
Metre
1.1
[Hanover - damaged]
1.2
1.3
1.4
[damaged]
1.5
LM
1.6
CM
1.7
SM
1.8
CM
1.9
1.10
113th
1.11
CM
1.12
LM
BARREL 2
Tune
Metre
2.1
SM
2.2
CM
2.3
LM
2.4
CM
2.5
CM
2.6
LM
2.7
CM
2.8
LM
2.9
77.77.D
2.10
112th
2.11
CM
2.12
CM