Muchelney

St Peter & St Paul, Muchelney (Somerset)

Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches

From the Gray & Davison ledger for 1848: ‘Improved barrel organ for Muchelney Church £100’. A nameplate inside the case reads ‘GRAY & DAVISON’S IMPROVED, 9, New Road, Fitzroy Sq., LONDON.’ According to their shopbook it was made by Wedlake & Skeat (Wedlake was a Gray & Davison apprentice). The side of the rotating frame is engraved ‘Gray & Davison’ and the weights on the reservoir are stamped G.D. The organ is located in the south aisle above the vestry. It is operated from the rear, blown by pedal independent of the barrel mechanism, therefore the barrel can be held in position for accompanying chant without loss of wind pressure. The grained softwood Gothic case has three panels of gold painted dummy pipes. Tunes recorded in 2000. Three black barrels x 10 tunes in a frame; handwritten alphabetical tunelist pasted inside the case.

References: ‘Notes of the Month’, The Antiquary (1907) p.248; Tower Hamlets Independent and East End Local Advertiser (5 Dec. 1908) p.5; W.G. Willis Watson, Letter, Notes & Queries, 12th series, X (22 Apr. 1922) p.316; Country Life (28 Oct. 1939) p.455 & (2 Sep. 1965) p.568; The Organ (Jul. 1944); MacDermott (1948); Boston (1959); Boston & Langwill (1967); Musical Opinion (Feb. 1972) pp.257-9; Turner (2002); Andrew Hayden, ‘Star Organ’, The Organ (May 2004) p.8; NPOR, N05596.