West Quantoxhead

St Etheldreda, West Quantoxhead (Somerset)

Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches

The organ stands at the west end of the south aisle. It is operated from the rear with the crank handle on the right and the blowing lever on the left, so two people are needed to operate it. Green painted castellated case with gold painted pipes (3-9-3) which are functional. Stop list: Open Diapason 8’, Dulciana 8’, Stopped Diapason Treble 8’, Stopped Diapason Bass 8’, Principal 4’, Fifteenth 2’, Sesquialtera. Restored c.1981 by Bishops of Ipswich, and again in 2006 by John Budgen. Tunes on barrels 1 & 2 recorded in 2000, tunes on barrel 3 recorded in 2023. BIOS Historic Organ Certificate awarded 2011 (Grade I). Three green barrels x 12 tunes in a frame. The original barrel change mechanism is still in place – the frame is moved along its axis and there is a screw thread so any tune can be selected. The names of newer, repinned tunes are pasted onto the badly faded original tunelist pinned inside the case. All the new tunes, apart from the chants, were published in the first edition of Hymns Ancient & Modern (1861). Photos: M. Kilbey. Recordings of barrel 3: Peter Evans.

References: Boston (1959); Boston & Langwill (1967); Musical Opinion (Aug. 1970) p.599; Peter Evans, The Barrel Organ, St Etheldreda’s Church West Quantoxhead (2023); NPOR, N12655.

BARREL 1 GREEN

Tune

Metre

1.1

Unknown Single Chant: Battishill

1.2

Old 100th

1.3

Wareham

1.4

Rockingham

1.5

Portuguese Hymn [Portugal New]

1.6

Bedford

1.7

St Stephen

1.8

Abridge

1.9

Manchester New

1.10

St Bride

1.11

Shirland

1.12

Unknown Double Chant: Dupuis

BARREL 2 GREEN

Tune

Metre

2.1

Evening Hymn

2.2

Unknown Ewing

76.76.D

2.3

Unknown Single Chant: Tallis

2.4

Surrey [Carey’s]

2.5

Unknown Regent Square

87.87.87.

2.6

Angel’s Hymn

2.7

Unknown Bridehead

886.D

2.8

Harington

2.9

Unknown St Constantine

65.65.

2.10

Hanover

104th

2.11

Mariners Hymn [Sicilian Mariners]

87.D

2.12

Advent Hymn [Helmsley]

87.87.47.

BARREL 3 GREEN

Tune

Metre

3.1

Luther’s Hymn

87.87.887.

3.2

Unknown St Michael

3.3

Unknown Aurelia

76.76.D

3.4

Unknown Eventide

10.10.10.10.

3.5

Unknown Hollingside [damaged]

77.77.D

3.6

St David [damaged]

3.7

Unknown Double Chant: Robinson

3.8

Unknown Double Chant: Boyce

3.9

Mount Ephraim [damaged]

3.10

University [damaged]

3.11

German Hymn

77.77.

3.12

Unknown Single Chant: Purcell

Improved barrel organ. Engraved on keyframe: ‘Bevington & Sons, LONDON.’ In 1845 the organ was installed in the west gallery of St Peter & St Paul, Bishop’s Hull and in 1862 sold to St Nicholas, Kilton for £10. The organ was transferred to West Quantoxhead in 1981.

Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches

St Etheldreda, West Quantoxhead (Somerset)

References: Boston (1959); Boston & Langwill (1967); Musical Opinion (Aug. 1970) p.599; Peter Evans, The Barrel Organ, St Etheldreda’s Church West Quantoxhead (2023); NPOR, N12655.