Sidmouth Parish Church

[Barrie Davis]

Hi

A friend of mine has been given permission to try the organ in this church next week, he saw it on a previous visit and tells me its a 4 manual instrument. I have searched NPOR and can only find details of a survey in the 1970's which is of a 3 manual instrument by Hele & Co, Elvins book Pipes and Actions gives the specification at 1992 after a Michael Farley rebuild. Has some other work been carried out since that date and does anyone have the current specification?
Michael Farley added 3 digital stops in 1992 to the Peadal organ.

Best wishes

Barrie

[Contrabombarde]

Here's a photo of the console (from the Exeter organist's assosiation website - looks like a four manual to me:
http://www.exeterorganists.net/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/Sidmouth_PC_March_2011/IMG_0625.jpg

and another from the local paper, naming the organist who perhaps you should contact:
http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/Organist-joins-string-players/story-16385888-detail/story.html

The church website describes it as having "one of the best four-manual organs in the South West".
http://www.sidvalley.org.uk/sidmouth-parish-church.html

In 1881 it was apparently a 28 stop 3 manual Hill (search for "Sidmouth" in the long article below:
http://archive.org/stream/dictionaryoforga00thoruoft/dictionaryoforga00thoruoft_djvu.txt

Do let us know what you find!

While you're in Sidmouth you might want to take a look at All Saints church too which has an elegant-looking Hele according to an old NPOR listing but a two-manual toaster according to the Allen organ website...

[Barrie Davis]

Thank you for this, obviously NPOR and Elvin are wrong, it is after all 30 years since Elvins book was produced, I will endeavour to get more information.

Best wishes

Barrie

[pcnd5584]

Thank you for this, obviously NPOR and Elvin are wrong, it is after all 30 years since Elvins book was produced, I will endeavour to get more information.

Best wishes

Barrie

There is a little more information on this site:

http://www.tdoa.co.uk/Organs/070519parishchurchsidmouth.htm