Redundant churches in the C of E

[Barrie Davis]

There are a number of churches within in the C of E which are closed for Worship but open for historical reasons. St Marys Shrewsbury springs to mind, this church has a fine 4 manual Binns organ and some Harris and Byfield pipework and case. It is played from time to time but who is reponsible for its care and if the situation arose could it ever find a new home? I find it ridiculous that these organs are not used, but this is better than being broken up as is often the case when dreaded reordering takes place.
My own church was reordered some 10 years ago, the choir stalls were removed and one priest said when the organs gone that will make a prayer room, luckily after much fighting this never happened, the congregation value the instrument we have the care of. This makes a change!!!!

[revtonynewnham]

Hi

Care of organs in redundant churches devolves to whichever organisation cares for/maintains (or otherwise) the building.  A few are properly maintained and used, others I guess are just left to moulder away.  There's just too many redundant churches/organs in all denominations, to the point that many perfectly useable/restorable organs are destroyed, or just sit mute and deteriorating.

There's a few in churches near hear, including one that is, at root, a very early Binns, and another that has evolved (as recent research has shown) from an early Bishop, and still contains some old pipework and parts of the case.  Very sad.

Every Blessing

Tony

[Contrabombarde]

The Shrewsbury organ is absolutely magnificent, I think particularly the reeds. The church is very "open", as in open through the week and proud of its medieval stained glass windows. But it's been decommissioned or deconsecrated or whatever one does to old Anglican churches and so has maybe a couple of services maximum per year so is thus virtually a museum to its windows and organ.

No idea who maintains it - doesn't look like it's had any significant work for decades and is creaking at the seams. But Binns built things to last and all things considered it's not doing too badly, most notes and most stops work and there aren't any ciphers. They have a weekly lunchtime recital in the summer and are very happy to let organists to play it during the week whilst the tourists are walking around.

It is quite a thrilling experience to play it, as I have done on a number of occasions, though it isn't the easiest organ in the world to play - one doesn't dare meddle with the Binns adjustable combination system (thankfully some useful combinations have been set up) and the pedalboard is a whole 33 inches from the Choir so you need to wear stilts. I hope (but doubt) that would be addressed if ever it was restored.

[Barrie Davis]

Yes I agree, one of best combinations on it is the Unda Maris and Dolce on the choir. Sam Baker often used to add the 16 and 8 chorus reeds on the Solo to the Swell to reinforce the sound, this was magical in his psalm accompaniements, but Sam really was magical.

[KB7DQH]

Here is but one example... the most recent anyway... of a successful restoration of a disused church building into a "multipurpose community facility"... Town Hall???

http://www.indystar.com/article/20110409/LIVING02/104090311/Former-Old-Northside-church-restored-glory-community-event-space?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CLiving

Six layers of latex paint hid intricate hand-painted designs on the pipes of an organ built in 1892. The metal shingle roof was rusty and leaking. And parts of the domed ceiling had crashed down on the old oak church pews.

But Marsh Davis didn't want this historic former Methodist church on the city's Old Northside to be lost. And he envisioned a new home for Indiana Landmarks -- the private nonprofit group he heads that has saved historic houses and buildings in the state for a half-century.

Just 11/2 years later, it's a historic jewel, an ideal setting for weddings, concerts, special events and business meetings -- and soon to be an expanded home for Indiana Landmarks.

"It's been a thrill because it now has a purpose," said Gayle Cook. "And it's such an asset to the Old Northside."

"Our hope would be that people get a better understanding that preservation isn't just to restore something but to preserve it with a function," said Bill Cook, co-founder of global medical device company Cook Group. "It's far better to demonstrate you can generate capital and make money on older buildings. You don't need to tear them down."

Meticulous work went into restoring the 1,900-pipe organ, with pipes ranging from 16 feet to the size of a pencil, said Rob Heighway, organ builder for Goulding & Wood Co., a firm on Massachusetts Avenue that builds and restores organs. Over seven months, workers removed paint from pipes, restenciled them with the original green and gold thistle design and refurbished the organ console.

And by the looks of things their first event is already sold out 8)

The Landmark Premiere (sold out): 3 to 8:30 p.m. April 16. Includes a 30-minute performance by Indiana rock musician John Mellencamp, hors d'oeuvres, tours, tribute to the Bill Cook family and dinner in Cook Theater. Dr. Charles Webb, dean emeritus of Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, will play the restored 1892 pipe organ in Grand Hall.

Eric
KB7DQH