William Hill (1869), Thomas Hill (1875), Hele (1898),
Hill, Norman and Beard (1994), Nicholson (2002)
SWELL PEDAL GREAT Compass
16 Bourdon 16 Bourdon 16 Bourdon Great and Swell CC to g2
8 Open Diapason 16 Open Diapason 8 Open Diapason Pedal CC to f
8 Stopped Diapason 8 Flute 8 Stopped Diapason Action
8 Salicional 8 Principal 8 Dulciana Pedal electric (Hill, Norman
8 Voix Celeste 16 Trombone 4 Principal and Beard, 1994)
4 Principal 4 Wald Flute 3 combination pedals to Great
2 Flautina 22/3 Twelfth and 3 to Swell
8 Cornopean 2 Fifteenth Great and Swell mechanical
8 Oboe III Mixture
8 Trumpet
The present instrument was built in 1869 by William Hill and replaced a one manual instrument by Blyth of Isleworth which cost 185 guineas in 1823. This had replaced a smaller instrument by Daniel (or Samuel) Smith of Salisbury, which was built in 1778 on a gallery across the chancel. The Blyth organ was situated on a west end gallery which had been erected in 1700, blocking the west window and taking up the whole width of the nave and north aisle, with a staircase entrance from the south aisle. The redundant east-end gallery became public seating when the new organ was built. In 1849 the Blyth instrument was rebuilt at the east end of the church and some repairs were undertaken for the sum of £100.
In 1869 the firm of William Hill and Son was commissioned to supply a new, two manual instrument in the same position as at present, but at ground floor level. In 1885 "some improvements" and a considerable enlargement to the Swell department were undertaken. In 1898, in order to create a new choir vestry, the instrument was raised on to the loft. In all probability the instrument should have been turned to present the console and the decently stencilled pipe front to the west with the organist sitting in the oriel. The appearance of the instrument, which has outgrown its original case, sideways on, is regrettable but fortunately does not detract from the sound that it makes!
Apart from the electrification of the pedal department, the arrival of the new radiating and concave pedal board (in the 1920's?) and electric blowing apparatus in 1938, the organ has survived unscathed in the form in which it was left in 1898. In 1994 the restoration of this historic instrument was entrusted to the successors of the original builder and Hill, Norman and Beard undertook what was one of their last major works before the firm closed down. A CCTV monitor screen was installed to enable the organist to command a decent view of the nave and high altar. At Easter 2002 Nicholsons added three new ranks to the pedal department, a Bass Flute 8', Principal 8" and a wooden Trombone 16', to Hill's scales, with hitch-down controls at the bass end of the pedal board area, so as to preserve faithfully the appearance of the 1898 console.
