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Outstanding pipe organs in the Vale David Shuker     The organ at Eaton. In his book Historic Organs of Leicestershire (At the Sign of the Pipe 2010) David Shuker recounts the history of three pipe organs in the Vale of Belvoir and another adjacent to the Vale at Croxton Kerrial. Branston by Belvoir   St Guthlacs' at Branston has one of the largest late-eighteenth century organs in the country. Yes there are plenty of larger organs. But they utilise innovations from after the eighteenth century. Why does Branston have such an instrument? Well it wasn't built for Branston. It was built in 1794 by Hugh Russell for the then newly-built St Clement's Church, Steveson Square, Manchester. But by the 1870s the centre of Manchester had become commercial and the former residents moved out to the suburbs. In 1876 St Clement's was closed and the organ was remodelled and installed in Walford Hall, Knutsford. This was the home of a successful businessman, J.H. Murray. His wife, Blanche, was the daughter of the Rector of Branston, George Sloane Stanley. Sadly Blanche died in 1879 at the age of 36. She was buried at Branston and the Murray family presented the organ to Branston in her memory. In 1983 the late-ninetenth century organ case was opened up for a deep clean and overhaul. This revealed that the pipework and mechanisms were mostly original from the 1790s. Over a number of years Martin Renshaw and colleagues restored the organ to its original condition, completing the task in 1996. Eaton The splendid white and gold organ case dominates the interior of St Denys' church. The core of the organ was built about 1790 by an unknown organ builder. In 1829 Tomothy Russell adapted it for Lady St Margaret, Wareham, Dorset. By 1979 it was in the Unitarian chapel in Wareham. It then spent a few months at Lockington before being installed at Eaton in 1980. It has only one manual and no pedals. The tuning is lower than concert pitch and uses a nineteenth century temperament (see wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_temperament for details) making it suitable for performances of music written before about 1850. Stathern The organ at Stathern is one of many made by Theodore Charles Bates (1786–1858) of Ludgate Hill, London. This one was constructed in 1848 as a single manual instrument but was given a second manual in 1865 before being restored to its original single-manual configuration in the 1980s. The pedals do not connect to pipes but instead operate the lower keys of the manual. It is regarded as a 'fine musical instrument'. Croxton Kerrial Although not strictly within the Vale, the organ inside St Botolph and St John the Baptist was built in 1849 by John Nicholson of Worcester for Salem Baptist Chapel, Cheltenham. In 1884 the organ was moved to Gloucester. It was slightly modified in 1953–4. In 1987 it was moved to Croxton Kerrial. By the 1990s a full restoration was needed and this was done by Peter Collins in 2006, utilising the attractive case of the nineteenth-century Abbott and Smith organ which had previously been at Croxton. This organ is also tuned to Young's temperament. Back to top of this page     Back to home page   This website does not gather or store any visitor information. Copyright Bob Trubshaw 2025 No unauthorised copying or reproduction except if all following conditions apply: a: Copy is complete (including this copyright statement). b: No changes are made. c: No charge is made. www.hoap.co.uk/chronicle

Chronicle entries home page what's new? the geology of the Vale the boundaries and rivers of the Vale long, long ago prehistory in the Vale prehistoric boundaries in the Vale north-south prehistoric routeways Romans roads in the Vale Roman settlements in and near the Vale long ago introduction to Anglo-Saxons place-names of the Vale waterborne transport around the sixth century Orston's early church Anglo-Saxon sculpture in the Vale why Orston lost out to Bingham and Bottesford what the Normans did for the Vale Granby's importance in 1086 Granby's lost castle the Vale's watermills in 1086 Romanesque sculpture in the Vale St Remigius why Bottesford is in Leicestershire the Vale in medieval times medieval gargoyles of the Vale Eastwell's chancel screen St Ethelburga's church other early saints Elston's old chapel Muston and Long Clawson saltways of the Vale the Vale's medieval tile collection the Vale in Tudor times Dissolution in the Vale not that long ago the Vale in the C17th the 'great and the good' of the Vale Bottesford's effigies 'wicked practice and sorcerye' the whales on the Whalley memorial Car Colston's bigoted GP cum JP the Vale's very own regicide Wiverton Hall five rare C17th fonts in the Vale pinfolds and pounds in the Vale dovecotes in the Vale the Vale in the C18th turnpiking the Vale gravestones and C18th trade routes goodbye 'Belvoir Angels' C18th gravestone carvers in the Vale Daffy's Elixir the Marquess of Granby Stilton from the Vale springs and spas of the Vale outstanding organs in the Vale Grantham canal changes in the Vale's agriculture since 1800 Eastwell's recusant priest house and chapel Colston Bassett's ruined church seems like yesterday windmills in the Vale stained glass in the Vale village life in the southern Vale 1850 to 1880 folklore of the Vale Flintham museum lacemaking in the Vale gypsum pits in the Vale brick and tile works in the Vale ironstone quarrying in the Vale ironstone railways ironstone quarries of Leicestershire (YouTube video) The Vale's railway stations Orston's famous architect Mothers Union banners of the Vale redundant telephone exchanges in the Vale WWII airfields and pillboxes in the Vale the Vale in 1944 location shooting at Belvoir Castle Screveton's giants researching and writing local history the Vale as a verb getting started free advice from 2005 asking curious questions (YouTube video) local history groups in and around the Vale Aslockton (Cranmer LHG) Bingham Heritage Trails Association Bottesford Eastwell Harby Harlaxton Hickling Redmile archive Belvoir Villages History and Memories Group Belvoir Angel Society Grantham Canal Society you may also be interested in free PDFs written by Bob Trubshaw Earliest Churches in Nottinghamshire How Anglo-Saxons Found Their Way Anglo-Saxon Leicestershire Conversations in Churchyards Little-known Leicestershire and Rutland Bob Trubshaw's YouTube channel Introduction to medieval carvings Anglo-Saxon and Romanesque carvings How Anglo-Saxons found their way Anglo-Saxon shrines at fords Meetings at triangles Rota's Land and Franni's Land Reading Romanesque fonts Church and manor The significances of square headdresses Early churches and waterborne trade Charnwood slate gravestones and C18th trade routes Ironstone quarries of Leicestershire Roman roads in north-east Leicestershire Salt ways in Leicestershire Why Melton Mowbray needed to called 'middle town' Evolving Anglo-Saxon agriculture Nottinghamshire's earliest churches Ploughs not piety? Economic regeneration in the C7th Were Anglo-Saxon weaving huts women-only places? Barrowby Until Now website Rutland Village by Village website Sepulchral Effigies of Leicestershire and Rutland