The Pitch Pipe

There is no evidence of an organ or other musical instrument in Grasmere Church before 1872. However, the purchase for 7s 6d of a new pitch pipe, to be used by the clerk who led the singing, appears in the accounts of 1829. The pitch pipe is on display in a cabinet at the east end of the Langdale aisle, next to the organ.

The Old Organ

In 1872, a two manual Wilkinson organ was installed. This was a good quality instrument with ten stops on the Great and six on the Swell. In 1923 it was rehoused in Lancaster Baptist Church, a move involving a reduction in size of the Great. In 2000, the Wilkinson was moved once again, this time to All Saints Church at Boltongate, south of Wigton. The organ still plays well.

The New Organ

In March, 1923, Mr J Taylor of Helmside, Grasmere, placed an order with J J Binns of Leeds for a new organ for Grasmere Church. His donation was in memory of second daughter, Nellie Taylor, V.A.D., who was attached to the 10th Motor Ambulance Convoy, British Red Cross. She died in France on 27th June 1918. Nellie, who had been a fine musician, is interred at Mont Huon Military Cemetery, Le Treport.

The organ was three manual with patent tubular pneumatic action. Technically and artistically, it was of a high standard: “The soundboards, tables, bearers, etc., are of straight-grained mahogany… The keys are of the best double-bleached ivory and the sharps of ebony… The solo and softer registers have a rich and delicate quality” (Westmorland Gazette, 6th October 1923). The case, of Austrian oak, was constructed by Grasmere craftsmen, Messers T Wilson and Sons and the entire installed at the east end of the Langdale aisle, necessitating the removal of the vestry to the west end where it had been a hundred years previously.

Alterations

In 1964, renovations were carried out by J W Walker & Sons of Ruislip. The Great received most attention. The original Trumpet was replaced by a Tromba, the Flautina moved to the Choir, the Medium Open Diapason softened to a Small Open Diapason and a new Fifteenth and Mixture were installed. The Choir’s original Gamba was removed to make way for the Flautina. In 1994, Victor Saville overhauled the organ section by section, and in 2004, a new humidifier and bellows for the Tromba were fitted. At the same time, a two-stage ladder was installed within the organ case to improve access.

Restoration

The organ was restored in 2023 to celebrate its centenary, paid for by many kind donations. 

Specification

The Swell and Pedal sections are unchanged since manufacture.

CHOIR 

Tromba 8 : Clarionet 8 : Flautina 2 : Flauto Traverso 4 : Lieblich Gedact 8 : Dulciana 8 : Tremulant

GREAT

Tromba 8 : Mixture 19-22-26 : Fifteenth 2 : Principal 4 : Flute Harmonic 4 : Hohl Flute 8 : Small Open Diapason 8 : Large Open Diapason 8 : Bourdon 16

SWELL

Oboe 8 :  Cornopean 8 : Dulciana Mixture (2 ranks) : Salicet 4 : Vox Angelica 8 : Viola d’Orchestre 8 : Rohr Flute 8 : Geigen Diapason 8 : Tremulant

PEDAL

Octave Diapason 8 : Bass Flute 8 : Bourdon 16 : Open Diapason 16 : Harmonic Bass 32

COUPLERS

Swell to Choir : Choir to Great : Swell to Great : Swell to Pedal : Great to Pedal : Choir to Pedal : Choir Octave : Choir Sub Octave : Swell to Great Sub Octave : Swell to Great Octave : Swell Sub Octave : Swell Octave

ACCESSORIES

4 adjustable thumb pistons to each of Great and Swell, 3 to Choir : 4 adjustable toe pistons to Great and to Swell : Reversible thumb pistons for Great to Pedal and Swell to Great : Reversible toe piston for Great to Pedal

Music

Music has a fine and long tradition at St Oswald’s Church. Andrew Seivewright (1926–2010), former Master of the Music at Carlisle Cathedral, was organist and choirmaster from 1994. A recording of Organs of the Lake District is available on the church bookstall, and includes several tracks recorded at Grasmere in August 2016 by the present Director of Music, Ian Hare.