Christchurch Priory - The Pipe Organ

The first organ was built by Alexander Cumming in 1788 at a cost of £500, a legacy from Gustavus Brander. The organ was erected on the screen and comprised 3 manuals, Great Organ 8 stops, and Swell 4 stops with the Choir being entirely borrowed from the Great. A pedal board was added in the 1830's but by 1848, the organ had fallen into disrepair and was rebuilt, enlarged and moved from the screen in to the south transept. In 1865, the organ was rebuilt by the renowned Henry 'Father" Willis who added to the Swell and built a new Choir. He also extended the Pedal Organ. Willis carried out further works in 1880 and in 1890. Messrs. Ginn Bros. added to the Great and Pedal Organs. By this time, the organ comprised 13 stops; Swell 9 stops; Choir 6 stops and Pedal 8 stops. Apart from essential repairs and cleaning, no major works were carried out until 1951 when the organ was rebuilt and electrified by the John Compton Organ Co. who added a few extra stops. The organ was placed on a new gallery in the south transept and a detached console was placed on the north side of the nave. The scheme provided for numerous "prepared for" stops some of which were added in later years (including a nave triforium section by Degens and Rippin in 1964) but it was not completed neither was the organ provided with a case. At the time of its demise, the organ consisted of Great 21 stops; Swell 13 stops; Choir 14 stops and Pedal 18 stops. Some ranks were borrowed or extended. The pipe organ has not been played since 1973 when it was replaced by an electronic instrument. Although the console was removed, the pipework was kept in situ allowing for restoration in the future should circumstances permit.

The Restoration of the Pipe Organ
The organ was rebuilt by Nicholson & Co (Worcester) Ltd on the existing gallery in the south transept using the majority of the original pipes. The oldest pipes by Cumming dating back to 1788 form the basis of the Choir Organ placed in a projecting "chaire" case at the frontmost part of the organ. New chorus work was added to the Great and Swell Organs and these departments contain much of the surviving pipework by "Father Willis" as well as new pipework by Nicholson. The pedal organ also contains three new stops and the improved layout of the organ has allowed the return of the 16ft Open Wood and the 32ft Sub Bass from the triforium to the gallery. The organ has some 56 stops with virtually no borrowing or extension. New actions and soundboards were provided to the main organ in the gallery to ensure durability and wind reservoirs were re-used after renovation The main organ employs mostly mechanical or "tracker" action whilst the nave triforium section has been retained as a Bombarde using renovated electro-pneumatic soundboards that were installed in the 1960's.

The organ is played from two new consoles each with four manuals (Choir, Great, Swell and Nave/Bombarde) and Pedals. The first is in the gallery using mostly tracker action to the main organ with the nave/bombarde operated by electro-pneumatic action.. A second console in the nave operates an independent electro-pneumatic action via a multiplexer system. The nave console is mobile with plug-in positions to allow for maximum flexibility. New organ cases were designed by David Graebe and are made of English oak with spotted metal front pipes.

The Nicholson Organ 1999