Church of St James the Less, Sulgrave. Organ Restoration Final Report.

The final report on the organ project was completed many months ago and its publication on this website is long overdue. The fault is entirely mine.

Colin Wootton

ORGAN RESTORATION PROJECT – ST. JAMES THE LESS, SULGRAVE

A total restoration of our lovely organ in St James the Less Church was completed in December 2017 after extensive fundraising. The organ had lain silent and neglected for ten years.

This two manual pipe organ was built in 1892 by the famous Yorkshire organ builder, James Jephson Binns. It is now one of very few remaining pneumatic action organs in exceptional condition.

The organ was completely dismantled – leaving a ‘black hole’. Each of its 598 pipes was cleaned and re-tuned, springs, leather motors, pull wires valves and guide pins were replaced with new, the bellows were re-leathered, pallets were re-felted – the list is endless and quite technical!

The work was carried out, almost entirely in the church, by Peter Spencer, Organ Builder from Bubbenhall, Warwickshire over a period of just over two intensive months and these photographs tell just some of the story of the remarkable and detailed restoration.

The renowned organist, Ian Tracey, Organist at Liverpool Cathedral, performed at our inaugural concert in October 2017, and he stated that one of the reasons he accepted our request to play was because of the rather special organ that we have.

Since then we have received visits from various Societies of Organists, all the players being very impressed by the tone it produces.

We have also initiated our Scholarship scheme. We have tutored our first pupil and are currently in the process of selecting further student(s).

We are happy to receive requests for people to visit and to play this lovely instrument.

For further information contact:

Andrew Dixon

Libbie Foster

Joanna Smyth-Osbourne

Photographs of the project can be seen on the next page. There are seven pages, so continue to scan down to the end to see all the photographs  (Click on “read the rest of this entry”)

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3 Responses to “Church of St James the Less, Sulgrave. Organ Restoration Final Report.”

  1. Libbie says:

    Fabulous – thank you Colin

  2. Ingram says:

    well done all!

  3. Christopher Henn says:

    More concerts please so that we can all appreciate the wonderful sound

Leave a Reply to Christopher Henn