ORGANS IN & AROUND CHESTERFIELD

ST. PETER & ST. PAUL, OLD BRAMPTON

 

 

Situated on the old road from Chesterfield into the Peak District, this church is built of ironstone, and most of the structure dates from the 13th-15th centuries.

An organ by Brindley & Foster (Sheffield) was installed c.1880. Pneumatic pedal action was later fitted by J.H. Adkins (Derby), and in 1958 the stoplist was recorded in the Willis archives as follows:

GREAT
     8       Open Diapason
     8       Stopped Diapason bass
     8       Stopped Diapason treble
     8       Dulciana
     4       Principal     
 
SWELL
     8       Open Diapason    
     8       Vox Angelica
     4       Salicet
     2       Fifteenth
     8       Oboe
             Tremulant
 
PEDAL
    16       Bourdon    
 
Couplers: 3 unison; Swell 8ve.
No composition pedals.
Balanced pedal to Swell.
Action: mechanical to manuals and stops; pneumatic to pedal.
Compass: 54/30.

In 1959 the Willis firm recommended some tonal alterations, but no action was taken; in 1964 the church commissioned Groves (Nottingham) to rebuild the organ at a cost of £2,000. Electric action was fitted, and an attached stopkey console provided. The stoplist (taken at the console in 1979) was now as follows:

GREAT
     8       Open Diapason
     8       Stopped Diapason   
     8       Dulciana
     4       Principal
     2       Fifteenth     
 
SWELL
     8       Open Diapason    
     8       Vox Angelica
     4       Gemshorn
     -       Mixture
     8       Oboe
             Tremulant
 
PEDAL
    16       Bourdon
     8       Bass Flute   
 
Couplers: 3 unison; Swell 8ve & sub8ve; Swell to Great 8ve & sub8ve.

By 1981 the action was giving trouble, and an overhaul was contemplated. I have no current information.

 

ST. LAWRENCE, BARLOW

Barlow is on the fringe of the coalfield area, some four miles north-west of Chesterfield. The small Norman church of St. Lawrence possessed an organ by Brindley & Foster (Sheffield) before 1875; it was rebuilt by J.H. Adkins (Derby) and has the following stoplist:

GREAT
     8       Open Diapason
     8       Clarabella Flute          sic    
     8       Dulciana
     4       Lieblich Flute     
 
SWELL
     8       Viol d'Gamba    
     8       Lieblich Gedact
     4       Salicet
     2       Fifteenth    
 
PEDAL
    16       Bourdon

Note the similarity between the Swell upperwork here and that at Old Brampton (above).

(I am grateful to the organist of the church for the stoplist of this instrument.)

PICTURE CREDITS
Old Brampton Church: anonymous photograph, c.1945

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