ORGANS IN & AROUND CHESTERFIELD

ST. MARY, SUTTON SCARSDALE

This beautiful medieval church stands in the shadow of the great ruin of Sutton Scarsdale Hall, 18th-century grandeur which outlived its purpose. The setting is both nostalgic and timeless.

Forster and Andrews (Hull) built an organ here in 1863; eight years later it was removed to the Church of the Ascension at Burghclere, near Newbury, Berkshire. The reason for the transplant becomes clear when we discover that the organ was presented to Burghclere Church in 1871 by Marion Arkwright, doubtless a member of the Arkwright family who lived in Sutton Scarsdale Hall. We may perhaps assume that the organ was her possession, and that she took it with her when she went to Burghclere. She was organist and choirmistress there for 30 years until her death in 1901.

The Burghclere organ was restored to its 1871 state by Bishop & White in 1994; the stoplist is as follows:

GREAT    
     8       Open Diapason
     8       Stopt Diapason Bass
     8       Hohl Flöte              tc
     8       Dulciana                tc
     4       Principal     
     2       Fifteenth
    III      Mixture  19.22.26   
 
SWELL
    16       Lieblich Bordun         tc 
     8       Open Diapason           tc
     8       Rohrflöte     
     4       Principal
     8       Cornopean               tc    
 
PEDAL   
    16       Bourdon    
 
Couplers: 3 unison.
3 composition pedals to Great.
Lever swell pedal.
Compass: 61/30.
Tubular-pneumatic action.
Compass: 56/30.

The organ is situated at the east end of the south choir aisle, with the attached console facing east. The gilded display pipes form a 'wedge of cheese' shape which follows the contour of the aisle roof. The small drawstops, with gothic lettering on their shields, are grouped on low, flat jambs.

At Sutton Scarsdale a new organ by Forster & Andrews was installed in 1871. No information about this instrument has come to light; it was replaced by a harmonium which in turn made way for an organ by Withnell Pipe Organs (Chorley, Lancashire) in 1988.

GREAT
     8       Stopped Diapason        bass from Bourdon
     8       Dulciana                1-8 from Bourdon
     4       Principal
     4       Wald Flute              stopped
     2       Fifteenth
 
PEDAL
    16       Bourdon
 
Great to Pedal.
Compass: 56/30.
Electric action.

The organ is free-standing in the north choir aisle, with a pipefront of gilded dummies. The simple attached console has stoptabs above the manual.

This is a fine little organ, made from good quality second-hand pipework. The Stopped Diapason is big and round, and with the pleasant, stringy Dulciana provides a firm unison foundation. The chorus is bright and the whole instrument really sings, encouraging the player to linger despite the limited resources. At the time of my visit in 1991 the weak point was the electric action; the registers speak at slightly different times, and there is noticeable action delay. A good mechanical action would have been more responsive, and no doubt longer lasting.

Sutton Scarsdale made an excellent choice in opting for a small pipe-organ rather than a more impressive looking electronic machine. The musical benefits are obvious as soon as you begin to play this little instrument. It seems complete in itself, and you do not wish for more drama and colour. Would that more churches were not seduced by an inflated selection of electronic stops...

PICTURE CREDITS
Photographs by Nigel Tilley, 1991

SOURCES
For the date of the Forster & Andrews instruments: 'Forster and Andrews - their barrel, chamber and small church organs' by Laurence Elvin, Lincoln 1976.
For details of the Burghclere organ: letters from the organist, 1994.
Details of the present organ from a visit to the church in August 1991.

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