© Maggie Kilbey 2025
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Buckinghamshire
Ashendon (St Mary) : Gray & Davison barrel organ installed 1847.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1847) p.214
Bledlow Ridge (St Paul) : Barrel organ.
Ref: Henry W. Taunt, Princes Risborough and round it (Oxford, 1910) p.33
*Bletchley (St Mary) : B. Flight & Son barrel organ. Converted to finger organ.
Ref: Gentleman’s Magazine (1849); Croydon's Weekly Standard (24 Mar. 1860)
p.4; Boston (1959) p.109
Cadmore End (St Mary-le-Moor) : J.W. Walker barrel & finger organ installed
1851. Transferred to Crowell (Oxon.) 1971. Ref: NPOR, N09239
Chalfont St Peter (St Peter) : Preston (Strand, London) barrel organ.
Transferred to Chesham Brewery. Ref: Uxbridge & W. Drayton Gazette (15 Jul.
1911) p.2 & (19 Aug. 1927) p.3; West Middlesex Gazette (17 May 1930) p.16
Clewer now Berkshire (St Andrew) : Barrel organ.
Ref: Windsor and Eton Express (5 Oct. 1901) p.7; Reading Mercury (24 Dec. 1903) p.9; W.H. Hutchings (ed.) Life and Letters of Thomas
Thellusson Carter ... For thirty-six years rector of Clewer (1903): anglicanhistory.org/england/ttcarter/life/03.html
Drayton Beauchamp (St Mary the Virgin) : Barrel organ sold 1863.
Ref: Musical Times (1 Mar. 1863) p.18; Bucks Advertiser & Aylesbury News (15 Oct. 1948) p.8
Farnham Royal (St Mary) : Gray & Son barrel organ installed 1856. Ref: Windsor and Eton Express (26 Apr. 1856) p.4
Fritwell (St Olave) : Barrel organ. Ref: Buckingham Advertiser and Free Press (4 Dec. 1937) p.4 & (2 Dec. 1944) p.2
Great Marlow (All Saints) : Barrel organ installed 1775. Ref: Thomas Langley, The History and Antiquities of the Hundred of Desborough,
and Deanery of Wycombe, in Buckinghamshire (London, 1797) p.123
Hedsor (St Nicholas) : Barrel organ. Ref: John Bailey (ed.) The diary of Lady Frederick Cavendish, vol.1 (New York, 1927) p.162
Iver (St Peter) : Barrel organ. Ref: Uxbridge & W. Drayton Gazette (21 Jun. 1929) p.12
Ivinghoe (St Mary the Virgin) : Gray & Son barrel & finger organ installed 1839. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 3 (1839) p.131
*Latimer (St Mary Magdalene) : Gray & Son barrel & finger organ installed 1841. Barrel mechanism removed 1868.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Shop Book 1 (1841) p.34
Lillingstone Lovell (Assumption of the BVM) : Barrel organ installed 1833. Ref: Buckingham Express (5 Sep. 1891) p.5
Loughton (Bucks) (All Saints) : Barrel organ transferred from Abbotts Ann (Hampshire) 1838.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 1 (1838) p.146
*Ravenstone (All Saints) : William Hill barrel organ installed 1840. Scrapped 1970. Ref: NPOR, D02410
Stoke Poges (St Giles) : Barrel organ. Ref: Bucks Herald (4 Jan. 1902) p.7; Musical Opinion (1911) p.188
Stony Stratford (St Mary) : Flight & Robson barrel organ. Transferred to Draughton (Northants.).
Ref: Davidson (2003) p.89; NPOR, D00331
Stowe (St Mary) : Flight & Robson barrel organ installed 1817. Ref: A Selection of PSALMS & HYMNS, as set on the ORGAN, The Gift of His
Grace the Most Noble the Marquis of Buckinghamshire To The Parish Church OF STOWE, BUCKS (London, 1817)
Weston Turville (St Mary the Virgin) : Barrel organ sold 1863. Ref: The Times (6 July. 1860); Musical Times (1 Mar. 1863) p.18
* Listed in Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston, Church and Chamber Barrel Organs, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970) p.70
Photo: M. Kilbey
Ivinghoe