© Maggie Kilbey 2026
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Hampshire &
Isle of Wight
Abbotts Ann (St Mary) : Barrel organ, replaced by John Gray
barrel organ 1837. Old organ transferred to Loughton
(Bucks.) 1838. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 1 (1837) 140
Alton (St Lawrence) : H. Bryceson barrel organ installed
1829. Transferred to private collection 1867.
Ref: Hampshire Telegraph (5 Jul. 1935) 8
Avington (St Mary the Virgin) : See Surviving instruments
*Basingstoke (St Michael) : Flight & Robson barrel organ
installed 1820. Ref: NPOR, N11322
Binsted (Holy Cross) : Barrel organ. Sold 1865.
Ref: Hampshire Chronicle (11 Mar. 1865) 1
*Boldre (St John the Baptist) : T.S. Robson barrel organ. Sold
1855. Ref: W.F. Perkins, Boldre (1935) 17; MacDermott (1948)
68; Boston (1959) 112
Botley (All Saints) : Joseph Walker dumb organist installed
1823. Transferred to Pembury (Kent) 1858.
Ref: NPOR, N11337
Bramshott (St Mary the Virgin) : Barrel organ. Ref:
Hampshire Post and Southsea Observer (4 May 1906) 2
Burghclere (The Ascension) : John Gray barrel organ
installed 1838. Removed 1874.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 2 (1838) 109
Buriton (St Mary the Virgin) : Barrel organ.
Ref: Buriton Heritage
buriton.org.uk/history/st-marys-church-and-the-methodist-
chapel/ [accessed 18 Oct. 2023]
Bursledon (St Leonard) : Barrel organ. Sold 1901.
Ref: Hampshire Telegraph (3 Aug. 1901) 1
Church Oakley (St Leonard) : Gray & Davison improved
barrel organ installed 1843.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1843) 217
*Crondall (All Saints) : Bevington barrel organ installed 1842.
Ref: Bevington & Sons (1847); Evening News, London (16 Apr.
1920) 2
Curdridge (St Peter) : Barrel organ.
Ref: Hampshire Advertiser (24 Jun. 1939) 13
East Boldre (St Paul) : J.W. Walker barrel & finger organ
ex Pennington. Sold 1893.
Ref: Hampshire Independent (11 Mar. 1893) 3
Droxford (St Mary & All Saints) : Barrel organ.
Ref: Hampshire Telegraph (5 Jan. 1934) 19
East Woodhay (St Martin) : Barrel organ. Ref: Newbury
Weekly News and General Advertiser (14 Sept. 1899) 3
Eling (St Mary) : Gray & Davison improved barrel organ
installed 1848.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1848) 168
Farlington (St Andrew) : Barrel organ. Ref: Farlington Parish
www.farlingtonparish.co.uk/st-andrews.html [accessed 18
Oct. 2023]
Farnborough (Hants) (St Peter) : Barrel organ.
Ref: St Peter’s Farnborough
stpetersfarnborough.org.uk/Groups/271194/History.aspx
[accessed 18 Oct. 2023]
Fawley (All Saints) : Barrel organ. Ref: Mike Bailey,
‘Presenting west gallery music’, in C. Turner (ed.), Georgian
Psalmody I. The Gallery Tradition (Corby Glen, 1997) 95
Grateley (St Leonard) : Barrel organ. Ref: Tower Hamlets
Independent and East End Local Advertiser (5 Dec. 1908) 5
Harbridge (All Saints) : Barrel organ. Ref: A Selection of
Psalms and Hymns, as set to the Organ of Harbridge Church
(1855)
Hartley Wintney (St John the Evangelist) : Gray & Davison
improved barrel organ installed 1842.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 2 (1842) 159
Overton (St Mary) : Barrel organ installed 1828.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 1 (1828) 60
Pennington (St Mark) : J.W. Walker barrel & finger organ
transferred to East Boldre. Ref: Hampshire Independent (11
Mar. 1893) 3
Portswood (Christ Church) : Joseph Walker barrel & finger
organ installed 1847. Converted to finger organ 1861.
Ref: Ord-Hume (1978) 87; Plumley (2023)
Rockbourne (St Andrew) : Bevington & Sons barrel & finger
organ installed 1851. Barrel mechanism removed.
Ref: NPOR, T00458
Selborne (St Mary) : Barrel organ. Ref: Blackwood's Edinburgh
Magazine, 80 (1856) 180; Church Bells (6 Mar. 1875), p.162 &
(13 Mar. 1875) 175; Globe (18 May 1893) 3
Southampton (Pear Tree) : Bevington & Son barrel organ.
Sold 1867. Ref: Hampshire Advertiser (6 Jul. 1867) 10
South Stoneham (St Mary) : See Surviving instruments
Stratfield Saye (St Mary) : See Surviving instruments
Twyford (St Mary) : Barrel organ.
West Tytherley (St Peter) : See Surviving instruments
*Wootton St Lawrence (St Lawrence) : Barrel organ. Barrel
transferred to Willis Museum, Basingstoke. Ref: A.L. Flay,
‘Barrel-organs in churches’, Musical Opinion (Nov. 1969)
*Yateley (St Peter) : Barrel organ installed 1836.
Ref: Reading Mercury (15 May 1869) 6; The Times (10 Jun.
1939); MacDermott (1948) 68
* Listed in Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston, Church and Chamber
Barrel Organs, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970) 78
Isle of Wight
*Bembridge (Holy Trinity) : Barrel organ replaced by barrel
and finger organ 1857.
*Newchurch (All Saints) : See Surviving instruments
Shalfleet (St Michael) : Barrel organ installed 1837.
Converted to finger organ.
Ref: Hampshire Independent (6 May 1893) 3; Isle of Wight
County Press and South of England Reporter (16 Feb. 1895) 5;
Isle of Wight Observer (14 May 1904) 5
*Ventnor (St Catherine) : Robson & Son barrel organ
transferred to Spridlington (Lincs.) 1859.
Ref: Laurence Elvin, Forster and Andrews: their Barrel,
Chamber and Small Church Organs (Lincoln, 1976) 28; Robert
Pacey, Lincolnshire Church Organs (Burgh le Marsh, 2002) 84
Whippingham (St Mildred) : Barrel organ. Isle of Wight
Country Press and South of England Reporter (30 Jul. 1898) 2
Yarmouth (St James) : Barrel organ. Isle of Wight Times (29
Nov. 1865) 3; Hampshire Advertiser (16 Apr. 1870) 8
* Listed in Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston, Church and Chamber
Barrel Organs, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970) 81
Photo: M. Kilbey
Selborne