© Maggie Kilbey 2024
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Hertfordshire
Abbots Langley (St Lawrence) : Barrel organ installed
c.1840. Ref: Raymond Stewart Wilkinson, The Church and
Parish of Abbots Langley (Abbots Langley, 1959) pp.91-2
*Aldenham (St John the Baptist) : John Gray barrel organ
installed c.1820, replaced by Gray & Davison barrel & finger
organ 1853. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 5 (1853) p.199;
Hertfordshire Archives and Library Services (HALS),
DP3/29/17; Kenneth F. Gibbs, The Parish Registers of
Aldenham (St Albans, 1902) p.204; MacDermott (1948) p.68
Ardeley (also known as Yardley) (St Lawrence) : Barrel organ
installed 1840. Ref: Hertford Mercury and Reformer (HMR) (21
Dec. 1850) p.1
Aspenden (St Mary) : H. Bryceson barrel organ installed
1821.
Ref: HALS, DP8/1/3; Herts Guardian (HG) (27 May 1856) p.3
*Ayot St Lawrence (St Lawrence) : Barrel & finger organ
installed c.1780. Barrel mechanism removed 1964. Ref:
Nikolaus Pevsner & Bridget Cherry, Hertfordshire, Buildings
of England, 2nd edn. (London, 1977) p.79; Kilbey, ‘The early
use of barrel organs in the English parish church’, JBIOS, 43
(2019) pp.58-71
Baldock (St Mary the Virgin) : Chamber organ with barrel
mechanism added by John Gray 1835. Ref: BOA, John Gray
Ledger 1 (1835) p.129
Barkway (St Mary Magdalene) : Barrel organ installed 1844.
Ref: HALS, DP13/5/2-3
Bengeo (St Leonard) : T.C. Bates & Son improved barrel
organ installed 1850. Ref: HALS, DP17/6/13; HG (24 Mar.
1860) p.5; Chelmsford Chronicle (7 Sep. 1928) p.5
Berkhamsted (St Peter) : Barrel organ installed 1819. Ref:
HALS, DP19/6/11; DP19/6/1; HMR (28 Apr. 1849) p.3
Bovingdon (St Lawrence) : Barrel organ transferred from
Stanmore (Middx.) 1853. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger
5 (1853) p.155
Bramfield (St Andrew) : Barrel organ installed 1842. Ref:
HALS, DP22/12/4
*Braughing (St Mary the Virgin) : Barrel organ installed
1810. Replaced by Bishop & Sons barrel & finger organ
c.1850. Ref: HALS, DP23/5/1; St James's Chronicle (24 Jul.
1810) p.1; Evening Mail (25 Sep. 1811) p.1; Star (London) (17
Sep. 1811) p.1; P.G. Ward, A History of Braughing Church and
its Benefactors (1888) p. 17
Broxbourne (St Augustine) : Barrel organ installed 1804.
Replaced by H.C. Lincoln barrel organ installed 1831.
Ref: HALS, DP24/5/2-14; DP24/6/4; DE/Hd/F3
*Bushey Heath (St Peter) : G.M. Holdich dumb organist
installed 1845. Ref:
www.stpeterbusheyheath.org.uk/section/13
Cheshunt (St James) : Bates barrel & finger organ installed
1862. Ref: HMR (2 Aug. 1862) p.3; HG (2 Aug. 1862) p.8
*Cheshunt (St Mary the Virgin) : Not a church barrel organ.
Ref: NPOR, N14061
*Chipping Barnet (St John the Baptist) : Flight & Robson
barrel organ installed 1824. Ref: HALS, DP15/5/2, DP15/12/5
*Cottered (St John the Baptist) : B. Flight & Sons barrel
organ installed 1832. Ref: H.T. Pollard, ‘Cottered Church’,
Transactions, East Herts Archaeological Society, vol.III part II
(Hertford, 1907) p.164; J.E. Cussans, History of Hertfordshire,
I (London, 1870) p.183
*East Barnet (St Mary the Virgin) : Flight & Robson barrel
organ installed 1824. Ref: HMR (15 Nov. 1862) p.2; F.C. Cass,
East Barnet, I (1885) p.182
*Elstree (St Nicholas) : George Parsons barrel organ
installed 1826. Ref: HALS, DP36/5/1; BOA, Gray & Davison
Ledger 5 (1853) p.254
Essendon (St Mary the Virgin) : ?William Pilcher barrel
organ installed 1851. Ref: HALS, DP37/5/4; Ord-Hume
(1978) p.137
Flaunden (St Mary Magdalene) : Barrel organ installed
c.1838. Ref: Judith Burg (ed.), Religion in Hertfordshire 1847-
51, Hertfordshire Record Society, XI (Hertford, 1995) p.184
Great Amwell (St John the Baptist) : ?William Allen barrel
organ installed 1825.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 2 (1844) p.175; HALS,
DP4/5/1-8; Hertfordshire Almanac (27 Jul. 1866) p.94
*Great Gaddesdon (St John the Baptist) : Dumb organist
installed 1850. Sold 1863.
Ref: British Library, Add MS 47775A; Musical Times (1 Mar.
1863) p.18; HMR (16 May 1863) p.3; MacDermott (1948) p.68
Great Hormead (St Nicholas) : Barrel organ installed 1855.
Ref: HALS, DP55/5/1
*Great Wymondley (St Mary the Virgin) : Barrel organ
installed c.1844. Ref: Percy A. Scholes, ‘Barrel Organs in
Church’, Radio Times (2 Mar. 1934) p.620
Hertingfordbury (St John) : Barrel organ installed 1842.
Ref: HALS, DP/50/8/3 Vestry minutes (1842)
Hexton (St Faith) : John Gray barrel & finger organ installed
1826. Barrel mechanism removed. Ref: BOA, John Gray
Ledger (1826) p.35; Cussans, History, II, p.10; E.E. Squires, ‘St
Faith’s Church, Hexton’, Transactions, East Herts
Archaeological Society, vol.IV part I (Hertford, 1909) p.48;
Maggie Kilbey, ‘Hexton, Hertfordshire: A Tale of Two
Organs’, Organists’ Review (Jun. 2017) pp.40-1
Hitchin (St Mary) : Charles Green barrel organ installed
1805. Ref: HALS, DP53/8/2; DP53/29/9 Miscellaneous items
(1805); DE/R/F220; HMR (27 Feb. 1858) p.3
Hoddesdon (St Paul) : ?R.W. Keith barrel organ installed
1805. Converted to finger organ. Ref: HALS, DP24A/5/1-3;
DP24A/6/10; DP24A/8/10; HMR (4 Nov. 1865) p.3
*Hunsdon (St Dunstan) : ?Joseph Walker barrel organ
installed 1827. Ref: HALS, DP57/5/2; J.E. Morris, ‘Hunsdon
Church’, Transactions, East Herts Archaeological Society,
vol.II part I, pp. 50-1; MacDermott (1948) p.68
Ickleford (St Katharine) : T.C. Bates & Son barrel organ
installed 1849. Ref: HALS, DP58/5/1; Cussans, History, II,
p.29
Kimpton (St Peter & St Paul) : Barrel organ installed c.1819.
Ref: HALS, DP61/1/2; John Pollington, Kimpton Parish Church
(1978)
Kings Langley (All Saints) : Gray & Davison barrel organ
installed 1843. Transferred to Flitton (Beds.) 1935.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 5 (1856) p.295
Little Gaddesden (St Peter & St Paul) : Barrel organ
installed c.1849.
Ref: H. Senar, Little Gaddesden (Chichester, 1983) pp.86, 134
& 157; V. Bell, Little Gaddesden (London, 1949) p.165
Markyate (St John the Baptist) : Barrel organ installed 1830.
Replaced by Gray & Son barrel organ 1840. Replaced by
Gray & Davison barrel organ 1844. Ref: Incorporated
Church Building Society (ICBS) 1133; BOA, Gray & Davison
Ledger 2 (1842) p.152 & vol. 3 (1840) p.143
*Much Hadham (St Andrew) : Barrel organ installed 1827.
Replaced by Gray & Davison improved barrel organ 1844.
Ref: HALS, DP44/5/1; BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 2 (1844)
p.166 & vol. 6 (1859) p.249; HMR (26 Nov. 1859) p.3
North Mymms (St Mary) : John Gray barrel & finger organ
installed 1820.
Ref: HALS, DP69/5/1; BOA, John Gray Ledger 1 (1831) p.89
Northchurch (St Mary) : Barrel organ installed 1836. Ref:
HALS, DP74/5/24 Churchwardens’ accounts (1836)
Norton (Herts) (St Nicholas) : Gray & Son improved barrel
organ installed 1840. Sold 1909. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison
Ledger 3 (1840) p.138; G. Aylott, ‘Norton Manor and
Church’, Transactions, East Herts Archaeological Society,
vol.II part III (Hertford, 1904) p.276; Hertfordshire Express
and General Advertiser (23 Mar. 1935) p.2
Offley (St Mary Magdalene) : Barrel organ installed 1861.
Ref: HALS, DP76/5/1
Pirton (St Mary) : Barrel organ installed1854. Ref: HALS,
DP80/4/1-2; Church Bells (6 March 1875), p.162; (13 March
1875), p.175
Radwell (All Saints) : H. Bryceson barrel organ installed
1837. Ref: HMR (31 Oct. 1837) p.3
Redbourn (St Mary the Virgin) : Barrel organ installed 1848.
Ref: LPL, ICBS 4042 (1848); Luton Times and Advertiser (19
Aug. 1910) p.7; A. Featherstone, Redbourn’s History
(Redbourn, 2001) p.208;
Rickmansworth (St Mary) : H. Bryceson barrel organ
installed 1826. Ref: HALS, DP85/5/1
Ridge (St Margaret) : Bevington & Son barrel organ installed
1851. Ref: Kelly’s Post Office Directory of Hertfordshire (1851)
p.215; HALS, DP86/5/2 (1854)
Royston : Barrel organ installed c.1820. Ref: BOA, Gray &
Davison Ledger 6 (1820) p.121
*Sacombe (St Catherine) : Bevington & Sons barrel organ
installed c.1840. Transferred to Hertford Museum 1939,
HETFM.3400. Ref: MacDermott (1948) p.68
*St Albans (St Michael) : ?J.C. Bishop barrel organ installed
1833. Transferred to St Albans Organ Theatre c.1982.
Ref: St Michael’s, St Albans, Vestry order book 21 (1819-34),
Churchwardens’ papers 4 (1831-4), Correspondence (1974),
Notes on barrel organ (n.d.); HMR (19 Jun. 1858) p.3; HG (30
Mar. 1867) p.5; Herts Advertiser (18 Jan. 1902) p.5; Anon.,
English Church History Exhibition (St Albans, 1905); Country
Life (15 Jul. 1965) p. 175
St Ippolyts (St Ippolyts) : Barrel organ installed 1840.
Ref: HALS, DP59/5/2
*St Pauls Walden (All Saints) : Dumb organist installed
1850. Ref: BL, Add MS 47775A; MacDermott (1948) pp.42 &
68
Stanstead Abbots (St James) : B. Flight barrel organ
installed c.1832. Ref: HG (2 Mar. 1867) p.5
*Stanstead St Margaret (Chapel of the BVM) :
See Surviving instruments
Stevenage (Holy Trinity) : John Gray barrel & finger organ
installed 1836. Ref: BOA, John Gray Ledger 1 (1836) 132;
HALS, DP105/3/3 (1836)
*Stocking Pelham (St Mary) : T.C. Bates & Son barrel organ
installed c.1848. Ref: BL, Add MS 47775A; H.T. Pollard,
‘Stocking Pelham Church’, Transactions, East Herts
Archaeological Society, Vol.II part I (Hertford, 1906) p.76;
MacDermott (1948)
*Studham (St Mary the Virgin) : Gray & Davison improved
barrel organ installed 1842. Ref: NPOR, N09441
Thorley (St James the Great) : Barrel organ installed 1850.
Ref: HALS, DP108/5/1
Thundridge (St Mary) : Barrel organ installed 1849.
Ref: HALS, DP110/8/2; HMR (12 Nov. 1853) p.3
Tring (St Peter & St Paul) : Barrel organ installed 1832.
Ref: HALS, DP111/8/20; HG (13 Jan. 1863) p.2
Walkern (St Mary) : Barrel organ installed 1842.
Ref: HALS, DP114/8/1
*Watford (St Mary) : Joseph Walker barrel & finger organ
installed 1842. Ref: HALS, DP117/5/1, DP117/8/1-3;
MacDermott (1948) pp.41 & 68
Watton-at-Stone (St Mary & St Andrew) : J.C. Bishop barrel
organ installed 1839.
Ref: HALS, DP118/8/13 (1839); HMR (18 Apr. 1840) p.3
Welwyn : Gray & Davison barrel organ installed 1854.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 5 (1854) p.272
Westmill (St Mary) : H. Bryceson barrel organ installed
1829. Ref: HALS, DP120/1/4
Weston (Holy Trinity) : William Hill barrel organ installed
1842. Ref: NPOR, D00528
*Wheathampstead (St Helen) : ?William Allen barrel organ
installed 1829. Ref: HALS, DP122/5/1 (1818-29), DP122/29/9
Canon Owen Davys, Typescript history & guide to church
(1908); HG (11 May 1867) p.5
Widford (Herts) (St Luke) : Barrel organ installed 1868.
Ref: HALS, DP123/6/1
Willian (All Saints) : Barrel organ installed c.1831. Ref: HALS,
DP125/1/3 (1864), DP125/5/1; Samuel Lewis, A
Topographical Dictionary of England, 4 (London, 1831) p.475;
HMR (12 Nov. 1864) p.3; Peter Harkness, All Saints ... and
Sinners (1999) p.41
Wormley (St Laurence) : Barrel organ installed 1844.
Ref: BOA, ICBS 3423 (1844); HALS, DP126/8/2; 'Parishes:
Wormley', in A History of the County of Hertford: vol.3
(London, 1912) pp.487-490. BHO http://www.british-
history.ac.uk/vch/herts/vol3/pp487-490 [accessed 15 June
2017]
* Listed in Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston, Church and Chamber
Barrel Organs, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970) pp.79-81