© Maggie Kilbey 2025
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Leicestershire
Rutland
Ashby Magna (St Mary) : Bevington & Son barrel organ. Sold
1867. Ref: Musical Times (1 Mar. 1867) p.4
Ashby Parva (St Peter) : H. Bryceson barrel organ installed
1856. Sold 1866. Ref: Musical Times (1 Mar. 1867) p.4
*Barkby (St Mary) : Forster & Andrews dumb organist
installed 1848. Ref: The Dramatic and Musical Review (1848)
p.221; Morning Post (6 Jul. 1849) p.3; David E.G. Shuker,
Historic Organs of Leicestershire (Rothley, 2010) pp.22-3
*Barkestone (St Peter & St Paul) : Bates barrel organ.
Converted to finger organ 1862. Ref: Laurence Elvin, Forster
and Andrews: their Barrel, Chamber and Small Church organs
(Lincoln, 1976) p.29
Claybrook Parva (St Peter) : Bunting of London barrel organ
installed 1830. Ref: Northampton Mercury (17 Apr. 1830) p.3
*Coalville (Christ Church) : J.W. Walker dumb organist
purchased 1868. Ref: Plumley (2023)
*Cold Overton (St John the Baptist) : H. Bryceson barrel
organ. Ref: Leicester Chronicle (1 Aug. 1969) p.12-3
Cranoe (St Michael) : Barrel organ.
Ref: Daily Express (18 Feb. 1935) p.10
Diseworth (St Michael & All Angels) : John Gray barrel organ
installed 1824. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 1 (1824) p.42;
L.S. Barnard, ‘Buckingham’s Travels: Part VII’, The Organ, vol.LIII
no.211 (1973-74) p.79
East Norton (All Saints) : Barrel organ. Ref: Andrew David
Hedderwick Trollope, An Inventory of the Church Plate of
Leicestershire, with some account of the donors, 1 (1890) p.253
Hinckley (Holy Trinity) : Barrel organ installed 1839.
Ref: Hinckley Past & Present
www.hinckleypastpresent.org/holytrinitychurch.html
[accessed 16 Oct. 2023]
Kings Norton (St John the Baptist) : Gray & Davison barrel
organ installed 1847. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4
(1847) p.291
Norton-juxta-Twycross (Holy Trinity) :
See Surviving instruments
Oadby (St Peter) : Barrel organ. Ref: Leicester & Rutland
History, Gazetteer and Directory (1863), p. 764
*Orton-on-the-Hill (St Edith) : Barrel organ. Transferred to
Orton Hall.
Plungar (St Helen) : Barrel organ. Ref: Melton Mowbray Times
& Vale of Belvoir Gazette (9 May 1991) p.7
Rothley (St Mary) : Bates & Son dumb organist installed 1855.
Ref: Leicestershire Mercury (12 May 1855) p.3
*South Kilworth (St Nicholas) : Gray & Davison barrel &
finger organ installed 1846. Barrel mechanism removed 1948.
Ref: Boston (1959) p.114; Coventry Evening Standard (18 Aug.
1969) p.9
Swepstone (St Peter) : Barrel organ. Ref: NPOR, E01960
Thurmaston (St Michael & All Angels) : Barrel organ. Ref:
Leicester Evening Mail (9 Dec. 1938) p.10
Tugby (St Thomas Becket) : Barrel organ. Ref: Melton Mowbray
Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette (3 Jul. 1896) p.5
Waltham-on-the-Wolds (St Mary) : John Gray barrel organ
installed 1833. Converted to finger organ 1834.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 1 (1833) p.105
Welham (St Andrew) : Barrel organ.
Ref: Daily Express (18 Feb. 1935) p.10
Wistow (St Wistan) : Flight & Robson barrel organ.
Ref: Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland Record Office
DG24/1035/4 Flight & Robson to Sir Henry Halford, Wistow
(1820)
Witherley (St Peter) : Barrel organ. Ref: Nuneaton Observer (15
Feb. 1889) p.5
* Listed in Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston, Church and Chamber
Barrel Organs, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970) p.83
*Burley-on-the-Hill (Holy Cross) : Now in the care of the
Churches Conservation Trust. B. Flight & Son barrel organ
installed 1795. Ref: Pearl Finch, History of Burley-on-the-Hill,
vol. I (London, 1901) p.18; Grantham Journal (23 Feb. 1935)
p.14; Boston (1959) p.118; Davidson (2003) p.177
Exton (St Peter & St Paul) : John Gray barrel organ
transferred to Stotfold (Beds.) 1844. Ref: Davidson (2003)
p.179
Greetham (St Mary the Virgin) : John Gray barrel & finger
organ. Ref: Davidson (2003) p.180
Liddington (St Andrew) : See Surviving instruments
*North Luffenham (St John the Baptist) : Barrel organ. Ref:
Boston (1959) p.118; Davidson (2003) p.183
Stoke Dry (St Andrew) : H.C. Lincoln barrel & finger organ.
Transferred from Tallington (Lincs.) 1878. Barrel mechanism
removed 1890. Ref: Davidson (2003) p.186
Wardley (St Botolph) : Now in the care of the Churches
Conservation Trust. See Surviving instruments
* Listed in Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston, Church and Chamber
Barrel Organs, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970) pp.90-1