© Maggie Kilbey 2026
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Northamptonshire
Abthorpe (St John the Baptist) : J.W. Walker barrel & finger organ ex Sandy
(Beds.) c.1872. Ref: NPOR, R01310
Aynho (St Michael) : Bevington & Son barrel organ installed 1834.
Ref: Bevington & Sons (c.1841); Jackson's Oxford Journal (31 Oct. 1863);
Hilary Davidson, Choirs, Bands and Organs (Oxford, 2003) 67
Brackley (St Peter & St James) : J.W. Walker barrel & finger organ.
Given to local school 1869. Ref: Davidson (2003) 72
Broughton (Northants.) (St Andrew) : John Gray barrel organ installed
1829. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 1 (1829) 76; Davidson (2003) 75
*Bulwick (St Nicholas) : Barrel organ. Ref: Arthur Tindal Hart, The
Nineteenth-Century Country Parson (Shrewsbury, 1954); Boston (1959) 114;
Davidson (2003) 76
*Byfield (Holy Cross) : Flight & Robson barrel organ installed 1833. Ref: Davidson (2003) 76
Castor (St Kyneburgha) : Barrel organ. Ref: Peterborough Advertiser (30 Nov. 1889) 5
Clipston (All Saints) : Barrel organ installed 1800. Ref: Northampton Chronicle and Echo (11 Sep. 1926) p.2; Davidson (2003) 79
*Cold Ashby (St Denys) : H. Bryceson barrel organ transferred to Leicester City Museum.
Ref: Bevington & Sons (1847); Davidson (2003) 80
Cosgrove (St Peter & St Paul) : John Watlen barrel organ installed c.1810. Ref: Evening Mail (25 Sep. 1811) 1
Croughton (All Saints) : Barrel organ. Sold 1872. Ref: Banbury Advertiser (1 Jun. 1933) 5
*Dingley now Leicestershire (All Saints) : T.C. Bates barrel organ installed 1858. Removed to Brigstock 1881, barrel mechanism removed.
Ref: Herbert Snow, 'More Barrel Organs', The Choir and Musical Journal (Apr. 1933) 78-79; Davidson (2003) 88
*Draughton (St Catherine) : Flight & Robson barrel organ ex Stony Stratford. Ref: Davidson (2003) 89
Easton-on-the-Hill (All Saints) : See Surviving instruments
Ecton (St Mary Magdalene) : Bevington & Son barrel organ installed 1843. Ref: Bevington & Sons (1847); Northampton Mercury (13 May
1843) 3
Edgcote (St James) : See Surviving instruments
Eydon (St Nicholas) : J.W. Walker barrel organ installed 1868. Ref: Davidson (2003) 92
Eye (St Matthew) : Gray & Son barrel organ installed 1839. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 3 (1839) 123; Davidson (2003) 93
Farthinghoe (St Michael & All Angels) : Bevington & Sons barrel organ installed c.1840. No barrels.
Ref: Bevington & Sons (c.1841); Davidson (2003) 93
*Fawsley (St Mary the Virgin) : Joseph Walker barrel & finger organ installed 1839. Ref: Boston (1959) 114; Davidson (2003) 93;
www.goetzegwynn.co.uk/organ/fawsley-northants-restoration-1839-joseph-walker-finger-barrel-organ/
*Greens Norton (St Bartholomew) : Barrel organ installed 1850. Ref: Davidson (2003) 102
Harrington (St Peter & St Paul) : Bevington & Sons barrel organ installed 1840. Given to local school 1887.
Ref: Stephen J. Weston, ‘Choir-Band Instrumentation: Two County Surveys’, The Galpin Society Journal, LII (1999) pp.305-13; Davidson
(2003) 104
Helmdon (St Mary Magdalene) : Barrel organ. Ref: W.D. Macray, A register of the members of St. Mary Magdalen College, Oxford, VI (London
1909) 49
Holcot (St Mary & All Saints) : G.M. Holdich barrel organ installed 1845. No barrels. Ref: Weston (1999); Davidson (2003) 108
Hollowell (St James) : Barrel organ installed 1840. Ref: Davidson (2003) 108
*Horton (St Mary Magdalene) : T.C. Bates & Son barrel & finger organ. Ref: Davidson (2003) 109
Kingsthorpe (St John the Baptist) : Barrel organ. Ref: Weston (1999); Davidson (2003) 114
*Lilbourne (All Saints) : H. Bryceson barrel & finger organ installed 1845.
Ref: Coventry Evening Standard (18 Aug. 1969) 9; Davidson (2003) 116
Little Houghton (St Mary the Virgin) : Richard Webber barrel & finger organ installed 1845.
Ref: Weston (1999); Davidson (2003) 117
Long Buckby (St Lawrence) : Barrel organ. Ref: Northampton Record (17 Sep. 1909) 5
Lutton (St Peter) : H. Bryceson barrel organ installed 1850. Ref: NPOR, D00554
Moulton (St Peter & St Paul) : Bevington barrel organ installed c.1840.
Ref: Bevington & Sons (c.1841); Tower Hamlets Independent and East End Local Advertiser (5 Dec. 1908) 5
Norton (Northants) (All Saints) : Robson & Son barrel & finger organ installed c.1850. Ref: Weston (1999); Davidson (2003) 134
*Piddington (St John the Baptist) : G.M. Holdich barrel & finger organ installed 1853. Barrel mechanism removed.
Ref: Davidson (2003) 141
Potterspury (St Nicholas) : Barrel organ installed 1839. Converted to finger organ 1862. Ref: Davidson (2003) 143
Spratton (St Andrew) : G.M. Holdich barrel organ installed 1864. Ref: Davidson (2003) 150
Staverton (St Mary the Virgin) : Bevington & Son barrel organ. Ref: Davidson (2003) 153
Stoke Bruerne (St Mary the Virgin) : Gray & Davison barrel organ installed 1843. Converted to finger organ c.1860.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1843) 213; Weston (1999); Davidson (2003) 154
Sutton (Northants.) (St Michael & All Angels) : See Surviving instruments
Titchmarsh (St Mary the Virgin) : John Gray barrel organ installed 1837.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 1 (1837) 140; Davidson (2003) 159
Wadenhoe (St Michael & All Angels) : Barrel organ. Ref: Bedfordshire Mercury (27 Oct. 1911) 4
West Haddon (All Saints) : Bunting barrel & finger organ installed 1829. Ref: Northampton Mercury (22 Aug 1829) 3
Whittlebury (St Mary) : Barrel organ installed 1848. Ref: Davidson (2003) 171
Winwick (St Michael & All Angels) : See Surviving instruments
Wootton (St George) : John Watlen barrel organ installed c.1810. Ref: Evening Mail (25 Sep. 1811) 1
Yardley Hastings (St Andrew) : Barrel organ. Ref: Davidson (2003) 173
Yelvertoft (All Saints) : Gray & Davison barrel organ installed 1850. Ref: Weston (1999); Davidson (2003) 174
* Listed in Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston, Church and Chamber Barrel Organs, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970) 87-9
Aynho
Photo: M. Kilbey