© Maggie Kilbey 2025
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Shropshire
Acton Scott (St Margaret) : Barrel organ.
Ref: Eddowe's Journal, and General Advertiser for Shropshire, and the Principality
of Wales (27 May 1868) p.5
Albrighton (St Mary Magdalene) : Henry Bevington barrel organ installed
1839. Ref: Bevington & Sons (c.1841); Lichfield & District Organists'
Association, Newsletter (Feb. 2014) p.1
Astley Abbotts (St Calixtus) : Bevington & Son barrel organ installed 1852.
Transferred to Tasley. Ref: NPOR, N00688
*Bishop's Castle (St John the Baptist) : Bishop & Son barrel & finger organ.
Transferred to Llanfair Waterdine 1907.
Ref: D.C. Cox (ed.), ‘Sir Stephen Glynne's Church Notes for Shropshire’,
Shropshire Record Series Publications, 1 (1997)
Burford (St Mary) : Barrel organ. Converted to finger organ. Ref: Cox (1997); Tenbury Wells Advertiser (4 Sep. 1900) p.5
Cardeston (St Michael) : See Surviving instruments
Church Stretton (St Laurence) : Barrel organ installed 1832. Ref: ‘Church Stretton’, in: A History of the County of Shropshire: vol.10 (London,
1998) pp.72-120. BHO www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/salop/vol10/pp72-120
*Clun (St George) : Barrel organ.
Condover (St Andrew) : Dumb organist. Ref: Todmorden Advertiser and Hebden Bridge Newsletter (6 Jun. 1902) p.7
*Coreley (St Peter) : Barrel organ. Converted to finger organ 1860. Ref: Country Quest - A Magazine for Wales and the Borders (Spring 1965)
p.21
Diddlebury (St Peter) : Joseph Walker barrel organ installed 1838. Ref: NPOR, N04664
Dorrington (St Edward King & Martyr) : Gray & Davison barrel & finger organ installed 1861. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 6 (1861) p.20
Dudleston (St Mary the Virgin) : Barrel organ. Ref: Cox (1997)
*Eyton-upon-the-Weald-Moors (St Catherine) : Barrel organ.
Ref: Archaeological Journal (1943) p.65; MacDermott (1948) p.69; Boston (1959) p.119
*Fitz (St Peter) : J.C. Bishop barrel organ. Sold to private collector 1977.
Ref: Country Quest (Spring 1965) p.21; World's Fair (19 Mar. 1977) p.14
*Great Ness (St Andrew) : T.C. Bates barrel organ installed 1840. Scrapped 1959. Ref: Kelly's Directory (1934) p.171; Boston (1959) p.119
*Hengoed (St Barnabus) : Barrel organ. Ref: ‘Barrel Organs in Church’, Musical Times (1 Jun. 1930) p.544
Hopton Wafers (St Michael) : Barrel organ. Ref: Kelly's Directory (1870) p.66
Kinlet (St John the Baptist) : Gray & Davison barrel organ installed 1841. Part-exchanged for finger organ 1871.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 3 (1841) p.157
*Knockin (St Mary) : Barrel organ.
Llanfair Waterdine (St Mary) : See Surviving instruments
Middleton-in-Chirbury (Holy Trinity) : Joseph Walker barrel & finger organ transferred from Montgomery (Powys) 1876.
Ref: Plumley (2023); NPOR, N00821
Onibury (St Michael & All Angels) : J.W. Walker barrel organ. Scrapped c.1903. Ref: NPOR, D05386
*Preston-upon-the-Weald-Moors (St Lawrence) : J.W. Walker barrel organ. Transferred to private collection.
Ref: ‘Preston upon the Weald Moors: Church’, in: A History of the County of Shropshire: vol.11 (London, 1985) pp.181-2,
BHO www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/salop/vol11/pp181-182
Ryton (Shrops.) (St Andrew) : Gray & Davison barrel organ installed 1853.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 5 (1853) p.256; Musical Opinion (Nov. 1895) p. 85
Sheriffhales (St Mary) : Gray & Davison barrel organ installed 1841. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 3 (1841) p.170
Shipton (St James) : Barrel organ. Ref: ‘Shipton’, in: A History of the County of Shropshire: vol.10, pp.368-80,
BHO www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/salop/vol10/pp368-380
St Martins (St Martin) : Barrel organ. Ref: Cox (1997)
Stanton Lacy (St Peter) : Gray & Davison barrel organ installed 1854. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 5 (1854) p.266
Stanton upon Hine Heath (St Andrew) : Barrel organ. Ref: Eddowes's Journal (7 June 1882) p.6
*Tasley (St Peter) : Bevington & Son barrel organ transferred from Astley Abbotts. Transferred to Bishops Palace, Hereford & then private
collection. Ref: Church Bells (6 Mar. 1875) p.162; (13 Mar. 1875) p.175; Country Quest (Spring 1965) p.21; Turner (1999)
Upton Magna (St Lucia) : Barrel organ. Ref: Cox (1997)
*Westbury (St Mary) : Joseph Walker barrel & finger organ installed 1847.
Whittington (St John the Baptist) : Barrel organ installed 1810. Removed 1851.
Ref: T. Gregory, A Gazetteer of Shropshire (1824): www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/SAL/Whittington/WhittingtonGaz1824G; Montgomery County
Times and Shropshire and Mid-Wales Advertiser (3 Nov. 1894) p.3
Wistanstow (Holy Trinity) : Barrel organ. Ref: Cox (1997)
Woodcote (Chapel) : Barrel organ. Ref: Musical Opinion (Nov. 1895), p. 85
Wrockwardine (St Peter) : Gray & Davison barrel organ installed 1846.
Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1846) p.276; ‘Wrockwardine: Church’, in: A History of the County of Shropshire: vol.11, pp.317-321.
BHO www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/salop/vol11/pp317-321
* Listed in Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston, Church and Chamber Barrel Organs, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970) p.91
Clun
Photo: M. Kilbey