© Maggie Kilbey 2025
Barrel Organs in English Parish Churches
Suffolk
*Ampton (St Peter) : Barrel organ.
Ref: Percy A. Scholes, ‘Barrel Organs in Church’, Radio Times (2 Mar. 1934) p.620
Boxted (St Peter) : Barrel organ.
Ref: Suffolk and Essex Free Press (23 Jun. 1886) p.5; Bury Free Press (26 Jun. 1886) p.8
Burgh (St Botolph) : Barrel organ. Ref: Westminster Gazette (30 Apr. 1898) p.2
*Buxhall (St Mary) : Barrel organ. Converted to finger organ.
Ref: Bury Free Press (19 May 1928) p.5
Coddenham (St Mary) : William Gray barrel & finger organ installed 1817. Removed
1896. Ref: D. Allen, ‘The Vanished Barrel Organ of Coddenham Church’, Proceedings
of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology (1996) pp.442-54; Turner (1999) pp.66-70; Turner
(2002) p.36
*Dalham (St Mary) : Barrel organ installed 1833. Converted to finger organ 1860.
Ref: NPOR, D00564
*Denham (St John the Baptist) : J.W. Walker barrel organ. Converted to finger organ.
Dennington (St Mary) : H. Bryceson barrel organ installed 1825.
Ref: Edmund Farrer, ‘The Dunthorne MSS.’, Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of
Archaeology and History, XX Part 2 (1929) p.166
Drinkstone (All Saints) : J.W. Walker improved barrel organ installed 1842.
Ref: Plumley (2023)
Earl Soham (St Mary) : Barrel organ. Ref: The Ipswich Journal (9 Oct. 1869) p.8
Fornham All Saints (All Saints) : Barrel organ. Sold 1892. Ref: East Anglian Daily Times (1 Nov. 1892), p.6
Great Cornard (St Andrew) : Barrel organ. Ref: Bury and Norwich Post (9 Sep. 1862) p.7
*Great Glemham (All Saints) : Flight & Son barrel & finger organ. Barrel mechanism removed. Ref: NPOR, D00067
*Great Waldingfield (St Lawrence) : J.W. Walker barrel & finger organ installed 1855. Transferred to Sutton (Northants.) 1888.
Ref: NPOR, N13355
Halesworth (St Mary) : J.W. Walker barrel organ. Ref: Ipswich Journal (23 Apr. 1853)
*Hartest (All Saints) : Flight & Robson barrel organ transferred to Phoenix Brewery, Sudbury 1923.
Ref: Suffolk and Essex Free Press (14 Jul. 1920) p.6
*Henley (St Peter) : Barrel organ installed 1848.
*Hoxne (St Peter & St Paul) : Joseph Walker barrel organ installed 1836. Converted to finger organ 1867.
Ref: Plumley (2023); NPOR, D00247
Hundon (All Saints) : Barrel organ. Ref: Musical News (23 Oct. 1897), p. 365
Kedington (St Peter & St Paul) : J.W. Walker barrel organ installed 1843. Ref: Plumley (2023)
Kelsale (St Mary & St Peter) : Barrel organ.
Ref: George Irving-Davies, ‘Kelsale Church’, Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History, VIII Part 1(1892) p.37
*Knodishall (St Lawrence) : Barrel organ. Ref: J.S. Curwen, Studies in Church Music (1888) p.184; Musical Opinion (Nov. 1895) p.85
Leiston (St Margaret) : Gray & Davison barrel organ installed 1849. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 4 (1849) p.181
Little Bealings (All Saints) : Barrel organ. Converted to finger organ 1868.
Ref: The Halesworth Times and East Suffolk Advertiser (17 Mar. 1868) p.4; The Ipswich Journal (21 Mar. 1868) p.5
*Little Cornard (All Saints) : Dumb organist. Put on a bonfire 1985.
Ref: John Budgen, ‘Experiences with Barrel Organs’, BIOS Reporter (Apr. 1997)
*Monks Eleigh (St Peter) : Barrel organ installed 1836.
*Needham Market (St John the Baptist) : Barrel organ. Ref: Edward T. Lingwood, ‘Notes on Needham Market Church’, Proceedings of
the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History, XVII Part 2 (1920) p.135
Old Felixstowe (St Peter & St Paul) : Barrel organ. Ref: Felixstowe Times (21 Apr. 1928) p.7
Old Newton (St Mary) : Barrel organ installed 1838. Converted to finger organ 1871. Ref: NPOR, A01043
Otley (St Mary) : Barrel organ. Converted to finger organ 1871.
Ref: The Suffolk Chronicle; or Weekly General Advertiser & County Express (8 Jul. 1871) p.11
Oulton (St Michael) : Gray & Son barrel organ installed 1840. Ref: BOA, Gray & Davison Ledger 3 (1840) p.138
Polstead (St Mary) : Barrel organ.
Ref: Samuel Lewis, A topographical dictionary of England, 4th edn., III (London, 1865) p.522; (Plumley (2023)
*Poslingford (St Mary the Virgin) : Barrel organ. Converted to finger organ 1870. Ref: Suffolk and Essex Free Press (14 Jul. 1920) p.6
Shelland (King Charles the Martyr) : See Surviving instruments
Shotley (St Mary the Virgin) : Barrel organ. Converted to finger organ. Ref: Framlingham Weekly News (3 Oct. 1874) p.4
Snape (St John the Baptist) : Barrel organ. Converted to finger organ. Ref: NPOR, A01006
*South Elmham (St Margaret) : Barrel organ.
Ref: Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History, XX Part 1 (1928) p.106
Sternfield (St Mary) : Barrel organ installed 1866. Ref: Pearson's Weekly (5 May 1900) p.18
Stradbroke (All Saints) : Barrel & finger organ. Sold 1871. Ref: Norfolk Chronicle (4 Feb. 1871) p.4
Stradishall (St Margaret) : Barrel organ. Sold 1872. Ref: Bury Free Press (7 Sep. 1872) p.4
Stutton (St Peter) : Barrel organ installed 1832. Ref: Harold Mills West, Suffolk Villages (2002)
Walsham-le-Willows (St Mary) : Joseph Walker barrel & finger organ installed 1842.
Ref: The Suffolk Chronicle; or Weekly General Advertiser & County Express (16 Jul. 1842) p.4
Wetheringsett (All Saints) : Barrel organ. Ref: Diss Express (28 May 1954) p.7
Winston (St Andrew) : Barrel organ. Ref: Suffolk and Essex Free Press (24 Aug. 1898) p.1
Wissington (St Mary the Virgin) : See Surviving instruments
Wortham (St Mary the Virgin) : Benjamin Flight barrel organ transferred from Diss (Norfolk) 1844. Ref: NPOR, K00428
*Yoxford (St Peter) : Barrel organ. Ref: J.S. Curwen, Studies in Church Music (1888) p.184; Henry Parr, ‘Yoxford Church’, Proceedings of
the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History, VIII Part 1(1892) p.37; Musical Opinion (Nov. 1895), p. 85
* Listed in Lyndesay G. Langwill & Noel Boston, Church and Chamber Barrel Organs, 2nd edn (Edinburgh, 1970) p.94
Dalham
Photo: M. Kilbey