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St. Matthew's Organ

St Matthew's is also home to arguably the finest parish church organ in the country.  The fine four manual organ was built in 1895 by the firm J W Walker and Sons and is now of great historical importance.  In 2005/6 the organ underwent a major restoration project costing in excess of a quarter of a million pounds and is now a sought after recital instrument and many distinguished organists perform regularly at the Church.

The organ is one of the Church's many artefacts donated by the Phipps family.  Pickering Phipps had given the land but had died before the Church could be built and his son, Pickering (junior) paid for the Church building as a memorial to his father.  Various members of the family also gave generously, including the original benefactor's widow, Mary, who provided the Organ.  Contemporary accounts referred to the instrument as one of the twelve best to be built in the country around that time.  Today, St Matthew's Organ is one of only a few remaining and comparable organs to have survived in their original form, and may be favourably compared with such instruments as those at Bristol Cathedral and St Mary, Portsea, Portsmouth.

The fine four-manual organ was built for the new Church by J W Walker & Sons in 1895.  No significant changes were made to the instrument between then and 1971.  At that date the actions and console were replaced.  It is a cause for satisfaction that no other changes were made, so that the structure and pipework survive in their entirety.

In 1978 the present forced-air heating system was installed, and the Organ was fitted with a humidifier shortly afterwards.  In 1980 a new blowing plant was installed, replacing the previous equipment dating from the 1920s and tuning slides were fitted to the pipework in 1982, to protect it from damage.  In 1990 the Solo Organ actions, reservoirs and tremulant were fully overhauled and releathered.
During the 1990's and early part of this century the organ became increasingly unreliable and difficult to maintain.  The decline of the instrument has been accelerated by the damaging effects of the force-air heating system. (This is currently being replaced following a catastrophic failure in November 2005).  The new system is designed to greatly minimize these effects benefiting the organ and fabric of the Church generally.

It gradually became apparent that the instrument was in fundamental need of complete restoration.  To this end, in January 2004, Harrison & Harrison of Durham were invited to inspect and report of the Organ's condition and draw up costed proposals for its restoration. After due consideration of the many aspects of such an undertaking, the Parochial Church Council commissioned this work to be carried out from May 2005.  The work, which is now completed, may be summarized as follows:

• To rebuild and restore the four-manual 1895 Walker organ, as detailed in the report and proposals of Harrison & Harrison, Durham
  
• All pipework work to be repaired, cleaned and set to correct speech, the action to be fully overhauled and a design defect modified, the soundboards to be fully overhauled, grouted and re-palleted
  
• The wind system to be releathered and overhauled and "breakdown" reservoirs reinstated in the crypt
  
• The 1971 console to be remade in the style of the original with new manual keyboards and drawstops, the electrical systems will be renewed
  
• The Pedal Trombone to be extended to 32ft pitch
  
• The entire organ cleaned, all parts adjusted, and any minor repairs carried out so as to leave everything in first-class condition

The extremely comprehensive proposals have been carried out to the highest standards with utmost regard the original builder's intentions.  No tonal alterations have been be made, and all original components will be retained and repaired.  The organ is acknowledged as an outstanding example of the organ builder's art and has responded well to sympathetic restoration.  The 1971 console remains in the style of the original and other work of this date rectified.  The instrument has been restored to first rate performance and equipped with contemporary playing aids greatly increasing its versatility.

 "There can be no question about the organ's superlative quality and historic value.  Its impressive tonal structure and physical layout remain unchanged, and command respect.  It has a monumental integrity, and is ideally suited to the church."  (From the report by Mark Venning, Managing Director, Harrison & Harrison of Durham).

Specification