UK's biggest organ found in Kent

[Guest]

Rumour has it that an organ even bigger to the one in the Royal Albert Hall has been uncovered in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. I'm not sure how it could have been unoticed for such a long time. Has anyone heard about this, or got any more information?

[KleinErzahler]

Re: UK's biggest organ found in Kent

The National Pipe Organ Register (UK) website:

http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/

... yields the following list of installations for Tunbridge Wells:

Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , Baptist Tabernacle (Baptist Church)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , Christ Church (Anglican Parish Church)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , Christ Church University , Salomans Campus
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , Congregational Church , Mount Pleasant (Congregational Church)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion (Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , Crematorium (Crematorium)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , Holy Trinity w Christ Church (Anglican Parish Church)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , King Charles the Martyr (Anglican Parish Church)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , Ritz Cinema (Cinema)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , Skinners' School , St John's Road, TN4 9PG (School)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , St. Augustine , Crescent Road (Roman Catholic Church)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , St. Barnabas (Anglican Parish Church)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , St. James , St.James Road/Ferndale (Anglican Parish Church)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , St. John , Amherst Road, TN4 9LG (Anglican Parish Church)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , St. Luke (Anglican Parish Church)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , St. Mary , Broadwater Down (Anglican Parish Church)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , St. Peter (Anglican Parish Church)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , St. Philip (Anglican Parish Church)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , Tabernacle Church , Calverley Road (Baptist Church?)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , United Reformed Church , 1 Mount Ephraim, TN4 8AE (United Reformed Church)
Kent Tunbridge Wells (TQ5839) , Vale Royal Methodist Church (Methodist Church)
Kent Tunbridge Wells -- Brooms, High (TQ5942) , St. Matthew , High Brooms Road corner Gordon Road, Brooms, High, TN4 9DA (Anglican Parish Church)

Any of these look familiar?

- N

[tumult_in_the_praetorium]

Re: UK's biggest organ found in Kent



I think that this organ was originally in a residence in Tunbridge Wells, but currently resides in Christ Church College in Canterbury, also in Kent. I wasn't able to find any actual details upon the organ, and couldn't find it on NPOR, but I think there will soon be (or was) a recital by Nigel Ogden upon this instrument.

I'm rather suspicious as to whether this actually is the largest organ in the United Kingdom - has it been graced with this title based upon number of stops or total number of ranks?

Whatever the case, I would be most interested to hear more if any other contributors find out anything!

Timothy Guntrip

[Guest]

Re: UK's biggest organ found in Kent

It was actually found in someone's home...apparently. Since first posting this thread I have heard no more about it.

[Guest]

Re: UK's biggest organ found in Kent

The organ in my church in Somerset, England, was once, in 1817, part of the then largest organ in the WORLD. It was built by Flight & Robson, and originally in their workshop in St Martin's Lane, London. It was moved to The Appollonicon in London where it is said to have had six consoles and a barrel mechanism. After the Appollonicon declined in the 1840's the organ was acquired by Thomas J.F. Robson, son of one of the original builders. What Robson described as 'the best pipework' was used in a modest 2-manual & pedal organ which was put up for sale and was bought by my church in Taunton, Somerset in 1863. The remaining pipework was advertised in the musical press (I have a copy of an ad) and sold. The organ is in regular use and has been little changed since 1863.

Nigel