St Mary's Church, Tickhill
Encyclopedia
St Mary's Church is a Grade I listed church in Tickhill
, South Yorkshire
, England
. Dating from the early 1100s and built with local magnesian limestone
the structure today is predominantly of Perpendicular style with glimpses of earlier Norman
, Early English and Decorated styles.
The middle of the Nineteenth Century was, as now, a period of tremendous change and development. The railway network was branching out over the countryside, and came to Doncaster
in 1848. The Great Exhibition of 1851 was a showcase of talent. One of the exhibits there was an instrument made by a German organ
builder, one Edmund Schulze
.
Prior to the Great Exhibition the English Church Organ was a small affair compared with its European counterpart. At Tickhill
there had been a ‘finger’ organ since 1831. This, in its turn, had replaced the minstrels who led the worship from a gallery situated at the West End of the church. Few organs in the English Parish Church in the mid Nineteenth Century could cope with the great European tradition of organ music (the Bachs and Buxtehude). It must have been clear to Edmund Schulze soon after his arrival in England in 1851 that in the instrument he brought to the Great Exhibition he had something new to offer. Enter Charles Brindley.
Charles Brindley had been trained in the family business of installing domestic call bell systems in large houses. The method of operating these systems was an action consisting of wires and levers, a type of mechanical or tracker action not dissimilar to an action used in organ movements.
It seems likely that Brindley met Schulze at the Great Exhibition. He certainly went to Paulinzelle in Germany to learn the art of organ building. Especially the flute pipes (in German called Hohlflote, Gedackt of Rohrflote) took on a new sound with German scale and voicing techniques.
Brindley began his own organ building business in Carver Street, Sheffield
on January 1, 1854. St. Mary’s specification shows the Schulze influence. For the first time in the English Church organ we see a complete Diapason
chorus from 8 ft to 4 rank Mixture.
An earlier commission for Brindley was for a temporary organ for the Parish Church at Doncaster. The medieval church was destroyed by fire at the end of February 1853. Plans were soon made for a three manual organ to be made, accompanying first the services held in the Grammar School (Thorne Road) and then rebuilt in the church for its rededication in October 1858. After the completion of the five manual instrument by Edmund Schulze at St. George’s in 1862, the Brindley organ was sold to the newly built St. James Church.
Following the success of the Doncaster organ Brindley was asked to build an organ for Tickhill. Although remedial work has been done on the action, blower and console
, the original pipework still sounds week by week.
With the introduction of a robed choir and the greater emphasis upon the liturgy
in the Chancel
it was decided to move the organ into the North Chapel. A plaque indicates permission having been given for the use of this chapel, (the then Laughton Chapel), for resiting the organ and also for part to be a Vestry
. The actual year of moving is unclear at present, but seems to be 1896 when Brindley and Foster rebuilt the organ and a new oak case was given by a relative of the Laughton family.
In 1937 the decision was made to move the organ to its present position on the South side of the chancel. The blower was electrified at this time.
Within the Great soundboard there are almost one thousand pipes with many examples of the different shapes used in each rank to produce its distinctive tone.
Inside the Swell box we have a further 638 pipes. As the shutters are closed, the sound is enclosed in the box, giving an effect of diminuendo to those listening in the church.
The rank of pipes called the Fifteenth, at the front of the box, was added recently. Several other ranks have either been extended or added over the last twenty years. There are current plans to add a new rank of pipes playable on the Pedals.
Tickhill
Tickhill is a small, wealthy town and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England, on the border with Nottinghamshire. It has a population of 5,301.-Geography:...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Dating from the early 1100s and built with local magnesian limestone
Magnesian limestone
Magnesian limestone can refer to:* For the rock made of magnesium carbonate ie Magnesian limestone see dolomite or dolostone* For the traditional name of a specific suite of Permian age rocks in north-east England see Magnesian Limestone...
the structure today is predominantly of Perpendicular style with glimpses of earlier Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
, Early English and Decorated styles.
The Organ
The plaque of 1857 names the builder as Charles Brindley. As a new organ builder, St. Mary’s was one of the first organs he completed.The middle of the Nineteenth Century was, as now, a period of tremendous change and development. The railway network was branching out over the countryside, and came to Doncaster
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
in 1848. The Great Exhibition of 1851 was a showcase of talent. One of the exhibits there was an instrument made by a German organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
builder, one Edmund Schulze
Edmund Schulze
Heinrich Edmund Schulze was a German organ builder. He was the last of five generations of the Shulze family to build organs, starting with Hans Elias Schulze , Edmund's great-great-grandfather...
.
Prior to the Great Exhibition the English Church Organ was a small affair compared with its European counterpart. At Tickhill
Tickhill
Tickhill is a small, wealthy town and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England, on the border with Nottinghamshire. It has a population of 5,301.-Geography:...
there had been a ‘finger’ organ since 1831. This, in its turn, had replaced the minstrels who led the worship from a gallery situated at the West End of the church. Few organs in the English Parish Church in the mid Nineteenth Century could cope with the great European tradition of organ music (the Bachs and Buxtehude). It must have been clear to Edmund Schulze soon after his arrival in England in 1851 that in the instrument he brought to the Great Exhibition he had something new to offer. Enter Charles Brindley.
Charles Brindley had been trained in the family business of installing domestic call bell systems in large houses. The method of operating these systems was an action consisting of wires and levers, a type of mechanical or tracker action not dissimilar to an action used in organ movements.
It seems likely that Brindley met Schulze at the Great Exhibition. He certainly went to Paulinzelle in Germany to learn the art of organ building. Especially the flute pipes (in German called Hohlflote, Gedackt of Rohrflote) took on a new sound with German scale and voicing techniques.
Brindley began his own organ building business in Carver Street, Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
on January 1, 1854. St. Mary’s specification shows the Schulze influence. For the first time in the English Church organ we see a complete Diapason
Diapason
Diapason may refer to:* Diapason , a just interval in Pythagorean tuning* Diapason , a tonal grouping of the flue pipes of a pipe organ* Diapason , a French classical music magazine...
chorus from 8 ft to 4 rank Mixture.
An earlier commission for Brindley was for a temporary organ for the Parish Church at Doncaster. The medieval church was destroyed by fire at the end of February 1853. Plans were soon made for a three manual organ to be made, accompanying first the services held in the Grammar School (Thorne Road) and then rebuilt in the church for its rededication in October 1858. After the completion of the five manual instrument by Edmund Schulze at St. George’s in 1862, the Brindley organ was sold to the newly built St. James Church.
Following the success of the Doncaster organ Brindley was asked to build an organ for Tickhill. Although remedial work has been done on the action, blower and console
Organ console
thumb|right|250px|The console of the [[Wanamaker Organ]] in the Macy's department store in [[Philadelphia]], featuring six manuals and colour-coded stop tabs....
, the original pipework still sounds week by week.
Locations within the church
In the early years the organ was sited at the West End of the church. The church was used to its services being accompanied from this position. Being under the tower also offers the most resonance in the building.With the introduction of a robed choir and the greater emphasis upon the liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
in the Chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
it was decided to move the organ into the North Chapel. A plaque indicates permission having been given for the use of this chapel, (the then Laughton Chapel), for resiting the organ and also for part to be a Vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
. The actual year of moving is unclear at present, but seems to be 1896 when Brindley and Foster rebuilt the organ and a new oak case was given by a relative of the Laughton family.
In 1937 the decision was made to move the organ to its present position on the South side of the chancel. The blower was electrified at this time.
Modern modifications
As the Centenary of the instrument passed it was evident that the organ needed a radical overhaul. The action was especially unreliable. In 1965 the firm of J. W. Walker rebuilt the organ at a cost of £4,409. The action was renewed, a new console was installed and a number of tonal modifications were made.Within the Great soundboard there are almost one thousand pipes with many examples of the different shapes used in each rank to produce its distinctive tone.
Inside the Swell box we have a further 638 pipes. As the shutters are closed, the sound is enclosed in the box, giving an effect of diminuendo to those listening in the church.
The rank of pipes called the Fifteenth, at the front of the box, was added recently. Several other ranks have either been extended or added over the last twenty years. There are current plans to add a new rank of pipes playable on the Pedals.
The bells
| Diameter | Weight | Weight (modern equivalent) | Date | Founder | Inscription | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Treble | 28" | 5 cwt Hundredweight The hundredweight or centum weight is a unit of mass defined in terms of the pound . The definition used in Britain differs from that used in North America. The two are distinguished by the terms long hundredweight and short hundredweight:* The long hundredweight is defined as 112 lb, which... . 0 qr. 10 lb Pound (mass) The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement... |
258.55 kg | 1896 | John Taylor & Co. | "My voice I'll raise, the Lord to praise" | The gift of Anna Maria Alderson, Tickhill |
| 2nd | 29" | 5 cwt. 2 qr. 21 lb | 288.94 kg | 1896 | John Taylor & Co. | "On Earth bells do ring In Heaven angels sing Hallelujah" | The gift of Anna Maria Alderson, Tickhill |
| 3rd | 32" | 6 cwt. 2 qr. 18 lb | 338.38 kg | 1726 | Not recorded | "Be light and glad in God rejoice which is our strength and stay" | |
| 4th | 33" | 5 cwt. 0 qr. 10 lb | 258.55 kg | 1726 | Not recorded | "Always be joyful and lift up your voice to Jacob's God" | |
| 5th | 36" | 7 cwt. 3 qr. 11 lb | 398.71 kg | 1815 | James Harrison of Bacton | ||
| 6th | 38" | 9 cwt. 0 qr. 0 lb | 457.22 kg | Not recorded | "Most sweet on every pleasant strings, strike up with Lute ad Harp" | ||
| 7th | 41" | 11 cwt. 0 qr. 7 lb | 562.0 kg | 1796 | James Harrison of Bacton | ||
| Tenor | 44" | 13 cwt. 3 qr. 7 lb | 701.71 kg | 1726 | Not recorded | "Our sounding is eaich man to call to serve the Lord both grait and small" | Tuned to E♭ (flat) |
| Service Bell | 21" | 1727 | Not recorded | The gift of Anne Teykhill, widow of Tickhill, daughter and heir of Richard Brownlow of Thrumpton |