The Thomas Elliot Organ

Access to the organ in the organ loft

The Senior Grants Officer of the Heritage Lottery Fund (Jeremy Fenn) visited our church on 4th May and met up with Alan, Martin and Nigel to review our funding application for the restoration of our Elliot Church Organ. In order to maximise the chances of getting funding approval for our scheme, Jeremy suggested that it would be a good idea to open up better access to the organ loft and also the front of the organ, for visitors and music students etc.

After further discussion with Jeremy and the organ sub-committee members, it was considered that it would be a good idea to remove the bench immediately behind the organ to open up more access to the whole area. Photographs of the bench in question are attached for identification purposes. At the same time the loft area could be tidied up and possibly a new cupboard provided for the storage of hymn books and organ music. A set of ten chairs say, could be provided for the tutored musical students and occasional choirs that wish to perform from the organ balcony.

Provisional costs for this work have been included in the total project budget being applied for with the Heritage Lottery Fund. In order to get DAC approval for making these alterations, the PCC needs to give its approval and agree how best to dispose of the old bench. The bench could be moved to the north wall of the church and used for additional seating for meals at UBS services, or alternatively it could be stored in the sexton's hut along with a few other similar benches.

The organ sub-committee asked the PCC to consider these alterations in a favourable light to open up better access to our newly restored organ and this was agreed at a later PCC meeting.

An application was made to the DAC for a Faculty to cover the restoration of the organ and the removal of the bench in the organ loft to the north aisle of the church.

Later on however, after the organ had been restored to the organ gallery, the PCC decided that the north aisle would be better left free of furniture items, and as a result the organ loft bench was dismantled and moved into the sexton's hut for safekeeping.