Rare water-powered organ back in full working order

Restoration work has been completed to a church organ believed to be one of only two in England that can be powered by water.

The project involving the Grade II listed organ at St Michael and All Angels’ Church, Averham, started three years ago and has cost £100,000.

The organ had not been played for 25 years because of water ingress from the roof.

After an anonymous offer of financial support, parishioners decided it was time to restore the organ.

Volunteers helped dismantle the instrument, which was built in 1901 in memory of Queen Victoria.

It has more than 1,000 pipes and was built by J. J. Binns, a significant organ builder of that era.

The organ was initially powered by a hand pump with the water pump added in 1905. An electric pump was added later, which is still the most reliable way to power it.

Mr Martin Cooper, project co-ordinator, said water power was common in late Victorian times but the system was unreliable because water pressure could not always be properly regulated and so they went out of favour as electric blowing became common.

“In most cases they were ripped out and sold for scrap but fortunately at Averham the mechanism was retained,” Mr Cooper said.

There is a water-powered organ in London but apart from that the Averham one is believed to be the only one in England where the water pump can still be used.

Mr Cooper said they were fortunate to get a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund of just under £10,000 that helped towards the £20,000 cost of getting the water power mechanism working again.

CCTV and a glass panel have been installed so visitors can see the pump in action.

About 15 members of the Nottingham and District Society of Organists visited Averham and took the opportunity to play the organ.