Belmont's Organ Back in Action!
Belmont Abbey Organ is the second largest organ in the County of Herefordshire. It has 3 manuals (keyboards) and 54 stops and is second only to the organ of Hereford Cathedral (4 Manuals and 67 stops) - Belmont has the largest organ in our Catholic Diocese.
"Thrilled to hear this. So many happy memories of this instrument from my H’ford incarnation - a magical place." David Briggs
The Belmont Organ has now been recommissioned following the repair of significant damage from rainwater ingress.
The organ, which was built in the 1870s by Bishop & Son of London, was originally installed in the North Transept, and removed in 1886 to its present position in a chamber where it was encased in 1889.
In 1973, under the direction of the then managing director, Mr Stanley Lambert, Nicholson & Co. rebuilt the organ. Further work was carried out in 1982 when new under-actions and a revised wind supply were installed and considerable tonal improvements were made.
Following consultation in 2006, a decision was made for Nicholson & Co. to repair, restore and complete the organ in order to bring it up to concert standards. The North Transept Arch was opened up, removing part of the interior wall to improve the sound egress from the organ down the nave, and in January 2010 we commenced the project.
The upper part of the arch was filled with a new case, intended to adhere closely to the Pugin work in Saint Joseph’s Chapel, and was designed by Brother Raphael Aspinwall, a member of the Abbey’s Benedictine community.
Behind the new case a separate division (West Great) was constructed which is playable on the Great and Positive manuals. A new blower with increased capacity was installed and other additions included a 16ft Open Diapason (metal), 32ft reed and mutations of the 32ft series on the Pedal Organ.
The work was completed in June 2010 in time for the 150th anniversary of the foundation of Belmont Abbey. David Briggs, who was the consultant, played the inaugural recital on 20 November 2010.
Damage from rainwater ingress in late 2024 was repaired throughout 2025. The opportunity was also taken to make two tonal changes to the Swell: the Scharff III (26.29.33) is now a Mixture III (17.19.22), and the Contra Fagotto 16′ is once more an Hautboy 8′ returning these pipes to their original pitch.
