The Church Organ

The Westmorland Custom Built Digital Organ was supplied by Makin Church Organ Builders who are based in Shaw, Lancashire. The specification for this instrument can be found on their website.

In 2008 it became apparent that the existing Rushworth and Dreaper Organ was on its last legs - after all, it was cobbled together in 1947 from other organ bits and pieces so the Church had had many years of good service.

The PCC looked long and hard at the possibilities and soon discovered that to replace it with a pipe organ would be quite impossible on cost grounds alone. We had notable pipe organ companies pitch for the work and at the same time we looked at the principal digital producers.

The Faculty process was started and the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) required us to seek the advice of their organ specialists.

In the end our budget was the determining factor. The Organ replacement was only one of many calls on our limited funds.We made the decision - digital it was to be. We researched availability and the market and came to a short list of potential suppliers.

We finally chose MAKIN of SHAW because they could build an instrument with a very wide range of sound and could include recording/reproducing facilities which we might need in the future and all, critically, within our budget. We have been able to maintain the pipes in the Gallery which are a picturesque feature of the interior of Church. The speaker system which produces the magnificent sound is fully incorporated within the organ loft.

We started to plan a fundraising programme and this took off in a staggeringly successful way; the village of Goostrey responded to our appeal magnificently. Over £8000 was raised through writing to every household in our village. The new Organ was dedicated on Sunday 21st December 2008 to the Glory of God by Father Ron Smith, a visiting Priest, after our Morning Eucharist.GFC