This page covers St. Peter's Organs, Choir History, Orchestra and Bells.

St. Peter's Church Organs

Choral music, supported by a traditional pipe organ, has been a core part of worship at St Peter's. Details about previous organs, and the current pipe organ, as well as the history of the instruments that have formed part of our worship can be found below.
(file titled 'The Pipe Organs of St Peters').

St. Peter's Choir History  (Until 2019 and the COVID Epidemic)

Early references to St. Peter’s Choir date back to 1882 when the BEDS Times stated that ‘the choir was vested in new cassocks and surplices on Sunday 28th. May – given by Mrs. Wilkinson, the wife of the vicar. The choirmaster Mr Josiah Trustam was congratulated for the recent introduction of boys to join the ladies and men of the choir.’ They probably sat in the Nave near the organ which was at the West End. In 1893 they probably repositioned to the North Aisle to join the new organ in front of the Toft Chapel. Around 1933 the same organ was moved to a new gallery and choir vestry built under the tower at the West End. The Choir then moved to the chancel where they remained until today.

The Choir in its pre 2019 form was started by Mary Farnsworth in April 1983. Hugh Jenkins was the organist at that time. Many loyal choir members, young and old have come and gone over the intervening period. We are affiliated to the Royal School of Church Music and have attended many of the regular Diocesan Choir festivals at St. Albans Abbey.

We sang at all our morning Sunday Communion services together with Patronal and Harvest festivals and Carol services at all our three Churches.

Post COVID from July 2021

Following the two year gap when only occasionally the choir convened due to the epidemic, the three congregations of the Benefice had been drawn closer together through our weekly Sunday ZOOM services which were well supported throughout the period.
Under Revd. Paolo Di Leo, the Parochial Church Councils of St. Peter’s and St. Mary’s decided to preserve the spirit of togetherness by alternating our main 10.30 am Choral Sunday morning Communion services between the two churches. The two choirs also amalgamated which gave us more viable total numbers and a good spread of voices for our four part singing.

The Benefice Choir was born and has continued successfully since that time.

We generally practice before the service on Sunday morning but with additional evening practices for special occasions. We sing a variety of music, from modern worship songs to baroque anthems and we are anxious to continue part harmony singing in our delightful ancient Churches. We sing at All Saint’s and St. Margaret’s Knotting for their patronal and special services. Also for weddings and funerals when requested and join in with our Deanery and Diocesan choir event opportunities.

If you would like to join us or need any further information please contact:
Colin Scott -01234 781159 or Janet Welsh – 01234 781010

For a photo gallery of past St. Peter’s Choir members and events click: CHOIR

St. Peter's Orchestra 1992 - 2006

In 1992, there were several younger choir and church members who could play or were learning instruments. We therefore formed a small orchestra which continued for a number of years. We played for the then, monthly All Age Services and some Christmas Services. Over this period well over twenty young people contributed their musical ability and loyalty with the help of some more mature members.

For a photo gallery see file below titled:   'St. Peter's Orchestra'

St. Peter's Bells and Ringing.

Unlike the other activities within the church we are heard but seldom seen. We are delighted to have the opportunity to describe ourselves – the bells, ringers and all the various and necessary activities “up the tower”, from teaching prospective learners how to “handle a bell”, to regular maintenance of the bells. Tower bell ringing is a tradition dating back over 400 years.

There have been bells at St Peters’ since 1490. We now have eight bells, two having recently been added in 2006. Our tenor (the heaviest bell No.8, with the lowest note) is the oldest, and was cast in 1699. Bells 3 to 7 were recast in 1923/4. We ring to summon parishioners to worship at Church Services, and to celebrate special Festivals e.g. Christmas and New Year, for national events e.g. Remembrance Sunday, plus “local” ringing for Weddings etc.

Tuesday evening is our regular Practice/Teaching night. Many of our band are members of the Bedfordshire Association of Church Bell Ringers, and one is a member of the national body, the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers (CCCBR).

 The ringers pay a small annual subscription which pays for all necessary "belfry" work, including, over the years, welding repairs to the bell frame, new wheels, a new ceiling for the ringing room and occasional sets of new ropes. We also installed a degree of soundproofing in the Tower behind the belfry windows to reduce the impact on housing close by.

This area is popular for visiting ringers' outings with a number of picturesque villages, good bells and short distances to travel between churches .St Peter's church is known for its well-maintained bells, good quality ringing and since augmenting to eight bells we attract even more visitors to our Tuesday practice nights. We still, however, need to recruit new local ringers.

We have a SIMULATOR in the Tower, an aid to teaching beginners and improvers, which also allows instruction in basic bell handling as well as move advanced ringing without any sound emanating from the tower externally. This means that we can, subject to instructor availability, provide one to one training in the tower at almost any time of the day or night!

We are always eager to welcome new learners, plus of course those who can already ring. Ringers can be of any age, from about 10 yrs upwards (depending on size), to octogenarians! One does not have to be “musical”, and it is not a matter of brute force – we rely on rhythm and delicacy of touch. Please contact our Tower Captain Patrick Albon
(Tel: 01933 626238) or Tom Anderson (Tel: 01234 781783) for details, and/or to view the ringing.

See the two files below for  
a)  St. Peter's Bells, Ringing and Tower Captains.
b)  History of the Bells and Augmentation to Eight Bells