Bid to save 'cultural masterpiece' church organ in Largs

The endangered 1892 Father Willis organ at the former St Columba’s Parish Church in Largs is now at risk, say specialist group Sowne of Organe.

The Largs community are being urged to get involved and show their support by attending a special event taking place in the building on June 1.

The ‘exceptional organ’ was built on a grand scale by Henry Willis back in 1882 and has remained both tonally and technically unaltered, like Willis’s most famous instruments at the Royal Albert Hall, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Cathedrals of Durham, Salisbury or Hereford.

Endangered:S owne of Organe warn historic church organ with international significance could end up on scrapheap (Image: Sowne of Organe)

Because of this, there is significant interest from around the British Isles in the event, with the Royal College of Organists from London coming to do a podcast.

The Father Willis forms a vital part of Scotland’s national and international cultural heritage, and unlike its peers throughout mainland Europe, does not have statutory protection for when the church building closes at the end of June.

The Sowne of Organe was established in 2020 to survey, record and advocate for Scotland’s unaltered historic pipe organs, and has a core team, comprising Chris Bragg (Glasgow University), Steven McIntyre, (St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Glasgow), and Matthew Hynes (Ayr Burgh Organist, Association of Independent Organ Advisors) who will be in residence in Largs to survey and record the organ at St Columba’s on Friday May 31, and Saturday June 1.

On Saturday at 3pm, they will present an event which will include music, stories (including that of the organ’s commissioning and opening), and the significance of Henry Willis, and images of the organ’s construction.

The event will provide an opportunity to discuss how the community can play a part in ensuring the organ is conserved for future generations, whether in Largs or elsewhere.

Come and hear the instrument played by Chris Bragg, Andrew Forbes and Steven McIntyre, and learn about it's history, and help fight for its future, is the message from The Sowne of Organe.

Chris Bragg: It would be ideal if the building remained as a community resource which would mean that the organ could stay in the building (Image: University of St Andrews)

Speaking to the News, Chris Bragg said: "I think that there are number of scenarios that could play themselves out. It would be ideal if the building remained as a community resource, which would mean that the organ could stay in the building and we could advocate for it to stay in Largs, where it has been in the soundscape since 1892 when the church was built.

"It would be good if there was any community interest in taking over the building who could make themselves known to us.

"If that doesn't happen, a new home could take time and we would want to create an environment where there are enough people in Largs who would shout out about it being kept if, it was sold for residential purposes, in order to make the new owner aware, as they might want rid of the organ, and it could literally then be thrown in a skip.

"We would hope that our event will help identify the right partners and raise some money to be used in future to promote the instrument and provide maintenance, where it to stay in Largs, or fund it to disassemble it professionally and put it into storage. 

"It is very difficult to say at this stage which of these scenarios will play out and it very much depends on the situation in the ground and how people broadly feel about St Columba's the building and keeping it going as a community resource."

Mr Bragg pointed out that over the past 20 years around 50 church organs have been saved from destruction, including one in Cumbrae Parish Church which is now based in Norway.

St Columba's Parish Church building is set to close at the end of June.