How a former Millport Church organ ended up in Norway.

The Sowne of Organe group has lifted the lid on the fascinating tale of how a similarly historic organ from Cumbrae Parish Church ended up in Norway - via the Netherlands.

Sowne of Organe was established in 2020 to survey, record and advocate for Scotland's unaltered historic pipe organs in the face of an increasing number of church closures around the country.

The group has warned that the 'Father Willis' organ at the former St Columba's Parish Church is at risk following the end of regular church services in the building last year.

The organ dates from 1892 and has been described by Sowne of Organe as "a Victorian masterpiece".

Chris Bragg from Sowne of Organe was involved in the transfer of the old Cumbrae Parish Church organ to Norway, and says he hopes that exercise can show that the St Columba's organ can be rescued too.

He said: "The organ at Cumbrae Parish Church was originally built by the Walsall branch of the Nicholson organ building family in 1871, for St Thomas's Wesleyan Methodist Church in Glasgow.

"It was brought to Millport and enlarged with a second manual by the Glasgow organ builder Mirrlees in 1893.

"It is an organ of considerable quality and historic value, having remained in its 1893 state.

"Following the church's closure in 2014, the building was sold to a private developer, with the organ still intact inside.

"A private recording of the organ was made by David Hamilton, organ teacher at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and the organ was acquired by the Dutch organ building workshop of Fokke-Rinke Feenstra and restored for a church in Holmestrand in Norway.

"Here, the organ was installed in 2021 behind a pre-existing art deco organ façade, which I believe was listed and had to remain in place.

"The organ is one of several Scottish organs which have found new homes in Norway, including, very recently, the ex-Lochee Old and St Luke's 1884 Forster and Andrews organ which has just been re-opened following its restoration and installation by Feenstra in Saltstraumen. "

The Millport/Holmestrand organ is pictured in the workshop and in its new home.

The Sowne of Organe group is involved in organising a special event at the St Columba's Church building this Saturday, June 1, to highlight the risk to the Father Willis organ and discuss how the community can play a part in ensuring the organ is conserved for future generations, whether in Largs or elsewhere.

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

The former Cumbrae Parish Church building was snapped up by David Wright and his son Adam following its closure 10 years ago.

In 2021 David surprised sweetheart Catriona Ballentyne after whisking her to the island to show off the stunning buy - before getting down on bended knee to pop the question within the church.

David and Adam are in the process of turning the historic building into holiday flats while retaining original features such as the Gothic ceilings and stained glassed windows.

It's not the first time an important piece of church history from Millport has gone on its travels.

In July 1964 the 85-year-old bell from the old West Church arrived at St Aidan's Presbyterian Church in North Balwyn, Melbourne, having been lowered from the bell tower in the unused Millport church building by a detachment of Royal Navy sailors.

The bell, weighing 635 kilograms, was transported on a coal-carrying puffer to Glasgow before being shipped to Australia on board the Shaw Savill steamer MV Mystic.