St Mary’s Church Potters Bar pulls out all the stops with new pipe organ
10th March 2020
Attendees at services and concerts at St Mary’s Church in The Walk, Potters Bar, are enjoying the majestic sounds of a new pipe organ which became operational just before Christmas 2019. The original organ, built in 1885 for the old St John the Baptist Church (situated where the War Memorial in the High Street now stands), was moved to St Mary’s when the new church was built in 1915. The intervening years have taken their toll and, by 2000, the organ was in need of major repair. After over 15 years of fundraising a redundant organ from a church in Derby fortuitously became available.
The new organ, installed by Nottingham-based organ builders Henry Groves & Son, consists of 2,250 pipes, spread across 49 stops playable on three keyboards and a pedalboard. The shortest pipe is three inches long and the longest is 18 feet.
Vicar Fr Stefan Chrysostomou says “From the very beginning, music has been a key part of Christian worship. We are called to offer our very best in praising God, and our new organ will help us do just that. Not only will it enhance our services at St Mary’s, it will also contribute to enriching the musical life of our town and wider community through concerts and other events.”
The church has taken expert advice from Mr Paul Hale, Southwell Minster Organist Emeritus and Mr Andrew Lucas, Master of the Music at St Albans Abbey. Paul will be playing the inaugural Gala Recital on Saturday 14th March 2020, tickets £12 available on the door, by e-mail or online – under 15s free.
