We were invited to visit two organs. The first, at 11 a.m. at St Swithun’s Church which is redundant in the heart of the city. It is recorded as a designated Grade listed building. The church is considered to be “one of the best preserved examples of an early Georgian church in England”. Clifton-Taylor includes the church in his list of ‘best’ English parish churches. The two manual and pedal organ was built by Robin and William Gray in 1795 and was last restored in 2010 by Goetze and Gwynn. Further historic interest was provided with the second organ in the building a copy of an early Italian instrument with hand inflated bellows.
At 2p.m. we visited St Martin’s Church. The organ here is a three manual and pedal instrument built in 1928 by Nicholson. It is looked after by the organist and GOA Member Trevor Tipple, who kindly arranged this visit.