The Henry Willis Organ

The present organ was built by Henry ("Father") Willis in 1877-78, designed integrally with the architecture and installed behind the screen so that the source of the sound is not visible but is diffused into the chapel.  The organ was inaugurated on 11 March 1878, four months after the Chapel itself was completed.

It is regarded as one of the finest unaltered Willis organs in the country. 

Union Chapel has a long-established musical tradition.  It was at the forefront of choral singing in Victorian times, with a succession of distinguished organists.

After 130 years' loyal service, the organ is now feeling its age, so the Friends and the Chapel have now launched a fundraising appeal for its restoration.

We are delighted to have Sir David Lumsden, Anne Elise Smoot and Carlo Curley as Patrons of the Organ Restoration Project.  Read more about the Appeal here.

The Heritage Lottery Fund has now awarded the organ restoration project a First Round grant of £345,700.  Read our press release about this here.

Why not join the Friends of the Organ for £10 per annum?   See further details of the Friends of UnionChapel Organ here.

An extract from the "The Making of the Victorian Organ" by Dr Nicholas Thistlethwaite, with details of the specification and history of the organ, can be downloaded here, by kind permission of Cambridge University Press.

To hear the Organ, why not come to our Free Organ Recitals? Keep an eye on this site for details.

Revised 5th April 2011