Beginning on 1st June, the late 19th Century Bevington Organ in Great Paxton Church has been cleaned and refurbished.  The organ builders were able to commence work taking the necessary precautions and the Vicar stood at a distance to take pictures!

It is a pipe organ with a tracker action.  Originally there would have been a real organ blower - often a young person - but now the organ blower is an electronically charged turbine.  It supplies a steady stream of air to the organ.  We are very grateful to the donor who is making this project possible.  The work is being undertaken by Norman Hall and Sons based in Cambridge and in order to clean the organ they removed parts of organ including the pipes, key board and pedals.  A label was found inside the organ stating it was built in 1880 - earlier than we thought.  Could it have been given by the Towgood family from Paxton Hill House?  Another delivery label states it came from Rose Street in London (consistent with Bevington's premises) but unfortunately part of the label is missing which states who had ordered it.  We cane make out the word Hall on the far right corner - but if it was given by the Towgoods they lived at Paxton Hill House.  It would probably have come by train to St Neots, and then by cart/carriage to the Church.  The label reads Midland carriage.  It has been fascinating to see the various innards of this instrument and it has helped that the church is not currently being used at the moment as the workers can use the pews to lay the various parts out safely.

Hopefully in the near future we shall have a recital and hope lots of people will come to hear this charming antique instrument sing sweetly.

Below are two videos.  One of an interview with Charles Hall, who with his brother has been working on the organ, and the other of the Vicar's musings:

https://www.facebook.com/ThePaxtonsBenefice/videos/2380161582287061

https://www.facebook.com/ThePaxtonsBenefice/videos/635198087076503