Church organ dismantled for the first time in 50 years to tackle woodworm

  • Bronwen Brown went to see the organ as it gets a deep-clean for the first time in decades

The organ at Forest Parish Church has been dismantled for the first time in 50 years for a deep-clean and woodworm treatment.

Organ specialists from the Isle of Wight have removed the 600 pipes to revamp the instrument to ensure it is ready for the wedding season.

The process involves the cleaning of each pipe individually by hand before reassembling it. The organ will then be retuned which takes around three hours.

The instrument is completely retuned four times a year but it has not been completely taken apart since the early 1970s.

The organ pipes vary in length from smaller than an inch to nearly 8ft long. Credit: ITV Channel TV

Rector of Forest Parish Church, Claire Claxton said: "The organ is the instrument that accompanies all of our singing in church so it's really important.

"Our organist, John, plays at every service and then we've got weddings, we've got funerals, so it is really very crucial."

Previously undiscovered 'Victory Day' graffiti on the back of the organ. Credit: ITV Channel TV

During the cleaning process, organ specialist Andrew Cooper found previously undiscovered graffiti on the back of the instrument from 8 May 1945.

It contained the date, which is the day before Liberation Day, as well as a Union flag and 'V' for 'Victory Day'.

German Occupation Museum owner, Richard Heaume, said it is thought that the organ blower at the time, Mr Wilson, is the artist.

Once the organ has been put back together and retuned, it will be ready for normal services to resume at the church.