'A Gern in Stockbridge'

By our organist, Ben Shanks

Stockbridge Parish Church opened its doors in 1823, now over 200 years ago. Around 60 years later in the 1880s August Gern’s organ builders based in London were contracted by the Marquis of Lothian to build an organ for the small external chapel at Monteviot House in the Scottish Borders. A small Victorian instrument very much in the style we would expect from that period. The organ stayed at Monteviot House until sometime after 1935 when it was moved to the Carmelite Educational Training College in Newton St Boswell’s. The organ had been moved by 1963 when a fire broke out at the institute causing a great deal of damage to the building but thankfully the chapel, and the organ within it, were unscathed. The organ seems to have remained there unaltered until 1994 when it was moved here to Stockbridge replacing the single-manual Lammermuir Organ.

The case is polished oak with burnished tin display pipes. The console is in a lovely rosewood with ivory and inlaid brass fittings. The effect is a modest appearance, nothing outlandish or outspoken blending nicely into the Victorian pews surrounding it in the gallery. The slightly crude addition of a shaving mirror slightly detracts from the overall effect but sometimes function must win over form. It has 11 stops with a Swell to Great coupler and both Swell and Great to pedal couplers.

In 2012 it was granted a Grade 1 historic organ certificate which classes it as a instrument of exceptional historic interest. It is one of very few Gern organs to ever be installed in Scotland with even less in active service today.