List of organists and assistant organists of Wells Cathedral
Encyclopedia
Wells Cathedral
is a Church of England
cathedral
in Wells
, Somerset
, England.
The first record of an organ dates from 1310, with a smaller organ, probably for the Lady Chapel, being installed in 1415. In 1620 a new organ, built by Thomas Dallam
, was installed at a cost of £398 1s 5d, however this was destroyed by parliamentary soldiers in 1643 and another new organ was built in 1662,
which was enlarged in 1786,
and again in 1855.
In 1909–1910 a new organ was built by Harrison & Harrison
with the best parts of old organ retained,
and this has been maintained by the same company since.
Wells Cathedral
Wells Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, who lives at the adjacent Bishop's Palace....
is a Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in Wells
Wells
Wells is a cathedral city and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills. Although the population recorded in the 2001 census is 10,406, it has had city status since 1205...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England.
Thomas Dallam
Dallam was the surname of a family of English organ builders, active in England and Brittany.The first known member of the family, Thomas Dallam, originated from Dallam in Lancashire.-Thomas Dallam I:The first Thomas Dallam Dallam was the surname of a family of English organ builders, active in...
, was installed at a cost of £398 1s 5d, however this was destroyed by parliamentary soldiers in 1643 and another new organ was built in 1662,
which was enlarged in 1786,
and again in 1855.
In 1909–1910 a new organ was built by Harrison & Harrison
Harrison & Harrison
Harrison & Harrison Ltd are a British company that make and restore pipe organs, based in Durham and established in 1861. They are well known for their work on instruments such as King's College Cambridge, Westminster Abbey and the Royal Festival Hall....
with the best parts of old organ retained,
and this has been maintained by the same company since.
Organists
- 1416–1418 Walter Bagele (or Vageler)
- 1421–1422 Robert Cator
- 1428–1431 John Marshal
- 1437–1462 John Marchell
- 1461–1462 John Menyman (joint)
- 1461–1462 Richard Hygons (joint)
- 1497–1507 Richard Hygons
- 1507–1508 Richard Bramston
- 1508 John Clawsy (or Clavelleshay)
- 1514 William Mylwhard
- 1515–1531 Richard Bramston
- 1534–1538 John Smyth
- 1547–1554 Nicholas Prynne
- 1556–1557 John Marker
- 1558 Robert Awman
- 1559–1562 William Lyde
- 1563 Thomas Tanner
- 1568 Matthew Nailer
- 1587 John Clerk
- 1600 Thomas Hunt
- 1608 James Weare
- 1613–1614 Edmund Tucker
- 1614–1619 Richard Brown
- 1619–1642 John Oker (or Okeover)
- 1663–1674 John Brown
- 1674 Mr Hall
- 1674–1688 John Jackson
- 1688–1690 Robert Hodge
- 1690–1712 John George
- 1713–1726 William BroderipWilliam Broderip (organist)-Life:Broderip, as to whose parentage and education nothing is known, was appointed a vicar choral of Wells Cathedral on 1 April 1701. On 1 October 1706 he was appointed sub-treasurer, and on 1 April 1708 a cathedral stall was assigned to him. On 2 January 1712 he succeeded John George as organist...
- 1726 Joseph Millard
- 1727–1740 William Evans
- 1741 Jacob Nickells
- 1741–1771 John Broderip
- 1771–1773 Peter Parfitt
- 1773–1781 Robert Parry
- 1781–1820 Dodd Perkins
- 1820–1859 William Perkins
- 1859–1895 Charles Williams Lavington
- 1896–1899 Percy Carter Buck
- 1899–1933 Revd. Canon Thomas Henry DavisRevd. Canon Thomas Henry DavisRevd. Canon Thomas Henry Davis was an English cathedral organist, who served in Wells Cathedral and was the only person ever to hold a simultaneous post of Canon of a Cathedral and Organist of the old foundation cathedrals.-Background:...
- 1933–1936 Conrad William EdenConrad William EdenConrad William Eden was an English cathedral organist, who served in Wells Cathedral and Durham CathedralHe was born in 1905 in Alton, Hampshire, and was a chorister at Wells Cathedral. He won a scholarship to Rugby School, another to the Royal College of Music and an Exhibition which took him to...
- 1936–1971 Denys PounceyDenys PounceyDenys Pouncey was an English cathedral organist, who served in Wells Cathedral-Background:Denys Duncan Rivers Pouncey was born on 23 December 1906 and was educated at Marlborough College and Queen's College, Cambridge....
- 1971–1996 Anthony Crossland
- 1996–2004 Malcolm ArcherMalcolm ArcherMalcolm Archer is an English organist, conductor and composer. He combines this work with a recital career. Archer was formerly Organist and Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral, and is now Director of Chapel Music at Winchester College....
- 2004–2005 Rupert Gough (acting)
- 2005 Matthew Owens
Assistant organists
- Charles William Lavington 1842 – 1859
- J. Summers
- Frederick Joseph William Crowe (later organist of Chichester CathedralChichester CathedralThe Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, otherwise called Chichester Cathedral, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Chichester. It is located in Chichester, in Sussex, England...
) c.1880 - Harry Charles Moody 1894 – 1895 (then acting organist 1895)
- Frederick William Heck 1896 – 1897 (afterwards organist of Bedminster Parish Church)
- W. J. Bown
- R.J. Maddern Williams 1904 – 1906 (afterwards sub-organist of Norwich CathedralNorwich CathedralNorwich Cathedral is a cathedral located in Norwich, Norfolk, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. Formerly a Catholic church, it has belonged to the Church of England since the English Reformation....
). - Kenneth J Miller 1906
- F.P. Wheeldon 1908
- Frank W. Porkess
- Marmaduke ConwayMarmaduke ConwayMarmaduke Percy Conway, Mus.D, FRCO, ARCM , was an English organist and writer.-Education:Conway was educated at Bedford Grammar School and the Royal College of Music, obtaining a B.Mus in Oxford and a Mus.D in Dublin.-Organist:...
1920 – 1925 (later organist of Ely CathedralEly CathedralEly Cathedral is the principal church of the Diocese of Ely, in Cambridgeshire, England, and is the seat of the Bishop of Ely and a suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon...
) - C.H. Trevor 1926 – 1927
- Conrad William EdenConrad William EdenConrad William Eden was an English cathedral organist, who served in Wells Cathedral and Durham CathedralHe was born in 1905 in Alton, Hampshire, and was a chorister at Wells Cathedral. He won a scholarship to Rugby School, another to the Royal College of Music and an Exhibition which took him to...
1927 – 1933 (then organist) - J.W. Martindale-Sidwell 1938
- Michael Peterson 1946 – 1953
- Anthony Crossland 1961 – 1970
- David Anthony CooperDavid Anthony CooperDavid Anthony Cooper was an English cathedral organist, who served in Blackburn Cathedral and Norwich Cathedral.-Background:David Anthony Cooper was born on 14 January 1949 in Derby....
1977 – 1983 (later organist of Blackburn CathedralBlackburn CathedralBlackburn Cathedral, officially known as the Cathedral Church of Blackburn Saint Mary the Virgin, is a cathedral situated in the heart of Blackburn town centre, in Lancashire, England...
) - Christopher Brayne 1983 – 1990 (later organist of Bristol Cathedral)
- David Ponsford
- Andrew NethsinghaAndrew NethsinghaAndrew Nethsingha , MA, FRCO, ARCM, is an English choral conductor and organist. He is Director of Music at St John's College, Cambridge, where he was previously Organ Scholar. He was also President of the Cathedral Organists' Association...
1990 – 1994 - Rupert Gough 1994 – 2005
- David Bednall 2002 – 2007 (Senior Organ Scholar 2002 – 2004)
- Jonathan Vaughn 2007 –