About

The organ of the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Ewell, was originally built in 1889 by the renowned organ builder Henry Willis, who had served his apprenticeship under Aristide Cavaillé-Coll. The instrument was constructed for the Anglican Parish Church of St Augustine, Highbury.

In 1975, there arose a real risk that St Augustine’s might be closed. To safeguard the organ’s future, the parish decided to sell it to St Mary’s, which had lost a similar ‘Father’ Willis instrument in a fire two years earlier. In a curious twist of fate, however, St Augustine’s was reprieved only days after the organ had been removed. Instead, another nearby church, St. John’s, was closed, and its smaller organ was installed at St Augustine’s in place of the Willis instrument.

At Ewell, the organ was reinstalled by Rushworth and Dreaper, who, despite the prevailing fashion of the time to “neoclassicize” Victorian organs, wisely chose to preserve its original tonal character and specification.

This superb instrument, often regarded as the finest of several similar organs built in the Highbury area, remains comparatively little known, despite its prestigious origins. The Vicar of Ewell, the Parochial Church Council, the Director of Music, and the Sub-Organist have therefore resolved to promote greater awareness of the organ through a series of recitals and concerts. Many of which can be found on YouTube.