About

Cheltenham, also known as Cheltenham Spa, and sometimes called "The Garden Town of England", is a Spa Town on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral springs in 1716, and claims to be the most complete Regency Town in Britain.

The Victorian Church of St. Matthew houses a fine example of one of Willis's Golden age organs. The organ was originally built in 1865, and was enlarged and restored several times by Willis for the next few decades. Firstly in 1872 when the Swell Vox Humana was added, again in 1879 when the Swell Vox Angelica was given by the choir, and also in 1879 when the beautifully engraved Great Open Diapason was given by the Organist in residence at the time, J.A.Matthews. The most radical changes to the organ were carried out by Nicholson & Co. in 1974. This involved adding a large amount of extension work to the Pedale which was fashionable at the time, as well as replacing the Swell Lieblich Bourdon for a Mixture, and replacing the Contra Hautboy for a Contra Posaune. Despite these changes, the organ is near its original condition and upholds its distinct Willis tone.

The organ has 39 speaking stops, over 3 manuals and pedal with 4 divisions. It is located in two of the South chancel bays with the Great, Swell and Choir divisions sitting in the right bay, and the Pedale division taking up the whole space of the left bay. The Swell division is rather high up, and is far away from the console giving a slight delay in the coupling. The Choir division is located on the West pipe front, and the Great division on Barker Lever action is directly above the console. An unusual feature of this organ is that the Swell Sub and Super octave couplers actually couple directly to the Great, Instead of the Swell.

Stoplist

Pedale

Open Diapason 16 
Bourdon 16 
Principal 8 
Bass Flute 8 
Fifteenth 4 
Flute 4 
Twenty Second 2 
Ophicleide 16

Swell to Pedals
Great to Pedals
Choir to Pedals

Choir

Gamba 8
Dulciana 8
Claribel Flute 8
Lieblich Gedact 8 
Concert Flute 4
Piccolo 2
Corno Di Bassetto 8

Great

Double Open Diapason 16
Large Open Diapason 8
Small Open Diapason 8
Stopped Diapason 8
Claribel Flute 8
Principal 4
Flûte Harmonique 4
Twelfth 3
Fifteenth 2
Sesquialtera III 17.19.22
Posaune 8 
Clarion 4

Swell to Great Super Octave
Swell to Great Sub Octave
Swell to Great Unison
Choir to Great

Swell

Open Diapason 8
Salcional 8
Vox Angelica 8 (T.C)
Lieblich Gedact 8
Gemshorn 4
Flageolet 2
Mixture III 19.22.26
Contra Posaune 16
Vox Humana 8
Oboe 8
Trumpet 8
Clarion 4
Tremulant

Demo Version Stoplist

Pedale

Bourdon 16  
Bass Flute 8 
Flute 4 

Swell to Pedals
Great to Pedals
Choir to Pedals

Choir

Dulciana 8
Claribel Flute 8

Great

Small Open Diapason 8
Stopped Diapason 8
Flûte Harmonique 4

Swell to Great Super Octave
Swell to Great Sub Octave
Swell to Great Unison
Choir to Great

Swell

Open Diapason 8
Gemshorn 4
Vox Humana 8
Tremulant