Hillington (Norfolk), St Mary the Virgin

Johannes Snetzler 1756

Built for the “Music Gallery” of the Duke of Bedford; later transfered to Christ Church, Westminster, afterwards to the National Society Training School, finally to Hillington in 1857 by G. M. Holdich; restored by Boggis in 1956.

Snetzler's organ, today in Hillington, Co. Norfolk, represents an almost typical migration history not uncommon with English organs. Only organs of a peculiar quality could withstand something like being transfered to four different places within a century with all the necessary adaptions to a new room without major damages.

Snetzler's instrument is a typical example of a mid-18th century organ type becoming popular for noble manors for concert use, the type of instrument for Handel's organ concerts.For such purposes a two manual instrument with or without a pedal supplement was considered perfectly satisfactory. The economical construction allowed careful and precise work supporting the longevity of those instruments.