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The repertoire is fairly broad and quite demanding, ranging as it does from Tallis to Bainton: Arcadelt to Rutter; a full setting is sung at each service. The robes are blue cassocks with cathedral style surplices, the boys wearing ruffs and the men cravats.
Recruiting for both men and boys is ongoing and if anyone would like more information please contact Andrew Post through the Parish Office (01202-488645).
You can listen to the Priory Choir and Organ here (This link should open Windows Media Player or your default media program in a new window)
The first organ was built by Alexander Cumming in 1788 at a cost of £500, a legacy from Gustavus Brander. The organ was erected on the quire screen and comprised 3 manuals, Great Organ, 8 stops, and Swell, 4 stops with the Choir being entirely borrowed from the Great. A pedal board was added in the 1830's but by 1848, the organ had fallen into disrepair and was rebuilt, enlarged and moved from the screen to the south transept. In 1865, the organ was rebuilt by the renowned Henry 'Father" Willis who added to the Swell and built a new Choir. He also extended the Pedal Organ. Willis carried out further works in 1880 and in 1890. Messrs. Ginn Bros. added to the Great and Pedal Organs. By this time, the organ comprised 13 stops; Swell 9 stops; Choir 6 stops and Pedal 8 stops. Apart from essential repairs and cleaning, no major works were carried out until 1951 when the organ was rebuilt and electrified by the John Compton Organ Co. who added a few extra stops. The organ was placed on a new gallery in the south transept and a detached console was placed on the north side of the nave. The scheme provided for numerous "prepared for" stops some of which were added in later years (including a nave triforium section by Degens and Rippin in 1964) but it was not completed neither was the organ provided with a case. At the time of its demise, the organ consisted of Great 21 stops; Swell 13 stops; Choir 14 stops and Pedal 18 stops. Some ranks were borrowed or extended. The pipe organ fell silent in 1973 and although the console was removed, the pipework was kept in situ allowing for restoration in the future should circumstances permit.
A Compton-Makin electronic organ was installed in 1973 with speakers placed out of sight on the quire screen and in the nave in the south triforium. This organ was played from a four manual mobile console and was removed in 1999 on completion of the restoration of the pipe organ.
The opportunity to restore the pipe organ arose during the 900th Anniversary Celebrations of the Priory Church in 1994 when an Appeal was launched for both building and organ restoration. A successful appeal and an application to the Arts Council for Capital Lottery Funding in 1997 enabled works to be carried out during 1998. The organ was rebuilt on the existing gallery in the south transept using the majority of the original pipework which was restored whilst respecting its historic importance.
The oldest pipes by Cumming dating back to 1788 form the basis of the Choir Organ placed in a projecting "chaire" case; new chorus work has been added to the Great Organ and the Swell Organ which contain much of the surviving pipework by "Father" Willis. New actions and soundboards were provided to the main gallery organ to ensure durability. The nave triforium section was retained as a Bombard using the existing electro-pneumatic soundboards which were renovated (a new 8ft and 16ft reed was later added to this section in 2000). In addition new blowers were installed to serve the main organ and the nave section. The organ now has a total of 58 speaking stops.
The organ is played from two new consoles; the first is in the organ gallery and is connected by tracker action to the main organ. A second mobile console is provided in the nave connected by electro-pneumatic action via multiplexer system. Both consoles have four manuals (Choir, Great, Swell and Nave/Bombard) and Pedals. The mobile console is designed so that the organist is able to maintain contact with the choir and congregation during services and is moved into the centre of the nave so that the performer is visible to the audience during recitals. The attached console in the organ gallery is used for practice and teaching where the sensitivity of tracker action is used to advantage.
The fine new case of English oak with spotted metal front pipes was designed by David Graebe. Organ Builders were Nicholson & Co. (Worcester) Ltd. of Malvern. The Priory Church now has a very fine pipe organ which is used extensively for concerts and recitals as well as worship.
The Chamber Organ
A chamber (or box) organ, built by Peter Collins Ltd of Melton Mowbray was purchased in 2002. This has just four stops and is playable from a single manual. This organ is fully transportable and is used for concerts as well as accompanying services in the Lady Chapel and Great Quire.
The Tower contains a ring of 12 bells, plus a flat 6th semi-tone bell, dating from the end of the 14th century to 1976. The two oldest, two of the oldest in England still in use, were cast in 1370 by a John Rufford of Bedfordshire, who was appointed the Royal Bellfounder by King Edward III in 1367. A medallion of the King's head is cast in the inscription on the crown band of each bell. This points to the fact that these bells, with others, were a royal gift to the Priory at Twynham. King's Head Bells as they are called, are very rare.
Letters Patent issued by King Henry V111 in 1540 refer to the Priory and to "seven bells hanging in the tower thereof" are 100 years older than the tower.
There is little doubt that the church at one time had a central tower. This either collapsed or was taken down in 1422, damaging much of an earlier quire, but it is doubtful if the 7 bells referred to by Henry were ever in that central tower. There are several indications, however, that the room over the North Porch was once a bellchamber. The walls of the porch are substantially buttressed; the housings of the timber baulks, which supported the bell frame, are clearly visible, as are the chasings in the window frames and mullions, showing that they were once louvered. The present tower was completed in 1470 and in due course the bells were hung in it, being rung from ground level, inside the West Door some 90 feet below.
The Letters Patent issued by Henry also recorded that 2 bells were taken "for the King's use". In those days it was usual for churches of cathedral status to have 7 bells, a parish church to have 5, and smaller village churches to have 3 or less. Christchurch Priory would have ranked as a cathedral or Minster previously, but it was now a parish church.
The first reference to 8 bells is in a Vestry minute book of 1640 which says "The 4th and 8th shall be rung all the year long."
In 1885 one bell was recast, and by 1976 after gifts of new bells and replacements, the number of bells reached its present number.
The above is taken from "The Story of Christchurch Bells" by Arthur V Davis. The complete book is available from the Bookstall for £1.
Click here to listen to a sample of the bells (This link should open Windows Media Player or your default media program in a new window)
The Priory Band of Ringers is 25 strong, ages range from 10 to mid 70s and the majority are female. Ten are under 18. All are members of the Christchurch and Southampton District of the Winchester & Portsmouth Diocesan Guild of Church Bellringers.
A roundel in the Cloister Way depicting present day ringing was sponsored by the ringers as a Millennium Project.
The bells are rung for services twice on Sundays, also for extra services, weddings etc apart from Monday practice nights and on New Year's Eve to "Ring out the Old Year" and "Ring in the New."
On the Peal Boards in the Belfry several notable peals are recorded, the first being a peal of 5040 Grandsire Triples on April 2nd 1888. A band of 1000 pealers rang the first peal of 5088 Millennium Surprise Maximus on December 1st 1984.
Rosemary Rogers, Tower Captain