Kilbarchan organ will live again in Germay
Instrument from closed church is on the move
A stunning organ in a now-closed church is to be dismantled and rebuilt in Germany.
The Kilbarchan West Church organ, which is over 100 years old, fell silent when the kirk closed in 2015 after the congregation united with Kilbarchan East Church and moved into that building.
Now, however, the organ, which was made by London builder Hill and is one of the finest in Scotland, is to be taken apart piece by piece and put together again in the Marienkirche, in Prenzlau, northern Germany.
Tom Ferguson was organist at Kilbarchan West for 36 years up to its closure.
He said: “Everyone was keen to get a new home for the organ, and I’m glad to say the process of dismantling the instrument to take it to Germany began on Monday this week.
“Prenzlau was bombed in April 1945, and the church was largely destroyed.
“Restoration began in the 1970s, and is expected to be complete by 2020 with the installation of the Hill organ.”
The organ dates from 1905, Mr Ferguson said.
“It’s a very, very high-quality instrument,” he added.
“It was absolutely wonderful to play.”
Finding a new home for the instrument came about through the web.
“There is a British organ builders website that advertises pieces that are available anywhere in the UK, and it’s viewed all over the world,” Mr Ferguson said.
“I got enquiries from Australia, Italy, Poland, Germany and the one in Prenzlau ended up being successful.
“A lot the enquiries didn’t follow through but in the end there were two enquiries that were potentially okay.
“We looked at what they were going to do with the organ – and the organ is being given to them, there’s no charge for it –so it was a case of what use was going to be made of it, and how likely it is to be well used, and well loved. And the one in Prenzlau was chosen on that basis.”
Mr Ferguson added: “I’m disappointed the organ is leaving Kilbarchan, of course, but to find it a new home is wonderful.”
The dismantling of the organ will take three weeks.