page_title: Bangor Cathedral
section_title: Organ
hierarchical_section_title: Bangor Cathedral / Organ
caption_attribution_description: Photograph of Bangor Cathedral, Wales - Quire
context_page_description: Bangor Cathedral is an ancient place of worship in Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales. It is dedicated to its founder, Saint Deiniol.
  The site of the present building of Bangor Cathedral has been in use as a place of Christian worship since the 6th century. The cathedral was built on a low-lying and inconspicuous site, possibly so as not to attract the attention of Viking raiders from the sea in ancient times.
  The Gothic style building on the hill is part of Bangor University.
context_section_description: The first extant reference to an organ in the cathedral comes in a poem by Gruffudd Gryg, who witnessed the arrival of a new instrument sometime between 1350 and 1370, and records show all the parishioners contributed towards it.
  Under Bishop Rowlands (1598–1616) arrangements were made for the payment of a stipend to an organist. However, during the episcopate of the next bishop, Lewis Bayly, we hear of one Thomas Boulton playing the organ and complaining that his salary was not paid!
  During the Commonwealth (1649–60) the organ was either removed or destroyed in accordance with the Parliamentary Order "for the speedy demolition of all organs, images and all matters of superstitious monuments in all cathedrals...throughout the kingdom of England and the dominion of Wales."
  When Charles II was restored to the throne in 1660 a new organ was installed: it was paid from a legacy of £100 by Bishop William Roberts; and erected by his successor, Robert Morgan. On the organ case was a Latin verse in which the two bishops, who had provided the money and erected the organ, were compared to David and Solomon respectively.
  In 1779 the organ was replaced by a new instrument. It cost 360 guineas (£378) and was made by Samuel Green, the leading organ builder of his day. This was in constant use until it was replaced by the present organ which was built by one of the greatest master organ builders of the 19th century: William Hill, who also supplied most of its 4,210 pipes, and installed in 1873, with additions by the same company in 1897.
  The organ had a major rebuild in 1954 by John Compton, and since then has been used on a daily basis. Numerous students have benefited from study at this instrument and noted organists from all over the world have visited Bangor Cathedral especially to play the organ and give public concerts.
  Between 2006 and 2008, David Wells Organ Builders Ltd of Liverpool rebuilt the organ. The solo soundboard is now located in the crossing arch into the north transept and is the unenclosed choir organ. The choir soundboard in the organ chamber has become the solo soundboard and has been turned round to face through the transept arch. It has been raised high to allow space for toilet and kitchen facilities on the ground floor. A new vestry has been built on the first floor for servers. The new console is placed in the north transept.
  A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.
caption: The Quire
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