Church Music in Bournemouth

Worship and Music have for so long gone hand in hand.

So, it is hard at times to think of one without the other.

The United Reformed Church is part of the great Free Church Tradition. And the these Churches have had less structured worship than some denominations. As a result in their formative years in the 17th Century the Free Churches were more dependent on singing the Psalms, and a little later, hymns.  

Not surprisingly the United Reformed Church has in turn absorbed music from other denominations too over the years, not least from its own mainly Congregational and Presbyterian inheritance.

We at Richmond Hill St.Andrew’s are indeed fortunate, enjoying as we do Sunday by Sunday music drawn from many traditions, and across the centuries. We feel this makes our worship richer, relevant and more vibrant than many of our forebears could have imagined.

Our lovely organ is a 3-manual instrument by Lewis & Co dating from 1906 and rebuilt by Henry Willis & Sons in 1965. A major restoration was carried out by Lance Foy of Truro in 2006. Since then, the firm of Andrew Cooper & Co has reconfigured the winding system and re-leathered all six bellows. The tonal scheme as planned in 2006 has now been completed with the addition of two more stops. With its rebuilt console, 46 speaking stops and 2,825 pipes, it is considered to be one of the finest organs in Bournemouth.

Further information and stop lists are contained in “Organs at Richmond Hill” priced at £2.00.