Organs Please free instal2/4/2024 ![]() ![]() Many at Gorton thought their lay brother, Brother Raphael, was a musical genius at the organ and equally talented to Father Augustine. A distinguished Franciscan organist, Father Augustine d’Hoole, travelled from Glasgow to play the organ. ![]() That same year, Gorton celebrated the magnificent, new organ with a special service. In 1888, Father Aiden decided it was time to invest in a new organ more suitable for the size of the building. We hoped one day an opportunity would arrive to put this last missing piece of The Monastery back where it belonged. The organ pipes were probably sold for scrap. The organ loft has remained empty. Gorton Monastery’s organ was dismantled when the church and friary were sold in 1989. We couldn’t miss the opportunity to reinstate an 1880s Wadsworth organ and fill the church with the music it was designed for. It’s a source of inspiration and provides a soundtrack to our lives stirring memory and emotion. Music has the power to raise our spirits and can lift our hearts and minds. There’s still an integral part of the site missing. And, the 12 larger-than-life statues of Franciscan saints – unique to The Monastery – are back standing gloriously regilded in the Great Nave. Now the original, decorative paint schemes are preserved. The car park and an impressive new wing added. The interiors restored and reorganised to support the needs of a heritage and community venue. A feat many thought impossible! The buildings were made watertight. It has taken twenty-five years of fundraising and conservation to reinstate the fallen roofs and repair fragile masonry. The Church of St Francis has been lovingly (and painstakingly) restored. We’re fundraising for the next important chapter in the restoration of our much-loved heritage site. ![]() “There’s nothing as soothing to the soul,īy whispering a prayer with celestial sound, Heritage & Culture Help us to restore organ music to the Monastery ![]()
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