Britain's pipe organs are heading to extinction…
but we’re fighting back, says Pipe Up
New research by Pipe Up has revealed the full extent of the threats facing Britain’s pipe organs
New research by Pipe Up has revealed the full extent of the threats facing Britain's pipe organs.
The research is published in the report “Silencing the King? The future of Britain's Pipe Organs.”
The research strongly suggests that without immediate intervention:
Nine pipe organs a week are being lost: five to landfill as a result of church closures and the rest to silence and decay.
Within ten years, the number of pipe organs in Britain will halve.
By 2070, there will be no pipe organs still left playable in Britain outside the élite of Cathedrals, Oxbridge Colleges and a small number of concert halls and well- funded churches.
“This is a cultural catastrophe for Britain.” says Pipe Up Chair George Allan “The experience of hearing live pipe organ music will be lost from almost every town and village and become the preserve of privileged élites.”
“Pipe Up is now even more determined to lead a spirited fight-back to prevent this.”
BBC Arts & Media Correspondent David Sillito sees at first hand the issues faced by the organ of St Leonard’s, Bridgnorth, Shropshire.
Getting Britain’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’ organs playing again
Pipe Up’s “Sleeping Beauty” grant scheme will be a major part of the fight back.
We have re-launched our Justgiving crowdfunder with the aim to get 26 more silent organs back into playable conditions in 2026
And all donations to it until 31st March 2026 will be generously matched by the Dalgleish Trust up to £13,000.
Please support this appeal as a very practical, low-cost and immediate way to reverse the tide of losses.
You can watch a five-minute video we have published on our Facebook page about the first Sleeping Beauty grants which brought back two ailing organs into use in time for Christmas.
And what else can we all do to help?
Suggestions include:
Surveys by organ clubs of the condition of organs in their area.
Better access to advice on organ care and management.
Courses in organ care for organists and church leaders.
Funding by grant-givers for routine care as well as repairs.
“Every organ played” schemes, to get every organ in a chosen area playable, and heard.
Pipe Up will now be approaching all interested parties to ensure the fight-back is vigorous, effective and starts immediately.
We are clear that those who love pipe organs and their music must mobilise public support to reverse the slide.
Pipe Up has published a 12-point “toolkit” for concerned members of the public, to help keep pipe organs in their area alive.
And now, the Government has raised the cost of routine organ maintenance by 20%
The UK Government has just withdrawn the rebate scheme which enabled churches which are listed buildings in England to recover the VAT on eligible building or organ maintenance and repair works up to £125,000 a year.
This work is not eligible for the replacement “Places of Worship Renewal Fund”, thereby instantly putting up the cost of routine repair and maintenance of a typical local church pipe organ from an average of £600 a year to £720. This alone will cause many churches to skimp on organ maintenance.
Other highlights from ‘Silencing the King?’
Pipe Up estimates that there are 15,000 or fewer organs left in Britain. Of these, half are already unplayable. Of those that are playable, only a half are regularly used.
A 2025 survey by the National Churches Trust put the total number of organs at 24,000, but we regard this as an overestimate based on our own research. A similar survey by NCT in 2011 concluded that there were then 33,000, meaning 9,000 had been lost in 14 years: 12 a week.
Pipe Up’s report says that the rate of loss in future will be compounded by:
The growing inability of churches to fund either routine or major work to their organs.
Poor awareness of even basic care measures in churches.
A predicted 20% reduction in the number of professionals able to care for organs by 2036.
Inadequate grants for organ repairs, notably from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Help us with our Sleeping Beauty Campaign
You can double your donation to Pipe Up if you support our Sleeping Beauty campaign before 31st March, thanks to a generous donation from the Dalgliesh Trust, which will doubled donations until then up to £13,000.
The 1876 Abbott organ of St Mary’s, Chaddesden, Derby, was brought back to life recently with a Sleeping Beauty grant from Pipe Up