St Runwald’s church organ?

Today (13th February), Trust archaeologist Adam Wightman conducted a watching brief at West Thurrock and, during groundworks by the subcontractor, observed part of a sea defence. In his lunch break, he went into the redundant St Clement’s church at West Thurrock for a look round…

St Clement’s church is, apparently, very interesting and a Grade 2 listed building, although it is now surrounded by huge modern factories. Inside, behind the altar, Adam found the church organ, which has this label: ‘1990 – This magnificent organ was installed. It originally came from St Runwald’s church Colchester where coincidentally it was first played on St Clement’s day 23/11/1806’.

The Organa Britannica: Organs in Great Britain 1660-1860 (volume 1 published online) includes an organ built in 1798, by Hugh Russell, at St Runwald’s Church in Colchester. The Essex Record Office (ERO) holds a document of 1873, from St Nicholas’ church in Colchester, which is a resolution to sell St Runwald’s organ. (The benefices of St Nicholas’ church and St Runwald’s church were combined in 1873.) St Nicholas’ church was demolished in 1955.

St Runwald’s church in Colchester stood on Middle Row in the High Street, near the Town Hall. It was a later ancient foundation and the building is thought to have dated from the late 11th or early 12th century. Middle Row was demolished in 1857, which left the east end of the church damaged and exposed. It was demolished in 1878 and the site was bought by the town council. The north arcade of the church was re-erected in St Albright’s Church at Stanway. Some of the building rubble was re-used, to build new houses in the town (‘Cloisters’ and ‘St Runwald’s’, and 26-30 Creffield Road).  Some of the church valuables, its parish chest and a church bell passed to St Nicholas’ church in 1878 and are now held by Colchester and Ipswich Museums. A small altar table from St Runwald’s is now in St James’ Church in Colchester. Part of the churchyard survives, on the corner of West Stockwell Street and St Runwald’s Street, behind the Town Hall. The church is recorded in a few old photographs, and a print held by the ERO and published at http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/GetImage.aspx?FullImage=1&ID=471073. The ERO holds parish documents of St Runwald’s church.

Hugh Russell was an organ builder who founded the company Hugh Russell & Son. He was active before 1791 and up to 1829. Other organs by Hugh Russell are listed as Sion Chapel, Whitechapel, London (1791); St Clement, Manchester (1795); St Lawrence, Ipswich (1795); St George, Bolton (1796); Lindfield, Sussex (1796); St Giles, Camberwell, London (1799); Falmouth (1799); Artillery Lane Chapel, Middlesex (1800); St Mary-le-Bow, London (1802); Covent Garden theatre, London (1810); etc. In 1813, his son Timothy Russell built an organ for St Peter’s Church in Colchester.

The images show St Clement’s church and the organ today.

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