The St Giles' Tour |
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The Sacristy
The sacristy is on the north side of the chancel and fitted out with cupboards and presses to ensure that the considerable quantities of church plates and vestments, that Pugin designed for St. Giles should be correctly stored and looked after. Some of the original plate, and a few of the original vestments are still in use today. Above the sacristy, and approached via a staircase from the outer sacristy, is the organ chamber and former singers' gallery. The original organ was a small single-manual instrument with nine stops, built by Parsons of London. It was adequate for the accompaniment of the Gregorian chant which Pugin believed was the only appropriate style of church music. At St. Giles both the organ and the cantors would be screened from sight, and were heard only through the iron grilles in the window-like openings over the Lady-Chapel altar and the door to the sacristy. Over the latter an appropriate Latin text from Psalm 150 is stencilled on the wall: Praise him in the sound of the trumpet; praise him upon the lute and harp. Praise him in cymbal and dance; praise him on strings and pipe. The organ was later enlarged, and then replaced altogether in 1950 with a reconditioned Aeolian concert organ. Though the pipe-work remains in the organ loft, the new console was sited at the west end of the nave. Return to the St Giles' Tour
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Return to the St Giles' Tour
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St Giles is part of the Archdiocese of Birmingham - Charity No. 234216
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