Churches which still retain west gallery features or connections

"From the same minutes it appears that some time prior to this [1787], the Chapel in Castle Rushen had ceased to be used for Divine service, and that in the Chapel of S. Mary the gallery was and always had been occupied by the resident Governor, and that it was always to remain and to be continued to His Majesty and His heirs, to and for the use of the present and succeeding Governor or Lieutenant-Governor of the Isle, and that it was settled that the Governor was to pay one third. of the expenses and the proprietors of the pews two thirds".  [See notes by Frances Coakley at http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Contrib/manx/parishes/ca/vbook.htm being a transcription of the Vestry Minute Bookof St Mary's Castletown originally printed in Manx Church Magazine vol 2 pp xcii et seq] ]

Probably never a home for west gallery music, as it was built as a ‘gentry’ church and an organ (bought from Fishamble Street, Dublin) was installed in the church for its opening. Subsequent newspaper correspondence was critical of the standard of congregational singing.

Now on the outskirts of Douglas, it was retained when a new church was consecrated nearby in 1876. The Vestry Minutes record that it had been decided that the old church should remain as it was, as it was ‘a picturesque object, and has long been a favourite of visitors’. Box pews, a triple-decker pulpit and a fine west gallery survive, cherished by the Friends of Old Kirk Braddan. 

There are also substantial records of music-making, notably the manuscript belonging to John Sayle, dated 1837, a date that coincides with the dedication of an organ built and played by Isaac Dale, who also compiled a book of hymns. The life of the organ was, however, short lived and it has not been replaced. It is a splendid church to sing in.

The church replaced an earlier, simpler building that had fallen into decay, in spite of being in the neighbourhood of one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the Island. There is a good record of the lives and abilities of the parish clerks, who were required to have good singing voices in order to raise the hymns. The old building is said to have had a gallery though whether this was used for musicians is questioned.

The west gallery was erected in 1830, mainly for these musicians and 

In 1827 a declaration was signed by the Chaplain and Wardens that certain pews indicated by a plan were to continue free for the use and benefit of the poor.

Three years later [in 1830] a gallery was erected at the west end, for the accommodation of the children, a grant of £45 towards the expenses being made by Bishop Ward. This was also used by the musicians. The side-wings with galleries were added in 1844.

The duties of the Clerk were among other things to "raise the tune," and also to sing psalms at funerals as the procession made its way to the Church. Sundry people however were from time to time paid for "conducting the choir." In 1845, £4 16s 3d was paid for a Clarionet. Mr Killip, Clerk, played the Bass-fiddle, and Mr John Boyde, whose son was afterwards in the choir, played the Serpent. This instrument is now in the possession of Mr G. W. Kewin, the Surveyor, who kindly lent it to be photographed. [PLATE IV. ] An Organ was put in by Foster and Andrews in 1852, and the place of the choir and organ was in the gallery above-mentioned till 1874   [From Churches of South Ramsey,1923.  See http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Contrib/manx/fulltext/sr1923/spauls.htm ]

Churches which are known to have had west gallery features or connections

The following extract is quoted from "The Choir" of the present month:— "In 1786 Miller took his degree of Mus.D. at Cambridge, and four years later he issued his Psalms of David, which had an immediate success, and nearly five thousand subscribers, from George the Third downwards, gave in their names, whilst the King also forwarded Miller a present of £25 in token of appreciation of his work. In the year following its publication, nearly one hundred and thirty Churches adopted Miller’s Psalms, and in the Isle of Man, upon the Bishop’s recommendation,

"the inferior clergy and the inhabitants of the parish of Ramsey entered into a subscription for a large Psalmodic or Barrel-organ, to be erected in their Church, to perform all the tunes in Dr. Miller’s Selection with additional interludes and voluntaries of his adoption "

Notes:

Most of the pre-19^th-century churches in the Isle of Man are known to have had west galleries though it is not always certain that they were used to house the musicians. There is some evidence that instrumentalists might have played from the front of the church, as was often the practice in Methodist churches and chapels. Singing masters such as the Cumbrian Master Shepherd were active in the island in the 18the and 19^th centuries and John Wesley commented favourably on the standard of singing he heard from congregations.

It was the Methodists – Wesleyan and Primitive – who carried on the wg music tradition when it began to decline in the parish churches. Most of the town churches built by the Methodists have fine galleries but these tended to be congregational. Choirs were usually placed at the east end of the church. Country churches tended to be much smaller. Singing was (and in many cases, still is) hearty. There is some indication that in many cases instrumentalists were placed at the foot of the pulpit.

Chapels which either have, or are known to have had, west gallery features or connections