Strand Chapel Renovation Complete

Recent renovations of Strand Chapel– including the cleaning and refurbishment of the chapel’s organ and modernisation of the acoustics– were completed at the beginning of this month.

Extensive scaffolding was built to aid the dismantlement and reconstruction of the organ, including the cleaning and restoring of the metal pipes and a replacement of wooden components which had become warped with age.

The organ also underwent aesthetic updates, including an 18-karat gold re-gilding by hand of its faded outer detailing. Refurbishments were followed by the tuning of its 2,500 individual pipes.

Father Henry Willis, who also designed the organs in Royal Albert Hall and St. Paul’s Cathedral, first built the organ in 1866. Alterations were made in 1932 when the ceiling was lowered for the construction of the Anatomy Lecture Theatre on the floor above, which caused significant alterations in the acoustics.

King’s College Chapel after its refurbishment in the 1930s

Other alterations to the chapel– overseen by project managers Daniela Delfino and Andrew Graham– included the addition of inner doors, replaced flooring, and a new organ console.

The new organ will give its inaugural debut on the 26th of September with the Opening of the Year performance.