Music & Bells
A historic instrument built in 1855 by Devizes-born master builder William Sweetland - one of the finest examples of his early work, awarded a Historic Organ Certificate.
A Devizes-born Master Builder
The organ at St Mary’s is an important piece of local and national heritage.
Built in 1855 by William Sweetland, who was born in Devizes in 1822, it remains one of the finest and most historically significant examples of his early work.
The maker
William Sweetland’s path began here in Devizes, where he was raised by his parents Job and Elizabeth, members of the Baptist Church in Sheep Street. Despite struggling in school, he showed an early gift for craftsmanship - building a May horn at the age of four, a dulcimer at six, and by age thirteen a cello and harp. Recognising his mechanical talents, his parents arranged an apprenticeship with organ builder George Sherborne in Bath. In just his second year, Sweetland built an organ entirely on his own.
He went on to establish his own firm in Bath in the late 1840s and eventually became one of the most respected church organ builders in the country. By the end of his career, he had built or rebuilt nearly 300 organs, mostly across the West Country, more than 100 of which still survive today.
Heritage
According to the British Institute of Organ Studies, the organ at St Mary’s is one of the most important remaining examples from that period and has been awarded a Historic Organ Certificate. Its original case, with ornate gothic arches and gilded display pipes, and its hand-built mechanical action reflect Sweetland’s skill both as an organ builder and as a trained cabinet maker.
The Sweetland organ is a very important part of St Mary’s, and it’s a superb hymn-playing machine.
Jon Riding, former organist and choirmaster at St John’sIts home
There is strong local belief that this was “Sweetland’s own church,” and that he built the organ specifically for this space. That close connection makes the instrument even more meaningful to the church and the community.
The man behind it
In addition to his achievements in organ building, Sweetland was also a skilled cabinet maker, studied architecture, and later in life took up painting - teaching himself to work in oils in his late fifties. Inspired by the artist Edwin Long, whose studio he visited while installing an organ, Sweetland went on to produce several notable works of art, including a large painting of the Resurrection, which he worked on for 12 years.
Today
Today, the organ at St Mary’s stands not only as a testament to William Sweetland’s skill and legacy but also as a living connection between Devizes’ past and present.