The present Victoria Methodist Church in Weston-super-Mare was rebuilt in 1936 after the original building (which contained a 3 manual organ by Sweetland) was destroyed by fire.

Like most Compton instruments, the organ is totally enclosed in 2 chambers on the south side of the chancel and speak through an ornamental wrought iron grille. The organ also features the Compton patent "Polyphonic Bass" which is unenclosed and speaks through a grille in the south transept. In 1993, as part of a church refurbishment, the organ was completely restored by Roger Taylor of Bristol. This included the installation of new actions and moving the detached stopkey console to its present position on the north side of the chancel. The specification reads:

JOB NUMBER: A302

PEDAL
Sub Bass 32'
Contra Bass 16'
Bourdon 16'
Echo Bass 16'
Octave 8'
Flute 8'
Octave Flute 4'
Mixture III
Trombone 16'
Trumpet 8'
Choir to Pedal
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal

CHOIR
Contra Dulciana 16'
Open Diapason 8'
Stopped Diapason 8'
Dulciana 8'
Strings 8'
Stopped Flute 4'
Dulcet 4'
Twelfth 2.2/3'
Nazard 2.2/3'
Dulcetina 2'
Flautino 2'
Tierce 1.3/5'
Larigot 1.1/3'
Acuta II
Great to Choir
Swell to Choir
Tremulant

GREAT
Double Diapason 16'
Bourdon 16'
First Diapason 8'
Second Diapason 8'
Stopped Diapason 8'
Dulciana 8'
Octave 4'
Stopped Flute 4'
Super Octave 2'
Plein Jeu IV
Quartane II
Trumpet 8'
Swell to Great

SWELL
Contra Dulciana 16'
Dulciana 8'
Vox Angelica 8'
Dulcet 4'
Celestina 4'
Contra Viola 16'
Viola de Gamba 8'
Harmonic Flute 8'
Viola 4'
Harmonic Flute 4'
Fifteenth 2'
Harmonic Piccolo 2'
Cymbale III
Contra Fagotto 16'
Fagotto 8'
Octave Fagotto 4'
Tremulant

SOLO (played on Choir)
Viola de Gamba 8'
Double Trumpet 16'
Trumpet 8'
Clarion 4'

ACCESSORIES
6 double touch thumb pistons to choir and pedal
6 double touch thumb pistons to great and pedal
6 double touch thumb pistons to swell and pedal
6 toe pistons to pedal and great
6 toe pistons to pedal and swell
4 reversible thumb pistons
1 reversible toe piston - great to pedal
1 setter toe piston
1 general cancel thumb piston
6 ventil control switches
1 balanced expression pedal with indicator - chamber 1 (choir, great, pedal)
1 balanced expression pedal with indicator - chamber 2 (swell, solo)
1 balanced expression pedal with indicator - crescendo
Double touch canceller to each division
Voltmeter

I first encountered this instrument when I was aged 16 and went on holiday to Weston-super-Mare with my grandmother. Since then, I have been back a few times to play.

As a result of the global covid-19 pandemic, the UK went into lockdown in March 2020 and this involved the closure of places of worship. In June the government lifted some of these restrictions and places of worship were allowed to open again. Sadly, some churches have found that they are not in a position to ever reopen - not helped by the loss of income from room lettings etc - and Victoria Methodist Church has sadly decided to close permanently. When I heard this news, I quickly arranged a final visit to record these videos which I did on Thursday 27th August 2020. The building will be sold by auction and I have no idea, as yet, as to what will happen to the organ.