Perhaps the most important aspect of the recent restoration
has been the return of the church to its original East-West
orientation. Crucial to Hawksmoor’s original design was the
provision of two galleries; one on the south and one on the
north. Not only did these galleries serve as visual blinkers for
visitors arriving via the tower (west) entrance, (thus
countering the north-south orientation of the site by
discouraging visitors from facing anywhere but east), but they
also satisfied the Vestry’s need for two separate (yet equally
visible) seating positions for its most important parishioners;
the Dukes of Bedford and Montague.
A new North Gallery, (the original was removed during the
1780s re-orientation of the church) is currently being installed,
whilst the South Gallery is being conserved and restored to
its original condition (the middle section of this gallery was
moved forwards in 1952 to accommodate an organ, itself
removed during the recent restoration).
St George’s Bloomsbury did not have an organ until 1788. In
1792, the church organ was moved to the south gallery
before being moved to the north-west in 1871 on Street’s
instructions. In 1900, the organ was enlarged and divided into
two sections placed on either side of the altar (in the north).
This organ was eventually dismantled in advance of the new
organ’s arrival in 1952.
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