The impressive organ in the west gallery of Stoke Minster

The impressive organ in the west gallery of Stoke Minster

The organ at Stoke Minster was originally built in 1899, commissioned by Henry J. Johnson for his home in Oulton near Stone. It was later moved to Westwood Hall, Leek, where it was installed in his music room.

After the the First World War, Johnson donated the organ to Saint Peter's Church in memory of relatives who had died in service.

The organ was erected in the church in 1921, located in the west gallery.

Saint Peter ad Vincula, was made a Minster during a ceremony on May 17th 2005, in recognition of its role in the surrounding area. The site has been used continually for worship since Pagan times, and the church and its grounds are filled with history

the manufacturing date of 1899 and a carving of a Green Man on the Minster organ

A Green Man is a sculpture, drawing, or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from leaves. Branches or vines may sprout from the nose, mouth, nostrils or other parts of the face and these shoots may bear flowers or fruit. Commonly used as a decorative architectural ornament, Green Men are frequently found on carvings in churches and other buildings.

The simplest depict a man's face peering out of dense foliage. Some may have leaves for hair, perhaps with a leafy beard. Often leaves or leafy shoots are shown growing from his open mouth and sometimes even from the nose and eyes as well. In the most abstract examples, the carving at first glance appears to be merely stylised foliage, with the facial element only becoming apparent on closer examination.

Primarily the Green Man is interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, or "renaissance," representing the cycle of growth each spring.

other examples of the Green Man on public buildings in Stoke-on-Trent..........

Green Man on the Old Swan Inn, Stoke

On the first storey façade between shop frontages on Percy Street, Hanley
there are panels depicting Green-Man type faces
- installed late 19th century

Terracotta Green Man on the facade of a building in Tunstall High Street

ceramic capitals at Stoke Market depicting a Green Man-type face amongst foliage
installed 1900

Green Man carved in sandstone at the entrance of Tunstall Market

contents: 2009 photos