Researchers have uncovered a surprising new source of climate data: the meticulous records kept by pipe organ tuners. A study published earlier this month in the journal Buildings & Cities reveals a measurable rise in temperatures inside churches over the past several decades, gleaned from decades-old tuning logs.
Unexpected Data Source
The project began when Yangang Xing of Nottingham Trent University and his colleague, Andrew Knight, began investigating changes in environmental conditions within churches. Knight, who played the pipe organ as a teenager, recalled the presence of detailed notebooks often tucked away inside the instruments. “I would sit at the organ between hymns, or between weddings,” Knight said. “Quite often, the only thing to look at between services was this little red book that sat in the corner.”
Xing and his team, including Bruno Bingley, analyzed data from 18 organ-tuning books associated with churches in London, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire. The records show that the average summer temperature in these urban churches rose from 17.2C in the late 1960s to 19.8C in the 2020s.
Impact on Historic Instruments
This warming trend isn’t merely academic. Organ tuners routinely note temperature and humidity levels, as these factors directly affect the wood and metal components of the instruments. Andrew Scott, managing director of Harrison & Harrison, a Durham-based organ building and service company, explained that even a one-degree Celsius change can alter an organ’s pitch by 0.8 hertz. “It quantifies what we’ve seen,” Scott said, “a rise of internal ambient temperature through the unheated summer months due to rising temperatures outside.”
Researchers believe these records could offer valuable insights for climate studies. Neil Macdonald, a professor of geography at the University of Liverpool, called the discovery “fascinating,” noting he had never encountered this type of historical climate data before. However, Macdonald also cautioned that factors beyond climate change – such as changes in church ventilation practices – could also influence temperature readings.
What’s Next?
Xing and his colleagues are hoping to expand their research by analyzing more organ-tuning books. They are urging anyone with access to such records to contact them. If more historical data can be gathered, it could provide a more comprehensive picture of long-term climate trends. It is also possible that further analysis could reveal correlations between temperature fluctuations and specific organ maintenance needs. Researchers may also explore the impact of humidity, as noted in one tuner’s observation of a damaged organ in Nottingham: “Weather? Misty.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What prompted this research?
Researchers at Nottingham Trent University were studying how environmental conditions in churches had changed over time and discovered organ-tuning books containing decades of temperature and humidity data.
How much has the temperature increased?
The average summer temperature inside the urban churches studied rose from 17.2C in the late 1960s to 19.8C in the 2020s.
Why are organ tuners concerned about temperature?
Temperature affects the expansion and contraction of the wood and metal materials used in organs, which can cause them to fall out of tune.
Considering the delicate balance required to maintain these complex instruments, what role might historical data like this play in preserving cultural heritage in a changing world?