tech
December 22, 2025
Organ-tuning books in English churches provide notes on a warming climate
Researchers have realised the records are a ‘goldmine’ to study changes in environmental conditions
TL;DR
- Organ-tuning books, containing records of visits and observations like temperature and humidity, have been identified as a valuable data source for studying environmental changes.
- Preliminary data from 18 organ-tuning books in England, dating back to 1966, indicate a rise in average internal church temperatures.
- The average summer temperature in urban churches sampled increased from 17.2C in the late 1960s to 19.8C in the 2020s.
- The rise in temperature is attributed to increased artificial heating and potentially to global warming, as temperatures are increasing even in summer when heating is off.
- Temperature fluctuations affect the tuning of pipe organs due to the expansion and contraction of materials like wood and metal.
- Organ tuners' notes also mention the impact of weather conditions, such as mist, on tuning.
- Researchers hope to analyze more organ-tuning book data and encourage the donation of older records.
Continue reading the original article