Guimiliau (Bretagne), l’Eglise paroissial St. Miliau

Thomas Dallam, Sieur de la Tour, 1675-1680

State of preservation: Original: c.35 % of pipes; case, stop action, wind chests of  Grand Orgue and Positif. About ²/₃ of pipes, key actions including keyboards, wind channels reconstructed by Gerald Guillemin 1986-89.

The Guimiliau organ like not many others represents the peculiarities of - English organs - but also their close links to French organ traditions. It was built by an exiled member of the famous english family Dallam, and is itself "in exile" close to the Channel coast in Britanny.

The three manuals design resembles big English organs of the time with Great and parapet organ and an echo manual which is, however, close to a French „Reçit.“ Many features of English and French organs then similar so the differences aresmall. Lacking the typical French Bombarde 16' but offering numerous free ranks of harmonics signifies a sort of Anglo-French compromise organ-wise.

Most organs by the Dallam family have been destroed in the Civil War. Thomas Dallam died not return to England but stayed in northern France.