Published: 16/04/2026
Updated: 17/04/2026
Ben Maton, better known to his vast and rapt YouTube audience as The Salisbury Organist, has graced a number of places in our care with his music and thoughtful, insightful commentary. We are always thrilled to see a notification from Ben, and recently, we’ve been so lucky that he’s visited lots of our churches in recent months.
Ben first visited one of our churches back in April 2024. He took on the challenge of an "unplayable" organ in St Mary's, Long Crichel in Dorset, and used the melancholic gasps and wheezes of the old organ to compose a special piece of music, An Ode to A Friendless Church.
Ben returned to St Mary's in November of that year, this time with portable, friendless organ in tow to play piece inspired by St Mary's and an inscription in one its stained glass windows, 'rex regum beatior', which loosely translates to 'A King of Kings Most Blessed'.
We've loved following Ben's travels and musical feasts throughout the year. He has since filled St Mary's, Temple, Corsley in Wiltshire with the sweet sound of Amazing Grace - showing again that even little-played organs can sound beautiful. While at Cote Baptist Chapel in Oxfordshire, he explored plainsong and the history of music in places of worship on an atmospheric and misty autumn morning.
Most recently, Ben paid his first visit to Wales and stopped by St David's, Llangeview in Monmouthshire. This time he played Bach's May Sheep Safely Graze - an apt choice for St David's and many of our rural churches.
Thank you to Ben for filling these places with music once more. You can find out more about Ben Maton on his website, and watch all of his videos on YouTube.
