The Snetzler organ in St Laurence's is considered to be one of the finest parish church organs in England.
There were organs in St Laurence's from at least the early C14, but such as existed in 1650 were removed under the ecclesiastical reforms of the Commonwealth. A replacement was made in the 1670s but by the mid C17 this was considered inadequate.
In 1764 St Laurence's was presented with a new organ by Henry Herbert, Earl of Powis who was a leading member of Ludlow Corporation at that time. The builder was John Snetzler, a London based Swiss, whose reputation was, and still is, of the highest order. He built over 100 cathedral and church organs not many of which still survive.
Originally the organ was in the traditional postition above the rood screen. But during the Scott restoration of the Church in 1860 the organ was itself restored and considerably enlarged by Gray and Davison to the magnificent 4-manual instrument you see today. This made it necessary for it to be moved from the rood screen to its current position where it occupies the whole of the north transept.
The organ was further enlarged in 1883 and has been the subject of improvements on many occasions since. It is in regular use for services and frequently, mostly in the summer months, for recitals by visiting organists.
You can see a full specification of the organ including the historic origins of the stops in the National Pipe Organ Register HERE, and there is a booklet on sale in the Church shop.