Major revamp of historic bell foundry completed

John Taylor & Co has been casting bells in Loughborough since 1859

Work to secure the future of Britain's last purpose-built bell foundry has been completed.

John Taylor and Co has cast more than 25,000 bells at its site in Loughborough, Leicestershire, since it was established in 1839.

However, the roof of the Victorian Grade II* listed foundry, in Freehold Street, had required extensive repairs.

That work has now been finished as part of a major revamp, which has also seen a refurbishment of the foundry's museum, improvements to access and the creation of new educational facilities.

Civic dignitaries gathered to mark the completion of the bell foundry project

A ceremony was held on Thursday to mark the end of the long-running project, which was partly funded with £3.7m from the National Lottery and £835,000 from the government via the Loughborough Town Deal Fund.

Andrew Wilby, a trustee of the bell foundry, thanked the organisations who had backed the project.

"It was incredibly humbling to see the number of people who cared about the bell foundry and wanted to help protect this important part of British history," he said.

“The trustees and I are elated that we have come to the end of our epic 10-year journey.

"Our aim to restore, enhance and protect the bell foundry is now complete, and not only is it safe and secure, we now have a modern and engaging new museum which will pass on the history, importance and the magic of this place to people of all ages for many years to come."

Where can you hear a Taylor's bell?

John Taylor & Co has provided bells to thousands of churches and most cathedrals around the UK.

The largest bell in St Paul's Cathedral, in London, was made by Taylors in 1881 and weighs 16 tonnes.

The huge case it was made from is displayed in Loughborough's Queen's Park, near to the Carillon Tower, which also has Taylor-made bells.

Australian rock band AC/DC took a Taylor-cast bell with them on their Back in Black tour in 1980.

The bells of St Thomas’s Church in New York’s Fifth Avenue were cast in Loughborough, and can be heard in The Pogues and Kirsty McColl’s Fairytale of New York.

Taylor bells also ring out from St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney, Australia, and City Hall, in Cape Town, South Africa.

Town deal chairman Martin Traynor said: "Loughborough is known around the world thanks to Taylor’s bells and I am so pleased the work to preserve the bell foundry has been completed. It is fantastic to see the difference that they have made.

“This is a historic industry, not just in Loughborough but in the whole of the UK, and it is so important that the Town Deal has been able to support a project to secure its future.

“The bell foundry will now be able to look ahead and keep this wonderful bell-making tradition alive in Loughborough for decades to come and encourage visitors to come to the town and visit its rich history.”