Project to preserve UK’s last major bellfoundry is completed
Published: Thu 3rd October, 2024
From left: Hannah Taylor, chair of the Loughborough Bellfoundry Trust; Mayoress Julie Ellerbeck; Cllr Dr Julie Bradshaw MBE, The Mayor of Charnwood; the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Colonel Murray Colville; Tony Butler, committee member for the National Lottery Heritage Fund; Martin Traynor OBE, chair of Loughborough Town Deal; and Andrew Wilby, managing director of John Taylor and Co Bellfoundry and trustee of Loughborough Bellfoundry Trust
A £6.5 million project to secure the future of the iconic John Taylor & Co Bellfoundry in Loughborough has been completed.
A new-look bellfoundry museum has been created for visitors to learn more about the historic site along with improvements to the building’s roof, further access and the creation of educational facilities.
This will help protect the historic Grade II* listed building for generations to come.
Taylor’s is the last remaining major bellfoundry in the UK and received £3.7 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and £835,000 from Loughborough Town Deal to make the improvements.
An official opening was held on Thursday, 3 October at John Taylor & Co Bellfoundry in Freehold Street.
Martin Traynor OBE, chair of Loughborough Town Deal, said: “Loughborough is known around the world thanks to Taylor’s bells and I am so pleased the work to preserve the bellfoundry 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 bellfoundry 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.”
As the last major bellfoundry in the country, Taylor's has produced bells for thousands of UK buildings and has exported to countries worldwide.
It will also retain employment and manufacturing within the existing building, preserving the town's historical character.
Trustee of Loughborough Bellfoundry Trust, Andrew Wilby, said: “First and foremost, thank you to our funders, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the National Lottery players who make these funding pots possible. The Loughborough Town Deal, and the many passionate personal donors who supported us - it was incredibly humbling to see the number of people who cared about the bellfroundry and wanted to help protect this important part of British history.
“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 bellfoundry 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.
“A final acknowledgement and thanks to the volunteers who are the life and soul of the bellfoundry and have been a major contributor to this project.”
The bellfoundry improvement is one of 11 projects Loughborough Town Deal is supporting after securing £16.9 million from the Government's Towns Fund. In total, the projects are worth over £40 million of investment for the town.
To find out more about John Taylor & Co Bellfoundry, visit its website.