Bells, Trains and More!

Bells they are a-ringing, and things they are a-changing down at the Bellfoundry!

The only remaining dedicated bellfoundry in the country is entering a new phase of its life! Thanks to funding initiatives over the past few years, amongst other things, the Bellfoundry Museum has had a makeover!

Staff from the Bellfoundry Trust have been working hard on developing an amazing new offer designed to share with you some of the history of one of Loughborough's most important industries, where you can also experience the thrill of metal casting.

As if that weren't enticing enough, the Bellfoundy Trust has teamed up with another of Loughborough's most important and exciting heritage sites to offer you an unforgettable day out! Read on to find out more!    

Museum & Tours

Come and learn about a key part of Loughborough’s rich history at Taylor’s Bellfoundry Museum, home to the UK’s last bellfoundry.

At our Museum, you will not only learn about Taylor’s 250-year legacy, but also about the critically endangered heritage craft of bellfounding. Did we forget to mention that there are plenty of bells to hit? We are not the loudest museum in town for nothing!

Keen to see the bellfoundry process and its craftsmen in action? Then a bellfoundry tour is for you! Led by our experienced and knowledgeable tour guides, come and be immersed in our Victorian factory, watching history being made.

*** New for 2025! ***

** All our tickets now include an annual pass for our Museum! **

* Pay once and get a year’s worth of visits and hitting bells! *

We look forward to welcoming you to our Museum, and on our tours!

A visitor to the museum striking one of the bells on display 
©Reproduced by permission of the Bellfoundry Trust

Visitors enjoying a tour around the Bellfoundry works 
©Reproduced by permission of the Bellfoundry Trust

Bellfoundry Story

How did John Taylor come to set up a bellfoundry here in Loughborough?

The Taylor family had been bellfounding in both Huntingdonshire and Oxford since the 1780s. In 1838, the Loughborough Parish Church put out an advert for a bellfounder to re-cast and re-hang their bells. But the job had to be done in Loughborough itself. John Taylor applied and won the job, moving his bellfoundry up to Loughborough. He originally set up shop in Packhorse Lane, before, 20 years later, buying a piece of land (known as the Cherry Orchard) and building a purpose-built bellfoundry, which still stands today.

Taylor’s have not only left their mark on Loughborough as a town, with both the Parish Church and the War Memorial Carillon ringing Taylor bells, but in the UK and all over the world, there are Taylor bells that will ring for many centuries to come. We have even cast the largest and heaviest church bell in the UK. Want to know more? Why not pop into our Museum to learn more about Taylor’s legacy and the bellfounding process!

John Taylor ©Reproduced by permission of the Bellfoundry Trust

Saturdays with the Bellfoundry & Great Central Railway

Trains & bells make the perfect Saturday trip out in Loughborough!

Come and see two of Loughborough’s industrial heritage sites in one day.

On the first Saturday of the month, Taylor’s Bellfoundry Museum and the Great Central Railway are teaming up to offer an all-day joint ticket to visit both sites.

For £12.50 you get:

*  Access to Taylor’s Bellfoundry Museum

*  Access to the Great Central Railway’s museum

*  Hot drink & cake at the Great Central Railway’s café

You can book your tickets here:

https://loughboroughbellfoundry.merlintickets.co.uk/ (click on Events) [1]

We look forward to welcoming you to our Museum!

A perfect Saturday spent at the Bellfoundry Museum and the GCR 
©Reproduced by permission of the Bellfoundry Trust

Friends of the Bellfoundry

This year, we are re-launching our membership scheme, Friends of the Bellfoundry.

This membership is perfect for anyone who enjoys bells and bellringing, industrial or local history!

For £50 a year, you get:

*  Access to a members-only Casting Tour (once a year)

*  Free Museum entry for you AND your party

*  15% discount in the Museum Gift Shop

*  An exclusive joining gift

·   Your membership fee goes to the Loughborough Bellfoundry Trust. We are a charity based at Taylor’s Bellfoundry, whose aim is to protect the Grade II* listed buildings, and inspire a love for bellfounding, its history, and associated crafts for generations to come.

For more information or to express interest, please contact us at info@belltrust.co.uk

Volunteering

If you love engaging with people as much as you love history, why not consider volunteering with us as a tour guide? Come and join our friendly group of volunteers who can quickly bring you up to speed on all things bells. All you need to bring is a strong voice and confidence talking to groups. Tours take place weekday mornings and afternoons and the first Saturday of every month. [2]

All volunteers get free access to our Friends scheme. Contact us on info@belltrust.co.uk

A volunteer getting hands-on with a tuning fork 
©Reproduced by permission of the Bellfoundry Trust

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NOTES

[1] You can find out more information about what’s happening down at the Great Central Railway on the GCR’s website: https://www.gcrailway.co.uk/

[2] You can find the answers to some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about volunteering on the Trust’s website: https://belltrust.co.uk/volunteers/

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About the author

This post has been written by members of the Bellfoundry Trust, a small team dedicated to running the Bellfoundry Museum, and the Bellfoundry Tours, as well as looking after the Volunteers who dedicate their time to ensuring visitors to the Bellfoundry experience the best possible visit.

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Please note, the views expressed in this Guest Blog Post are the views of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the blog owner, lynneaboutloughborough.

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Posted by lynneaboutloughborough

With apologies for typos which are all mine!

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