Taylor's Bellfoundry, Loughborough

23/06/2026

Members of the Woodbridge Society of Ringers (Suffolk Diocese) had a brilliant time on the bells this afternoon at John Taylor Bellfoundry, following an enjoyable tour of the foundry.

It’s always a real treat to see (and hear!) the bells in action after learning about how they’re made and maintained. There was plenty of laughter and some great ringing all round.

For experienced ringers, these bells are available to have a go on if you’re attending a tour — just make sure to let us know in advance so we can arrange it.

A great afternoon shared by everyone involved!
https://belltrust.co.uk/tours/

23/06/2026

Members of the Woodbridge Society of Ringers (Suffolk Diocese) had a brilliant time on the bells this afternoon at John Taylor Bellfoundry, following an enjoyable tour of the foundry.

It’s always a real treat to see (and hear!) the bells in action after learning about how they’re made and maintained. There was plenty of laughter and some great ringing all round.

For experienced ringers, these bells are available to have a go on if you’re attending one of our tours — check out our website https://belltrust.co.uk/tours/

A great afternoon shared by everyone involved!

22/06/2026

It’s a bit of an anticlimax, you’ve been warned!

17/06/2026

We have a “Lathe Walk” at the foundry where you can walk through a series of machines that all have their part to play.

Join us for a tour to find out more!
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16/06/2026

In the grounds of Loughborough Bellfoundry, the historic cast iron bell cases you see here are on display.

These structures are around 150 years old and were once used to cast some of the largest bells ever produced. When in use, they were inverted and lined with a clay mould mixture of loam, goats’ hair and horse manure. While still malleable, inscriptions and decoration were pressed into the surface before drying.

Although very large bells are rarely ordered today, more than 220 bells over 2 tons have been cast here over the past 150 years, with the capability still retained to cast at this scale. These bells now ring out across the world.

The largest bell case is on loan in Queen’s Park, Loughborough, and was used for bells including Great Paul of St Paul’s Cathedral, Great George of Liverpool, and Great Peter of York.

One of the cases in the grounds has taken on a life of its own—quite literally—with a plant now growing out of it that seems to have just appeared 🌱

A striking glimpse into the craft and heritage of traditional bellfounding at John Taylor & Co.

16/06/2026

Do come and visit this brilliant new interactive installation at our museum. We’d love to see you 🤗

13/06/2026

A few recent photos from the foundry:

🔔 Great Urswick – the newly cast replacement 4th and 5th bells are being dispatched this week for hanging, completing the peal with an all-Taylor ring. The new 5th bell was cast and inscribed in memory of THOMAS METCALFE MBE, who received his honour for services to bellringing across the South Lakes and Lancashire area.

🔧 Manchester Cathedral – transportation steels being prepared for galvanising.

🔔 Manchester Cathedral – new headstocks.

⚙️ Manchester Cathedral – frame castings, including one casting in position on the shaping machine.

🔔 St John The Divine, Lytham – bells in the tuning shop awaiting their new resin pads.

⚙️ John Taylor bearing housings are highly regarded for their ability to fit into tight spaces on bellframes.

Always good to see projects progressing through the various stages of manufacture, restoration and installation 👌

09/06/2026

🔔 Exciting News from the Loughborough Bellfoundry Trust! 🔔

We're delighted to announce the launch of our brand-new online shop!

Visit: https://shop.belltrust.co.uk/

Whether you're looking for a unique gift, a special keepsake, books, bell-themed items, or something to celebrate the rich heritage of bellfounding, you can now browse and shop from anywhere. The Bellfoundry Gift Shop is an important part of supporting our work to preserve and share the story of the historic John Taylor Bellfoundry and its collections for future generations.

We're just getting started, and we'll be adding new products regularly, so be sure to check back often to see what's new.

Every purchase helps support the ongoing conservation, education, and celebration work of the Loughborough Bellfoundry Trust.

Thank you for your support, and happy shopping!

The Bellfoundry Gift Shop

08/06/2026

This is what a full prepped bell mould looks like 🔔