Work begins to save the last working bell foundry in Britain

Campaigners have not given up on reopening Whitechapel Bell Foundry, but its closure in 2017 left John Taylor's of Loughborough as the only working bell foundry in Britain.

Taylor's buildings are not in good condition, and there have been efforts for some years to put together a package of funding to secure the enterprise's future and make it more attractive to visitors.

So it's good to read in the Leicester Mercury that:

Work to save Loughborough's historic Taylor's Bellfoundry - the last of its kind in the UK - has begun. The work aims to protect and enhance the Grade II*-listed bellfoundry buildings and on-site museum.

The project is being led by the Loughborough Bellfoundry Trust, which is working in partnership with John Taylor and Company, which has made bells in the town since 1859. The Trust was set up in 2016 to begin the work of restoring the bellfoundry’s buildings to protect the ancient craft of bellmaking for generations to come, and redevelop the site’s museum.

Dr Chrissie Van Mierlo, director of the foundry museum told the paper:

"We are thrilled to see work getting underway. This project has been years in the making and will help preserve and protect our historic buildings for generations to come. Our vision has always been to create a place where people of all ages can visit and learn about the craftmanship and art of bell making, as well as the history of the Loughborough site. 

Thanks to generous funders, and National Lottery players, we can now address the most urgent repair and conservation works to bring our vision to life."