Progress is made on bell foundry’s future
LOUGHBOROUGH’S Taylor’s Bell Foundry is on its way to being removed from the national Heritage at Risk register.
The latest risk list has just been released and to mark the occasion and progress being made, Historic England’s chairman Sir Laurie Magnus visited the foundry.
The latest heritage report states that the Bell Foundry is at the “Good Progress” stage.
The report adds: “Taylors’s Bell Foundry is a national gem whose products chime all over the world. It is a mecca for bell ringers, and offers a fascinating insight into the art of forging music from metal.
“The foundry has recently been awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund grant towards a major repair and public-facing heritage project. This follows substantial repair grants from Historic England, which addressed the very poor condition of the roofs while allowing bell making and repair to carry on at this unique place.
“Since 2011 Historic England has worked with the foundry’s management and newly created trust to prioritise the rescue of the Grade II* listed buildings, and to provide a springboard for further heritage projects.
“The award of a Heritage Lottery Fund grant marks the next important step in the work to keep Loughborough’s famous foundry thriving.”
This year Historic England is celebrating 20 years of the Heritage at
Risk Register, which is Historic England’s tool for shining a light on the listed buildings and places in the country that need most help.
A spokesperson for Historic England said: “Looking back over the last 20 years, huge progress has been made in saving our heritage and giving it new uses – more than two thirds of entries on the original 1998 Register for England have been rescued.
“Many of the remaining third of entries from that 1998 register have seen great progress despite being the hardest cases to solve.”
Ben Robinson, Heritage at Risk principal in the East Midlands, added: “Over the past 20 years we have used the Heritage at Risk Register to highlight places in need of care and attention.
“We have dedicated time, expertise and money to bring cherished places back into use and we are proud to have played our part in saving them from neglect. Despite the successes, other places continue to fall into disrepair. They have been added to this year’s register and we will focus our attention on them in the years ahead.”