John Taylor Bellfounders
Encyclopedia
John Taylor & Co, formerly trading as Taylors, Eayre & Smith Ltd and John Taylor Bellfounders Ltd, and commonly known as Taylor's Bell Foundry or simply Taylor's, is the world's largest working bell
foundry
, located in Loughborough
in the United Kingdom.
The company manufactures bells for use in clock towers, change ringing
peals, chime
s, and carillon
s. In 2005, Taylor's merged with Eayre & Smith Ltd (bellhangers) to form Taylors Eayre & Smith Ltd.
The site has a museum
of bells, the only one of its kind in the UK.
and St Neots
between 1786 and 1854. Taylors were the first bellfounder to adopt "true-harmonic" tuning in the late 19th century. The foundry is based in buildings on Freehold Street, and as of September 2009 employed 26 people.
On 18 September 2009 the company went into administration. Simon Chandler and Steven Wood, of the Nottingham office of accountants Mazars
, were appointed joint administrators. Mazars had previously been acting as advisors to the company during attempts to secure extra funding. On 2 October 2009 it was reported that the administrators were "optimistic about its future." On 15 October 2009, in a statement released by UK Bellfounders Ltd., a consortium of ringers, members of the bell industry and other investors, it was stated that the foundry would reopen on Monday 19 October, reverting to the previous name of John Taylor & Co.
in London, weighing 17002 kilograms (37,483 lb) or more than 17 metric tons.
Many churches across the world have used bells cast at Taylor's Bell Foundry, including:
Bell (instrument)
A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
, located in Loughborough
Loughborough
Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University...
in the United Kingdom.
The company manufactures bells for use in clock towers, change ringing
Change ringing
Change ringing is the art of ringing a set of tuned bells in a series of mathematical patterns called "changes". It differs from many other forms of campanology in that no attempt is made to produce a conventional melody....
peals, chime
Chime (bell instrument)
A carillon-like instrument with fewer than 23 bells is called a chime.American chimes usually have one to one and a half diatonic octaves. Many chimes play an automated piece of music. Prior to 1900, chime bells typically lacked dynamic variation and the inner tuning required to permit the use of...
s, and carillon
Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
s. In 2005, Taylor's merged with Eayre & Smith Ltd (bellhangers) to form Taylors Eayre & Smith Ltd.
The site has a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
of bells, the only one of its kind in the UK.
History
The present company is part of a line of bellfounders dating back to Johannes de Stafford in the 14th century. The Taylor family became involved in 1784 and a foundry was established on the current site in 1839. The Taylors also had foundries in OxfordOxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and St Neots
St Neots
St Neots is a town and civil parish with a population of 26,356 people. It lies on the River Great Ouse in Huntingdonshire District, approximately north of central London, and is the largest town in Cambridgeshire . The town is named after the Cornish monk St...
between 1786 and 1854. Taylors were the first bellfounder to adopt "true-harmonic" tuning in the late 19th century. The foundry is based in buildings on Freehold Street, and as of September 2009 employed 26 people.
On 18 September 2009 the company went into administration. Simon Chandler and Steven Wood, of the Nottingham office of accountants Mazars
Mazars
Mazars is a global audit, accounting and consulting group employing more than 13,000 professionals in 61 countries through member firms. With head offices in France, Mazars is the 14th largest accounting firm in the world...
, were appointed joint administrators. Mazars had previously been acting as advisors to the company during attempts to secure extra funding. On 2 October 2009 it was reported that the administrators were "optimistic about its future." On 15 October 2009, in a statement released by UK Bellfounders Ltd., a consortium of ringers, members of the bell industry and other investors, it was stated that the foundry would reopen on Monday 19 October, reverting to the previous name of John Taylor & Co.
Notable bells
In 1881 Taylor's cast the largest bell in Britain, "Great Paul", for St Paul's CathedralSt Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
in London, weighing 17002 kilograms (37,483 lb) or more than 17 metric tons.
Many churches across the world have used bells cast at Taylor's Bell Foundry, including:
- GozoGozoGozo is a small island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Southern European country of Malta; after the island of Malta itself, it is the second-largest island in the archipelago...
Cathedral, 11 Bells - Liverpool CathedralLiverpool CathedralLiverpool Cathedral is the Church of England cathedral of the Diocese of Liverpool, built on St James's Mount in Liverpool and is the seat of the Bishop of Liverpool. Its official name is the Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool but it is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin...
bourdon bell "Great George", at 14,900 kg or more than 14 long tons 13 cwt, it is the second largest bell in Britain. - Carlisle CathedralCarlisle CathedralThe Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, otherwise called Carlisle Cathedral, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Carlisle. It is located in Carlisle, in Cumbria, North West England...
, 13 bells - Loughborough CarillonLoughborough CarillonLoughborough Carillon is a carillon and war memorial in Loughborough, Leicestershire, England. It is in Queen's Park, and is a well known landmark, visible from several miles away...
, (War Memorial) 47 bell carillon - Monument, Canberra, 53 bell carillon
- Manchester Town HallManchester Town HallManchester Town Hall is a Victorian-era, Neo-gothic municipal building in Manchester, England. The building functions as the ceremonial headquarters of Manchester City Council and houses a number of local government departments....
, 23 bell carillon - Yale Memorial CarillonYale Memorial CarillonThe Yale Memorial Carillon is a carillon of 54 bells in Harkness Tower at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut....
, 54 bell carillon - Singing Tower Carillon at Bok Tower GardensBok Tower GardensBok Tower Gardens is a botanical garden and bird sanctuary, located north of Lake Wales, Florida, United States. It consists of a 250-acre garden, the tall Singing Tower with its carillon bells, Pine Ridge Trail, Pinewood Estate, and a visitor center...
, 60 bell carillon - Edith Adamson Memorial Carillon, 25 bell carillon, Newcastle Civic CentreNewcastle Civic CentreNewcastle Civic Centre is a civic centre located in the Haymarket area of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the main administrative and ceremonial centre for Newcastle City Council. Designed by the city architect, George Kenyon, the building was completed in 1967 and was formally opened by HM...
, Newcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne... - Baird Carillon, 55 bell carillon, Burton TowerBurton TowerThe Burton Memorial Tower is a clock tower located on Central Campus at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor at 230 South Ingalls Street. Housing a grand carillon, the tower was built in 1936 as a memorial for University President Marion Leroy Burton...
, University of MichiganUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, Ann Arbor, MichiganAnn Arbor, MichiganAnn Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
, USA - Kibbey Carillon, 53 bell carillon (1963), Washington National CathedralWashington National CathedralThe Washington National Cathedral, officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. Of neogothic design, it is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world, the second-largest in...
, Washington, D.C., USA - Berkeley CarillonBerkeley CarillonSather Tower Carillon is a carillon at the University of California, Berkeley, USA.-Background:It originated as a twelve bell chime, cast in 1915 by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough, England. The original bells were a gift of Jane K...
, Sather TowerSather TowerSather Tower is a campanile on the University of California, Berkeley campus. It is more commonly known as The Campanile due to its resemblance to the Campanile di San Marco in Venice, and serves as UC Berkeley's most recognizable symbol. It was completed in 1914 and first opened to the public in...
original (1917) 12 bell chime by Taylor (later expanded to carillon), University of California, Berkeley, CaliforniaBerkeley, CaliforniaBerkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, USA - WWII Memorial Carillon, 53 bell carillon, University of KansasUniversity of KansasThe University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
, Lawrence, KansasLawrence, KansasLawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
, USA - Stanton Memorial Carillon, 50 bell carillon (originally a 10 bell chime in 1899, expanded in 1920, 1954, 1967), Iowa State UniversityIowa State UniversityIowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
, Ames, Iowa, USA - Luray Singing Tower, 47 bell carillon (1937), Luray, VirginiaLuray, VirginiaLuray is a town in Page County, Virginia, United States, in the Shenandoah Valley of the northern part of the state. It is also the county seat...
, USA - Wellesley College Carillon, 32 bell carillon, (1931, last enlarged in 1990), Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts, USA
- Duke Chapel carillon, 50 bell carillon (1932), Duke UniversityDuke UniversityDuke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
, Durham, North CarolinaDurham, North CarolinaDurham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, USA - St. Elisabeth's Church, ReddishReddishReddish is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It is north of Stockport and southeast of Manchester...
- St. Mary's Church, SouthamptonSt. Mary's Church, SouthamptonSt. Mary's Church, Southampton is the largest church in the city of Southampton, England and can trace its origins to the first Saxon settlements of the 7th century. In 1917, the sound of the church bells inspired the writing of the song, "The Bells of St. Mary's", later sung by Bing Crosby in the...
- St. Nicolas' Church, North StonehamSt. Nicolas' Church, North StonehamSt. Nicolas' Church is an Anglican parish church at North Stoneham, Hampshire which originated before the 15th century and is known for its "One Hand Clock" which dates from the early 17th century, and also for various memorials to the famous.-Location:...
, Hampshire - Wells CathedralWells CathedralWells Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, who lives at the adjacent Bishop's Palace....
, 2 bells cast in 1877 - Rock band AC/DC's "Hells Bell", which was originally used on the "Back In Black" tour, 1980.