Bells and Whistles - Discover Charnwood
Discover Charnwood. For nearly 600 million years, the powerful forces of nature have been sculpting the breathtaking landscapes of Charnwood in Leicestershire. The distinctive rocky formations, which can be seen around the borough, are the resting place of the oldest fossils in England.
From canals and hosiery to bells and railways, Charnwood has a rich industrial heritage waiting to be uncovered. The River Soar was canalised from Loughborough in the eighteenth century to provide much-needed transport for the local industries, and the Charnwood Forest Canal was opened in the late eighteenth century, connecting at Nanpantan to the Loughborough canal via a tramway.
The nineteenth century saw industrial Loughborough quickly grow. The Great Central Railway that connected Loughborough to Manchester in the north and London in the south opened and John Taylor Bell Foundry – the last remaining working bell foundry in the UK – can trace its lineage back to Johannes de Stafford who was working only 10 miles away, in the fourteenth century. Taylor bells hang in nearly every cathedral in England and thousands of parish churches, from London's St. Paul's Cathedral to York Minster and from Truro's Cathedral to Newcastle's. Taylor's bells also feature in Loughborough's Carillon Tower in Queen's Park.
For more information, visit www.discovercharnwood.co.uk
Hotels included in this package
Attractions included in this package
Once you have booked your short break we advise you to check which attractions and experiences require pre-booking.
