Bournville Carillon at Bournville Village Primary School - A historic Gem!

The Bournville Carillon is one of the finest instruments of its kind in the world and was installed by George Cadbury in 1906 as a gift to the workers at his Cadbury factory..


Where is the Bournville Carillon?

The Bournville Carillon is at Bournville Village Primary School on Linden Road, Bournville, Birmingham, B30 1JY.

 

In brief

The Bournville Carillon is a bell tower that opened in 1906 (at Bournville Junior School) to the designs of W. Alexander Harvey. The initial bells were donated by George Cadbury. Occasionally you will hear the bells ringing in the village and is quite the sound to hear!

Bournville CarillonBournville Carillon (April 2009. Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Bournville Carillon - history of the build

The Bournville Carillon was built between 1902 to 1905 to the designs of W. Alexander Harvey. It is built of red brick with stone dressings.

Bournville CarillonBournville Carillon (April 2010). Photography by Elliott Brown

The first bells were given to the village by George Cadbury in 1906.

The rest of the bells were given to the village by his wife and son George Jr in 1923 in his memory.

The cupola, in it's present form, was added by 1934 and contains 48 bells.

Bournville CarillonBournville Carillon (April 2010). Photography by Elliott Brown

At the front there are frescoes dating back to 1914.

Bournville CarillonBournville Carillon (April 2010). Photography by Elliott Brown

The carvings throughout are designed by Benjamin Creswick.

Bournville CarillonBournville Carillon (April 2010). Photography by Elliott Brown

The Carillon has been a Grade II listed building since 1970, with revisions added in1982.

Bournville CarillonBournville Carillon (April 2010). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Tour of Bournville Village Primary School

On the free heritage open day, Bournville Village Primary School was open to the public to visit, during Birmingham Heritage Weelk. In past years, the Carillon was open, but not this time. The open day of Saturday 11th September 2021. The school opened in 1906, and celebrated it's Centenary with the unveiling of a stained glass window in 2006 (HRH the Duke of Gloucester was in attendance at the time). The main school hall is a spectacular space, and has Frescos dating 1914 by Mary Sargant Florence. Portraits inside of George and Elizabeth Cadbury, the founders of the village (there is a tablet dating 1913, marking their Silver Wedding Anniversary).

Bournville Village Primary School

Bournville Village Primary School

Bournville Village Primary School

Bournville Village Primary School

Bournville Village Primary School

Bournville Village Primary School

 

George Cadbury

Bournville Village Primary School

 

Elizabeth Cadbury

Bournville Village Primary School

Tour of Bournville Village Primary School (September 2021). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Contact details

Bournville Village Primary School

Linden Road

Bournville

Birmingham

B30 1JY

0121 675 9098

Project dates

26 Apr 2021 - On-going

Passions

History & heritage, Education, Classic Architecture

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Contact

Your Place Your Space

Jonathan Bostock

0121 410 5520
jonathan.bostock@ yourplaceyourspace.com