Bell Foundry Museum

Taylor’s moved their Bell Foundry  to Loughborough in 1839 and it is today the largest bell foundry in the world. Bells made in Loughborough have been exported all over the world, including China and the US. Many have been installed in UK churches, including London’s  St Paul’s Cathedral, Downside Abbey, Beverly Minster and York Cathedral. The story of how these and other bells were made is told in the museum, through a range of exhibits and memorabilia.

All Saints’ Church

Regarded as one of the county’s finest churches, All Saints with Holy Trinity sits at the highest point of the old town, near the old manor house and ancient guildhall. It is likely that Norman and Saxon churches once stood on the spot. Work started on the current church around 1330, but the fine tower and clerestory were added in the perpendicular style in the mid-1400s. Considerable restoration work was carried out in the early 1860s under the guidance of architect Sir George Gilbert Scott.

Rectory Museum

This museum of local history, run by Loughborough Archaeological and Historical Society, is housed in the remains of the Old Rectory, the earliest know record of which dates back to 1228, though fragments may be of earlier origin. The medieval remains were uncovered when what appeared to be an 18th and early 19th century house was pulled down in 1962. The Great Hall was left as a ruin and the remainder rebuilt and restored — a  fascinating reminder of Loughborough’s past. Open on Saturdays, April to October.

SOCK Gallery

Loughborough’s Sock Gallery, housed in the Town Hall, takes it name from the Sock Man sculpture that stands in the Market Place. The gallery, which is housed on both the ground floor and the balcony, regularly stages a range of visual arts and crafts exhibitions each year, showcasing the work of both professional artists and emerging local talent. Sock, an  arts, crafts, commission and purchase fair is held once a year over a weekend in March.  Open Monday to Saturday, entry is free.