Bournville Carillon and Rest House
Bournville Carillon was Installed by Bournville Village Trust founder, George Cadbury in 1906 and is one of the finest instruments of its kind in the world. This very rare and unusual musical instrument looks much like an organ and consists of 48 cast bronze bells, played serially to produce a melody that can be heard across the Village Green. The instrument and the carillon art are most commonly found in Belgium, Holland, France and even in the USA but are a rarity in the UK.
The regular Carillon playing times each Saturday are normally at 1200 and 1500, for 1 hour on each occasion. However, on Saturday 9 September the bells will be played at regular intervals from 1000 until 1600. Demonstrations will be for shorter periods but for a longer overall duration throughout the day.
Duration of the mini tour of the Carillon is about 15 minutes, max 6 people per tour. Please note, no children under 1.2 meters tall.
The Rest House is situated in the centre of Bournville Village Green and was paid for by the employees of Cadbury Brothers Ltd to commemorate the Silver Wedding Anniversary of George and Elizabeth Cadbury on 19 June 1913. The design is taken from a medieval butter market in Dunster, Somerset.
Inside you will find for sale an eclectic range of arts and crafts, some made locally, along with books and recordings relating to Bournville and the Carillon. Any proceeds from the sales will used to promote the carillon art and particularly to publicise Bournville Carillon heritage, including special events and international recitals throughout the year.
Guided tours of Bournville Village Green start at the Rest House. From there one of our tour guides will escort you – or your party – across the green and through the school grounds whilst giving a short history of some of the buildings around the village. For full details visit. This event is part of Bournville Heritage Open Day. Many other historic sites in the wider Bournville area open their doors on Sat 9 Sept. For a full list of events in Bournville, click here.
Organised by Bournville Village Trust
Date & TimeSat 9 Sept | 10am–12.30pm and 1.30pm–4pm LocationBournville Junior School, Linden Road, Bournville, B30 1JY. Short guided tours of the Carillon will start from the bottom of the school clock tower. Entry to the school grounds on Woodlands Road entrance. Guided tours of Bournville Village Green will start at the Rest House.CostFree BookingBooking required. Pre-booking will open on 7 Aug 2023 via BVT website.Book hereAccessThe Rest House (Carillon Visitor Centre) is fully accessible, but the Carillon tower is only accessible to able bodied visitors on foot due to the large number of stairs. The guided tour across the village green is an outdoor walk, expect uneven pavements, steps, crossing roads etc.WebsiteTwitter Facebook |
