The Future
Grayson Perry’s ‘Covid Bell’ – Casting at Pangolin Foundry
Our mission is to reinvigorate the art and science of bell founding through a marriage of new and old technology, casting church bells, artists’ bell, ceremonial bells, and bells for all occasions.
Our objective is to operate a fully-working bell foundry in Whitechapel, combining traditional bell founding with the use of digital technology.
Bells have been founded in Whitechapel since the reign of Elizabeth I. We want to continue to found bells in Whitechapel for remembrance and celebration, marking significant events in our nation’s history from the Covid pandemic to the 70th anniversary of Elizabeth II’s coronation.
The London Bell Foundry, established 2020, is a sustainable business generated by casting church bells, artists’ bells and all kinds of traditional bells for an international market.
Building on our unique heritage, we aim to be world leaders in bell casting, re-establishing the celebrated identity of bells cast in Whitechapel as a global brand and advancing the technology of bell-making by working closely with the leading experts in digital casting and sonics.
Our casting activities will be complemented by the development of a national digital archive of bells for conservation and research.
As well as creating skilled jobs for technicians, we plan an ambitious programme of apprenticeships for local young people in casting and digital technology.
Our educational programme will inspire all age groups in the art, craft, heritage and science of bell founding, through foundry tours to watch bells being cast in Whitechapel.