The centenary of Loughborough’s war memorial, the Carillon Tower, was marked with a series of commemorations over the weekend.
The events were organised the on Saturday July 22, exactly 100 years since the official opening of the Carillon Tower, and on Sunday July 23.
A special recital was performed in Loughborough’s Queen’s Park before a Thanksgiving Service took place on Saturday.
A new musical composition called ‘Silent Chimes’, which was written to mark the tower’s centenary, was premiered during the service. The piece, featuring a mixture of carillon chimes and spoken word to reflect the history of the bells, was created by local composer Pip Greasley.
Several organisations within the Loughborough Heritage Forum hosted information stalls where visitors were able to learn more about the history of the tower and the town.
Mel Gould, chairman of the Loughborough Carillon Tower and War Memorial Museum, said: “On this day in 1923 the people of Loughborough and many more from far and wide gathered here in Queen’s Park to witness the unveiling of this grand memorial to the men of the town who had fallen in the Great War.
“They had paid for it through public subscriptions and their efforts were rewarded by this most noble and beautiful building. Each man’s name recorded for posterity.
“We should be grateful for the sacrifices made by the men who died but also those people who contributed so that Loughborough has a unique and iconic memorial.”
The Thanksgiving Service was led by the Revd. Wendy Dalrymple, Chaplain to the Loughborough Branch of the Royal British Legion and included a reading from the Mayor of Charnwood.
The crowds were entertained by local musical performers, Embers Duo during the afternoon.
The Carillon Tower was open throughout the weekend for visitors to explore and to take in the stunning views of Loughborough from the top of the tower.
The Carillon Tower War Memorial Museum, located at the bottom of the tower, was open for the public to learn more about the Carillon and its 100-year history.
The borough’s carillonneur, Caroline Sharpe, hosted fully-booked talks across the weekend, demonstrating how the Carillon is played.
