The village carillon in front of the village hall in Lieshout was only there for a week, but it is already gone. The construction of the glockenspiel is not sturdy enough.
Until recently, the carillon stood on the old town hall of Lieshout. It was donated by the population to the then municipality in 1989. The names of generous donors are engraved on the bells. But the municipality has been dissolved and the town hall has been sold. Because apartments will be built, the carillon has to make way.
The Heemkundekring ‘t Hof van Liessent thought that the carillon should not be lost. A working group went looking for a new place and it was found near the village hall. Koninklijke Eijsbouts, the well-known bell foundry from Asten, was asked to make a design and so it happened.
It became a carillon in the shape of lily of the valley, three blades from which the bells hang like flowers. “They have been working here for two months pulling cables and pouring concrete,” says Joost van Wijk of the village hall. Last Monday, Eijsbouts placed the carillon.
“It looked nice and it sounded beautiful. But that was short-lived,” says van Wijk with a laugh. “Immediately upon installation, the blades were already wobbly, while it was almost windless. And the heaviest bells on such a blade weigh 80 kilos, so that was quite dangerous.”
A suggestion to fasten the blades together with a ring at the top could not count on approval from the municipality. That has never been a serious option, according to Koninklijke Eijsbouts. According to them, the carillon was not unsafe and it was even intended that the blades would move a little. Now that in practice this leads to feelings of insecurity, they have decided to take it away and change it again.
And so the chimes are gone a week after installation. The bell foundry will make a sturdier construction. “On April 22, the carillon with the King’s Day Games would be officially opened and they have promised that it can continue,” says Van Wijk.
The hollow tubes from which the bells hang will be made solid. And then everyone should be able to safely listen to the village carillon. The council thinks it may be back this week. And then hopefully finally.