The Burnside Carillon

*Location:

   Furman University [new campus]
   U.S. Highway 25 (Business Route)
   Greenville, South Carolina, USA
   LL: N 34.92788, W 82.44001

Site locator map

*Player:

   (none)

   1966-?? Howard Thompson '68

*Contact:

   Dr. Charles Tompkins
   Organist & Head, Keyboard Division
   Furman University
   Poinsett Highway
   Greenville, SC  29613
   T: 803-294-2000  [switchboard]
   W: 864-294-2969
   E: charles.tompkins@furman.edu
   - or -
   Craig L. Waldon
   Development Office
   T: (864)294-2157   F: (864)294-2282
   E: craig.waldon@furman.edu

*Schedule:

   (unknown)

*Remarks:

   Unplayable for several years; tower
   fully restored and carillon partially
   restored 2004-5 (2 octaves of trebles
   replaced with 1 octave of new bells;
   automatic play with limited range was
   restored, but baton keyboard and
   transmission were not).
   Bass D# originally swung, and was
   independent of the carillon (60th vB
   bell in the tower).
   Also an old Meneely bell below clock.
   Tower is a replica of that on Main Hall
   at the old (downtown) campus
   (since demolished), which held a chime.

   D, diam?, 2500#, 1966, Vanbergen (NL)

*Technical data:

   Electric-keyboard carillon of 48 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is D  in the middle octave
   Keyboard range:     C C   /    NONE  
   Transposition is up  2 semitone(s), i.e., from C to D 
   There is one missing bass semitone
   12 bells were recast or replaced in 20??
     by Paccard          
   Prior history:
     In 1966, the complete instrument of 59 bells was installed
       by vanBergen       
       (35 bells remain from that work.)
       Keyboard range was:     C C   /    C F   
       There were two missing bass semitones
   Auxiliary mechanisms: S1EnB 
   Tower details: 
     Height of console:                 13 meters above ground
     Height of lowest level of bells:   16 meters above ground
     Height of highest level of bells:   . meters above ground
     Belfry openness:   .%
   Year of latest technical information source is 2010

The University Website opens with a large aerial photo of the campus, in which the location of the bell tower can be clearly seen.  There are a few news articles about the renovation of the tower (use the Search facility), the best one being here.
In the University's online postcard facility, there are several different photos of the tower: #8, #13, #16, #36, #59, #88, #09
A construction project scrapbook contains images of the bell tower seen through the treetops in summer and in winter.
The campus map clearly shows the location of the Bell Tower on the peninsula projecting into the lake.
A news article (Jan.2023) opens with a fine photo of the lake and bell tower.
An alumni article about how a student reactivated the near-defunct electronic controls holds out the possibility that a mechanical action might someday be reinstalled.
The downloadable campus map has a photo of the tower and ts reflection on the opening side, but still describes the carillon as having 60 bells.
History of the bell tower (2019) - A current photo of the bell tower is accompanied by a paragraph that links to another article elsewhere, with an outline of the history but not much about the bells.

For more information on the old tower and the chime which it held, see GREENVILLE - FU/1.

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the vanBergen bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Paccard bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.

Ranking among all North American non-traditional carillons by weight.
Ranking among all North American non-traditional carillons by size (number of bells).
Ranking among all North American non-traditional carillons by year of completion.

Index to all tower bell instruments in SC.

   This page was built from the database on 29-Dec-24
   based on textual data last updated on 2024/12/22
   and on technical data last updated on 2010/06/21