Vanden Gheyn, Van den Gheyn or Van den Ghein was a family of bellfounders and carillon makers. The bell foundry was established in 1506 in Mechelen and active until the 20th century. They have been called "the most famous family of bellfounders [Belgium] has had". History Vanden Gheyn in Mechelen Willem Van den Ghein In 1506, Willem Van den Ghein (the family name would later change to Vanden Gheyn) came to Mechelen from Goirle, in the Northern Netherlands, and started a bell foundry there. Willem was active until at least 1530, but died before 1534. He made bells for Mechelen and Oudenaarde, and also for Bergen op Zoom in the Northern Netherlands. He also cast at least two small carillons, one of 4 bells for Middelburg, and one of 5 bells for the St John's Kirk in Perth, Scotland which is still in place. Willem was succeeded by his sons Pieter I and Jan I Vanden Gheyn. Jan Vanden Gheyn only cast a few bells independently before his death in at the latest 1544. He was followed by his son Anton I Pieter I Vanden Gheyn Pieter I Vanden Gheyn first started on his own, at the latest in 1533, and after the death of his father inherited his foundry as well. His works were of very high quality and can be found all over Western Europe. He delivered a 10-bell carillon to Oudenburg in 1539, and a similar sized one to Roosendael Abbey in 1553-1556. He created a 13 bell carillon for the Dutch city Zierikzee in 1550-1554, and a 16- or 17-bell one for Edam in 1561. He died on 14 March 1561. His sons Peter II and Jan II continued the bellfoundry. Jan II died on 22 July 1573: he made some bells which can be found in current Belgium and France, but no carillons. Pieter II Vanden Gheyn Pieter II Vanden Gheyn was active between 1555 and his death on 27 January 1598. He completed a carillon for Arnemuiden in 1584, and expanded carillons in Mechelen, Aalst and Hoorn. In 1593, he delivered a large bell and a 20-bell carillon to the town hall of Veere. In 1595, a 17-bell carillon for a hospital in Leiden followed. He was a successful and ambitious bell founder, with works all over Europe. He was very prosperous, with many houses in Mechelen, but his fortune and that of the