You're off to Coventry!
but is that such a bad thing for the history lover?
Hello fellow history lovers!
Coventry may not be on your list as a historical destination. From a casual observers eye it looks like it could have been built in the 1960s with its series of flyovers and concrete offices and shopping precincts but look closer and there is history dating back thousands of years.
A victim of its own blitz night during the Second World War, much of the city had to be rebuilt, and to a budget. On the night of 14th November 1940, in an operation the Luftwaffe named ‘Moonlight Sonata’, much of the city of Coventry was destroyed including its second cathedral, which now stands roofless as a memorial to that night and the almost 600 people killed. Much of the city had to be rebuilt and the decision was made that the rebuilding was to include a new cathedral. The city’s third cathedral, consecrated in 1962 in the presence of the late Queen Elizabeth II, was built adjoining the ruins of the old one.
I’ve just said third Cathedral but have so far only mentioned two. Indeed, Coventry’s cathedral’s have not had a good fate. During the dissolution of monastic establishments during Henry VIII’s reign St Mary’s Cathedral in Coventry was the only cathedral in the country to be included in the closures, ending 450 years of worship there. Without a Cathedral could Coventry really have City status? This was finally resolved in 1918 with the elevation os St Michael’s Parish Church to Cathedral status when the Diocese of Coventry was created.
Narrowly avoiding totally destruction, the medieval St Mary’s Guildhall stands a few feet away from the bombed out second cathedral. It was specifically to here that I was headed, to record a podcast and youtube episode with Niamh Carton, Community Engagement Officer there with a background in archeology and medieval history. That episode will be out within the next month or so (I am a bit delayed as I am about to go in for an eye operation - literally, as I type this I am in the hospital room!). All good things come to those who wait and I promise you will enjoy that episode when I release it!
St Mary’s has been here since the 14th century with much building work done in the 15th century, and more since. A one time prison of Mary, Queen of Scots, it also has the oldest medieval tapestry still in its intended place anywhere in the country. It sits in one of the most impressive great halls I have seen outside of Hampton Court Palace with roof bosses to rival its much more famous counterpart!
I will be sharing photos in my Patreon soon, just as soon as I can see properly! If you would like to join me and my other wonderful Patrons over there then I have a BLACK FRIDAY offer on annual subscriptions- get 15% off using code ‘HISTORY’ until 2nd December.
See (pun intended!) all on the other side!
Philippa x
But surely even those flyovers and precincts are history? They didn't occur by accident, and iirc Coventry Council were well ahead with plans to modernise the city before the blitz. Coventry had one of the earliest pedestrianised precincts and the concrete flyovers of the inner ring road were designed to help traffic flow. If medieval planners had created such a new city from Anglo Saxon remains we'd be celebrating them, please don't disparage 20th century changes.