Coventry lies in a hollow in the heart of England. This was once one of our magnificent mediaeval cities until Luftwaffe incendiary bombs ravaged it on the night of November 14th 1940 which led to the post WWII brutalist concrete that followed. It is certain that some detective work needs to be done yet there within the parameter of its mostly diminished City walls, exists some true treasures of this once- glorious 'manifest of the mediaeval'.
Once, Coventry was a clearing within the vast ancient Forest of Arden, emerging from its Anglo-Saxon beginnings to become the fourth largest Mediaeval City in England. We can associate Coventry with the legend of Godiva, Edward the Black Prince, the soaring spires of its ancient Churches, A Mediaeval Carol, Bicycles, Motorbikes, motor-cars and the post-modernist art that lies within its new Cathedral.
Countess Godiva (Old English: Godifu - God gift) was wife to Leofric. He was made Earl due to the pious deed of founding the monastery of St Mary’s in Coventry. Godiva famously rode the streets naked astride a horse as a public protest to her husband's heavy taxation. He vowed to change this should she ride naked through the Coventry streets. She did, all eye's averted that is, except for the peeping Tom! Of course this probably derives from the oral narrative of story-telling tradition which was endemic in pre-conquest England. This representation of Countess Godiva is in the exceptionally lovely Mediaeval Merchant's Guildhall. This is one of England's finest Guildhalls' of this date and we are thankful for the guildhall's survival from aerial incendiary attack on November 14th 1940.
Countess Godiva with her tits out: Coventry Guildhall.
Coventry also lays claim as being home to Edward of Woodstock, the Black Prince and Son of Edward III. Coventry’s motto, Camera Principis (Latin: The Princes’ Chamber), relates to this. The Black Prince (born at Woodstock, Oxfordshire on June 15 1330) actually lived at Wallingford Castle, Oxfordshire, and is believed to have spent much time at Cheylesmore Manor; a house that still survives in central Coventry. The Black prince epitomises the age of chivalry (Chivalry from the French Chauvaux) after fighting at Poitiers, Cre'cy, Limoges and Caen. Edward died on 8 June 1376, a year before his father, and was the first Prince of Wales not to become King of England. Edward the Black Prince was also one of the first princes' of Wales and the familiar white plumes are immortalised in a stained-glass window.
The Black Prince The Guildhall - Coventry.
From the early Priory of St Mary's, Coventry developed with further monastial instituations and the Cathedral scale parish churches of St Michael & Holy Trinity. Coventry was a successful Mediaeval city famed for its weaving and textiles and in particular Coventry 'Blue Cloth'. The expression 'True Blue' is derived from this quality cloth.
True Blue: Coventry Holy Trinity. The central chancel crossing vaulting; ribs, tiercerons and liernes against the Victorian Turquoise and stars of exquisite gold.
Another expression is derived from the city: 'being sent to Coventry'. The origins of this comes from the English Civil War. In 1648, Cromwell sent many Scottish Royalist soldiers to be confined within the church of St John's in Coventry. These soldiers were excercised in the city streets and shunned by Coventry's locals; this was a parlimantarian place which lead to the familar saying.
Blitzed: Fire-scorched St Michael's - typical 1600's skullery.
Architecturally, there are many treasures to be found in Coventry: the early ruins of St Mary's priory, fragments of the mediaeval city wall and gates, timbered streets in the Cathedral vicinity, mediaeval almshouse/hospitals and the fire-scorched ruin of the Cathedral Church of St Michael with its intact tower containing a magnificent 32cwt ring of twelve bells cast by Gillett and Johnson of Croydon in 1927. The new Cathedral (Architect -Basil Spence) reminds me a little of my 1960's school assembly hall. A brute of post-modernist void yet I confess to adoring the treasures of art that lie within.
Graham Sutherland: Christ in majesty, Coventry Cathedral
(the largest tapestry of its time)
Coventry Cathedral - Glass by John Piper (detail).
For Monty, Coventry's enduring legacy is the 'Coventry Carol'. This beautiful survival of verse is not a Christmas Carol but derived from Mediaeval Corpus Christi mystery plays (performed around Easter-time); this one being ‘The pageant of the Shearmen & the Tailor’. The oldest known text of this is dated 1591 and scribed by a Robert Croo. It is rare in that it is a terpsichore; each verse ending on a major from its minor key. It is also an uncomfortable tale within its lyrics describing the story of King Herod slaughtering newborn male children (Matthew 2:16).
Fords Hospital remains an Almshouse. A WWII bomb fell onto this ancient building killing many people. The building is testament to the continuing survival of Coventry and the care towards these buildings.
Coventry: St Michael's ruins.
Coventry has also been the home to bicycle and car manufacture which derived from the sewing-machine factories. As 1980 arrived, Coventry saw itself placed on the music map with the Ska revival 2-Tone label ‘The Specials’ capturing the economic mood of the times with 'Ghost town'. God's own Garage band 'The Primitives' also momentarily propelled Coventry into the cool Indie consciousness in the late 80's.
The Coventry Carol:
The Primitives - Thru the Flowers:
The Specials - Ghost town (Glastonbury 2009 footage):
The Coventry Blitz Documentary (part I):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu_vHs8fnvw
Bicycles, glorious Coventry bicycles!!!
Photography & text by Monty Trumpington 2011. edited by Mr L G Thompson.
