About Coventry

Coventry began as a Saxon village. It was in fact called Coffantree which means the tree belonging to Coffa.

Trees were often used as meeting places so Coventry grew up around a tree.
In 1043 Leofric the local Earl and his wife Godiva founded a Benedictine Monastery on the site . They granted leave for monks to graze sheep. ( in the middle ages Coventry was famous for wool)

At the time of the domesday book in 1086 the population was about 350, by the middle ages it had grown significantly at the end of the 14th century the population was about 4,800. A large important town. At the end of the Middle ages it had grown to around 6,500.
From the 12th century Coventry was divided into two halves the north controlled by the prior (head of the small monastery) and the south controlled by the Earl.

The prior slowly lost power and after 1265 he rented his half of the town to the Earl. In 1345 Coventry was given a charter(a document allowing certain rights to the towns people). Merchants formed a council and elected a mayor and magistrates. In 1355 the prior gave up his rights to the town.

The main industry was wool there were drapers, tailors, dyers and weavers.

There were also fullers who cleaned and thickened cloth by pounding it in a mixture of clay and water.

Also there were leatherworkers, millers, coopers, cutlers, bakers, butchers, blacksmiths and goldsmiths.

In 1340 merchants formed a guild St Mary’s hall was built for this purpose.
After 1335 a stone wall was built around the town and was finished around 1538.
Coventry had a Castle and Broadgate is named after the entrance.

A manor house called Chelysemore Manor was built in 1250 to the South and the grounds were called Chelysemore Park.

Much Park Street and Little Park Street were both named after the Park and were attached to it.

In the 13th century friars came to Coventry ,Franciscan friars arrived at this time and wore grey hence they were known as greyfriars.

Coventry suffered from the plague and had a bad outbreak in 1603.

Coventry remained in parliaments hands throughout the civil war.

During the civil war prisoners were held at the church of St John and in 1647 a writer said that prisoners were sent to Coventry, a phrase that has come to mean excluded from polite society.

1662 King Charles ordered the walls of Coventry torn down only the gates remained.
By the end of the 17th century silk weaving was important.

By the end of 17th century most of the gates to the town were gone only two remain Swanswell and Cook Street.

The first part of Coventry canal was built in 1769 it eventually connected the town to the Trent and Mersey.

In 1801 the population was 16,000 approx.

By 1851 it was 37,000 and by 1900 it was 62,000 approx.

1838 Cov and Warwicks hospital was opened.

1910 first cinema.

First council houses 1917.

The parish church of St Micheal was made a cathedral in 1919.

War memorial Park opened in 1921.

In 1920’s council houses built in Radford and Stoke Heath.

14-15 November 1940 and 8-9 April 1941 Coventry bombed during blitz.

First Mosque in Eagle Street built in 1960.

Cathedral lanes Shopping centre 1990 West Orchards Shopping centre 1991.

Current population 300,000 approx.

With the best of intention all of the above information is true, correct and given in good faith, however, we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions contained within the above.

Equally we recommend that should you need or want to find out more you should conduct more detailed independant research.