A Brief History of Coventry
- A Modern City with an Ancient Heart
The history of Coventry goes back at least 2000 years with the presence of the Roman army nearby in
the area known as Baginton. When Boudicca and her army were defeated, all the captured horses were
brought to Lunt Fort in Baginton to be retrained for use by the Romans.
The city is famous for the ride by
Lady Godiva who it is claimed rode
through the city naked on a horse to stop the local people having to pay taxes.
She certainly was real but if she did make the ride it was probably wearing
servant's clothes. Peeping Tom was added to the story later.
It is also claimed that St George who slew the dragon, was born in Coventry.
A walk around the city will reveal many references to the patron saint of England.
One famous incident that nearly took place during the late 1300's was
single combat between the Duke of Norfolk and the Duke of Hereford. The dispute
arose after one of the Dukes was said to have uttered treasonable remarks
against King Richard II. Large numbers, including upto 10,000 soldiers,
gathered to witness the event, but at the last moment the duel was halted
and both Dukes were banished.
The Duke of Hereford, otherwise known as Henry Bolingbroke, returned, took
the king prisoner and forced him to abdicate. The king was subsequently
killed and the Duke took over the monarchy as King Henry IV. This
treacherous act led to the War of the Roses and during this period Parliament
sat in Coventry. Henry IV's son, Henry V, in later years won the Battle of
Agincourt. So the duel that nearly happened at Gosford Green in Coventry
proved to have a significant part to play in English history.
Many expressions have originated from the city including:
- 'True as Coventry blue'
For much of the medieval period Coventry was the centre on the cloth industry. It was particularly
famed for the blue dye used in the local cloth. Quality control meant that the city probably had the
country's first weights and measures office.
- 'Sent to Coventry'
During the English Civil War Royalist prisoners captured at the Battle of Preston were held in St John's
Church in Coventry. Because the citizens at the time were on the side of the Parliament they refused to
speak to the prisoners. Hence the saying 'sent to Coventry'.
The city was very popular with members of the royal family and in the 1250's
what was to become a royal palace was built.
Edward II and Queen Isabella stayed there as did their grandson, Edward the Black Prince. Much of
the city's coat of arms has its origins with the famous fighting prince who
won his spurs fighting in France.
For example, the latin phrase 'Camera Principis' refers to the 'Prince's
Chamber' in the Guildhall, named after a visit by the Black Prince.
The coat of arms also has an elephant carrying Coventry Castle, the eagle
of the Earl of Leofric (Lady Godiva's husband) and the Phoenix rising from
the ashes.
Famous visitors to the city have included:
- Mary Queen of Scots - who was held prisoner in the city for several weeks
- Louis XVIII
- Lord Nelson
- Duke of Wellington
- William Penn - the founder of Pennsylvania
- Charles Dickens
- George Eliot - who lived in Coventry and based her novel 'Middlemarch' on the city
- Dick Whittington
Coventry has, over the centuries, been the centre of the wool, watch, bicycle and car industries.
Today it is still an important manufacturing centre producing amongst its many products:
- Jaguar cars
- London taxi cabs
- Massey Ferguson tractors
- Scorpion Tanks
- Peugeot cars
The city has a very large collection of road vehicles housed at 'The Museum of British Road Transport',
an art gallery and museum that tells the story of the last one thousand years, the finest guild hall in the
country dating back to 1342 and a unique collection of medieval buildings.
It also has the first pedestrian precinct built in Europe.
For visitors costumed walks by qualified
tourist guides are always available.
HISTORICAL VIEWS -
COVENTRY COMMUNITY NETWORK
Information supplied by
Roger Bailey,
a Coventry tour guide Tel: 01203 691212
Page modified: 18 November 1995 ........
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