Blitz Weekend 3 – November 14th – The Night Coventry Burned
Posted: November 14th, 2010 | 1 Comment »On November 14th 1940 the Nazi Luftwaffe began its concerted campaign to wipe the city of Coventry from the map. The assault on the medieval city was truly ferocious and destroyed much of the beautiful churches, architecture and medieval lanes of the town. Coventry became a byword – first for the horrors of the German Blitz on England (of course cities from Scotland down to Plymouth were blitzed but somehow the devastation at Coventry seemed total), and then the horrors of British post-war urban planning. Indeed I grew up with the idea somehow implanted in me from the popular culture that Coventry was by far the ugliest and most ruined city in England.
Coventry Cathedral gutted and destroyed courtesy of the Luftwaffe
The ruins streets of Coventry’s Broadgate district
Now without taking away a wit of the devastation the city suffered I have had occasion over the years to visit Coventry several times, most recently earlier this year for a bit while travelling around England on a college book tour. What I’d noticed before and noticed again this time was two things – firstly, a surprising amount of the old Medieval city still exists if you dig around and find the small pockets and, secondly, much of that 1960s architecture has grown on me surprisingly (does this mean that one day, around 2035, I’m going to wake up and suddenly find Pudong strangely appealing!!!).
The ruins of the original Coventry Cathedral are now preserved within the grounds of the new Coventry Cathedral, St Michael’s
The exterior of the new Coventry Cathedral, St Michael’s, built around 1962 and now a piece of architecture that stirs my soul whereas I used to hate it!
Surviving Medieval buildings in central Coventry
The bottom snap looks to be of “The Golden Cross” pub just by the old cathedral.
There was a rumour (when I was, sad to say, growing up there in the 80’s) that it used to be frequented by William Shakespeare. But perhaps that was just passed about to increase the custom.
It was a great place for a pint and a fight (this is Coventry and the two often went together). I was even mugged outside once, although it was not a successful attempt.
I haven’t been back for about 10 years so I have no idea what the place is like now – possibly only slightly less depressing :-)