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Coventry historic centre: Gates and Gardens

Difficulty Leisurely

Walking time 25 minutes

Length 1.4km / 0.9mi

Route developer: Les Fawcett

Route checker: Jane Reeves

Start location Coventry Cathedral
Route Summary A few of Coventry's charms in a short circular walk.
*move mouse over graph to see points on route
Getting there No details available.
Description

[1] From the cathedral steps, walk up the steps or up the ramp, and walk between the old and new cathedrals and through the gardens. (Old and new cathedrals photo).

At Holy Trinity church turn right into Cuckoo Lane. Walk to the end and turn left into Priory Row.

[2] Turn right to take the walkway above Priory Gardens where you can see the ruins of the priory cathedral church (A). Foundations of the 12th century Priory church of St Mary (Coventry's first cathedral) with the half-timbered Lychgate cottages and stone Blue Coat school behind. The extent of the Priory was uncertain until excavations as recently as 2000 confirmed it. 

Walk down the steps or down the ramp to the visitor centre. It is worth visiting if you have the time.

[3] Walk on past a waterfall and turn left in Priory Place. Keep the BBC Coventry & Warwickshire studio on your left.

This brings you to the Whittle arches (B) and the statue of Sir Frank Whittle, a pioneer of the jet turbine engine.

Cross the road under the arches to Millenium Place. Photo 3.  Take care as this road can be busy with buses from two directions.

Coventry Transport Museum (C), facing Millenium Place, is well worth a few hours visit.

If you are feeling energetic take a detour up the spiral ramp (photo 4) to view Lady Herbert’s garden (D) and the city wall including Swanswell gate, a stone tower that was part of the city wall.  From the end of the elevated walkway descend to Lady Herbert’s garden.

Otherwise take the entrance to Lady Herbert's garden (D) below the spiral ramp.  The old city wall runs down the centre of the garden.  Make your way up the garden keeping the city wall on your left. There are a few steps in the garden.   Exit through the garden gates and turn left to find another part of the city wall, Cook Street gate. (E)

[4] Walk through Cook St gate and keep right past the back of the Transport Museum, then keep left into Silver Street and Bishop St.

This brings you to a crossroads that had the traffic lights taken out and the kerbs lowered in 2011 to make it into a “shared space” where no-one has right of way. There have been accidents here including a fatality.

At the corner of the junction you are standing on is the Old Grammar School (F), a grade 1 listed building.  Efforts continue to find a use for it.

[5] Go straight ahead across the "shared space junction" taking care and walk up The Burges, a street of mainly ugly modern shop fronts at ground level concealing some characterful old buildings.

[6] At the top of the road turn left into Ironmonger Row and cross the road.  Pass to the right of the Flying Standard pub and climb the steps beside the Lychgate cottages, photo 5  (or detour in front of Holy Trinity to avoid the steps).   Walk past  Holy Trinity to retrace your steps to the cathedral. 

POI information

 

D  Between Swanswell and Cook Street gates exists the best preserved surviving section of Coventry's old city wall. Either side of this lies Lady Herbert's Garden which was laid out by Sir Alfred Herbert in the early 1930's in memory of his late wife, Florence, who died unexpectedly in 1930. 

Sir Alfred (1866-1957) was an engineer who set up a company in Coventry in 1887 to make components  and tools for Coventry's cycle industry. Alfred Herbert Ltd grew to become probably the biggest machine tool manufacturer in the world.  

Sir Alfred was known for his generous donations to good causes and he gave £200,000 to pay for the construction of the Herbert art gallery and museum.

 

Notes No details available.
Acknowledgements No details available.
  • Old and new cathedrals
    Old and new cathedrals
    By - Les Fawcett
  • The remains of the Priory in front of the half-timbered Lychgate cottages and the stone Bluecoat School.
    The remains of the Priory in front of the half-timbered Lychgate cottages and the stone Bluecoat School.
    By - Les Fawcett
  • The Whittle arches, statue of Sir Frank Whittle and Coventry Transport Museum.
    The Whittle arches, statue of Sir Frank Whittle and Coventry Transport Museum.
    By - Les Fawcett
  • The spiral ramp from Millenium Square to Lady Herbert
    The spiral ramp from Millenium Square to Lady Herbert's garden.
    By - Les Fawcett
  • Blue plaque on Lychgate Cottages
    Blue plaque on Lychgate Cottages
    By - Les Fawcett
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