Disappearing Coventry

Here you will find facts and photos of precious remnants of the Historic City of Coventry that is disappearing due to ill treatment and neglect. It is saddening to see how the heritage of Coventrians is being lost over recent years. I am publishing these pages to raise awareness of these irretrievable losses for anyone who is interested in researching or preserving our history and heritage for future generations.

London Road Cemetery

Some historical facts and photos of this once beautiful and peaceful old cemetery. A cemetery such as this should be a place of respect and remembrance, as well as providing a treasure trove of information for family tree researchers and historians.

Tragically London Road Cemetery suffered from neglect and a great deal of overzealousness from the Health and Safety people. The effect of which was undue financial expense to bereaved families, outrage and distress. I took some photographic evidence, so you can see for yourself. Fortunately this has not been repeated since the public outcry.

Coventry Old Grammar School

This once beautiful historic building is now in a tragic state of decay due to neglect. I have published my photographs and related facts about this classic building.

Coventry's Elephant

A real historical connection between Coventry and an elephant. Includes a transcript of an historic record from around 150 years ago.

Hannah Harrison Lowe - descended from royalty?

A local story reputes that Coventrian Hannah Harrison Lowe was descended from royalty. Follow the link to read more about this interesting local story.

Vandalism, neglect and lost gravestones!

- Neglect and lack of security lead to vandalism and arson at a historic Chapel.

- James Starley is a famous figure from local history, known as the Father of the Bicycle Industry. He has a statue located at Greyfriars Green, Coventry, however his grave is not well maintained, as you can see from the photo.

- The Council managed to lose 50 historic gravestones which they had planned to recylce as paving for the Phoenix Initiative! One of these gravestones even belonged to a former Mayor of Coventry.

	Coventry: The Hidden History (Archive Photographs) by Iain Soden
Based on 40 years of excavation, this is the first comprehensive history of Coventry, which looks in particular at its spectacular economic growth from Saxon times to become, by the fourteenth century, one of the foremost cities of medieval England, surrounded by a wall with 20 towers and 12 gates. The city became a magnet for entrepreneurs, also attracting the major religious orders :- Benedictines, Franciscans, Carmelites and Carthusians - who developed an economy heavily reliant on monastic wool. Since the crippling blow the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Coventry has, over the centuries, experienced several declines and renaissances - the last redevelopment being the recovery from the devastating blitz of the Second World War.

Coventry: The Hidden History (Archive Photographs) by Iain Soden

Based on 40 years of excavation, this is the first comprehensive history of Coventry, which looks in particular at its spectacular economic growth from Saxon times to become, by the fourteenth century, one of the foremost cities of medieval England, surrounded by a wall with 20 towers and 12 gates. The city became a magnet for entrepreneurs, also attracting the major religious orders :- Benedictines, Franciscans, Carmelites and Carthusians - who developed an economy heavily reliant on monastic wool. Since the crippling blow the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Coventry has, over the centuries, experienced several declines and renaissances - the last redevelopment being the recovery from the devastating blitz of the Second World War.

Further information

Follow this link for books about the History of Coventry.