Coventry facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Coventry
City and metropolitan borough
Coventry city centre Coventry Cathedral Whittle Arch Coventry Council House Coventry Transport Museum Spon Street The Precinct
Flag Coat of arms
Shown within the West Midlands (county)
Coventry Location in England Show map of England Coventry Location in the United Kingdom Show map of the United Kingdom Coventry Location in Europe Show map of Europe
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Country	England
Region	West Midlands
Ceremonial county	West Midlands
Historic county	Warwickshire
Administrative HQ	Council House
Founded	1043
Founded by	Leofric, Earl of Mercia
Government
• Type	Metropolitan borough
• Body	Coventry City Council
Area
• City and metropolitan borough	38.09 sq mi (98.64 km2)
Population  (2021 Census)
• City and metropolitan borough	345,324
• Density	8,050/sq mi (3,108/km2)
• Metro	651,600
Demonyms	Coventrian Coventarian
Time zone	UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
Postcode	CV
Area code(s)	024
ISO 3166-2	GB-COV
ONS code	00CQ (ONS) E08000026 (GSS)
OS grid reference	SP335785
NUTS 3	UKG33
2021 population	345,328
Ethnicity (2011 Census)	73.8% White (66.6% White British) 16.3% Asian 5.5% Black 2.7% Mixed Race 1.6% Other
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Coventry is a historic city in the West Midlands county of England. It sits on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been an important place for many centuries. It was founded in the early Middle Ages. In 1345, it officially became a city.

Coventry is the tenth largest city in England. In 2021, about 345,324 people lived there. It is the second biggest city in the West Midlands region, after Birmingham. Coventry is also known as the most central city in England.

In the Middle Ages, Coventry was a very rich and important city. Later, it became a major industrial hub. In the 19th century, it was famous for making bicycles. By the 20th century, it was a big centre for the British motor industry. Because of this, it was heavily bombed during air raids in World War II. A large air raid in November 1940 destroyed much of the old city centre.

After the war, the city was rebuilt. The car industry did well until the mid-1970s. But then, Coventry faced tough economic times. Many factories closed, and unemployment was very high. In recent years, the city has been rebuilt again. Its population has grown. Coventry is also home to three universities: Coventry University, the University of Warwick, and Arden University. In 2021, Coventry was named UK City of Culture.

History of Coventry

A long time ago, around 700 AD, a Saxon nunnery was built here. It was later destroyed by King Canute's Danish army in 1016. In 1043, Earl Leofric and his wife Lady Godiva built a Benedictine monastery on the ruins. A market grew near the monastery, and the settlement became bigger.

By the 1300s, Coventry was a key centre for making cloth. It was one of England's largest and most important cities during the Middle Ages. In 1345, it was officially given a special charter to be a city. In 1451, it even became its own county.

In the 1700s and 1800s, Coventry was famous for making watches and clocks. When this industry slowed down, the skilled workers found new jobs. They started making bicycles, then motorbikes, cars, and aircraft parts.

In the late 1800s, Coventry became a major bicycle manufacturing hub. James Starley and his nephew John Kemp Starley invented the "Rover safety bicycle". This bike was much safer and more popular than the old penny-farthing. Their company became Rover. By the early 1900s, bicycle making led to car manufacturing. Coventry became a big centre for the British motor industry. Today, the design headquarters of Jaguar Cars is in the city.

After World War I, Coventry's factories grew quickly. Many new council houses and private homes were built in the 1920s and 1930s. This helped house the many workers moving to the city.

Coventry was badly damaged during the Second World War. On 14 November 1940, the German air force (the Luftwaffe) launched a huge air raid. This event is known as the "Coventry Blitz". Much of the city centre and Coventry's historic cathedral were destroyed. Only the outer walls and spire of the cathedral remained. Over 4,000 homes were damaged or ruined. About three-quarters of the city's factories were also hit. More than 800 people died, and thousands were hurt or left homeless.

Coventry was likely targeted because it had many factories making weapons, aircraft, and engine parts for the war. After the raids, most of the old buildings could not be saved. The city centre was rebuilt with modern designs by 1970.

After the war, more houses were built for the growing population. The city was rebuilt following the "Gibson Plan". In 1962, the new St Michael's Cathedral, designed by Sir Basil Spence, was opened. It has one of the world's largest tapestries.

The motor industry in Coventry boomed in the 1950s and 1960s. This was a "golden age" for the city. People had more money, and sports and arts thrived. A new sports centre with an Olympic-sized swimming pool was built. Coventry City Football Club reached the top division of English football. The Belgrade Theatre and Herbert Art Gallery were also built. The pedestrianised shopping area was considered one of the best outside London. In 1965, the new University of Warwick opened. It quickly became a leading university.

Many people from Asia and the Caribbean moved to Coventry after 1948 to work in the factories. In 1960, one of Britain's first mosques opened in Coventry. However, the 1970s saw a decline in the British motor industry. Coventry was hit very hard. By the early 1980s, unemployment was very high. The city has since recovered economically. New industries have moved in, though the motor industry is smaller now.

Coventry has also seen success in sports. Coventry Rugby Football Club was a top team for many years. The Coventry Blaze ice hockey team has won the Elite League four times since 2000.

Geography and Climate

Coventry's Weather

Coventry has a maritime climate, like the rest of the UK. This means it has cool summers and mild winters. The weather station in Coundon/Coventry Bablake records temperatures. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -18.2°C in February 1947. The hottest was 38.9°C in July 2022.

City Boundaries and Green Spaces

Coventry is the main part of the Coventry and Bedworth Urban Area. The city itself covers almost 100 square kilometres.

A special protected area called the West Midlands Green Belt surrounds Coventry. This green belt stops the city from spreading into nearby areas. It helps keep towns like Kenilworth, Nuneaton, and Warwick separate.

Panoramic views of Coventry City Centre from the cathedral tower

Nearby Towns and Directions

Destinations from Coventry

	Birmingham	Nuneaton, Bedworth,	Hinckley, Leicester
	Solihull		Rugby
		Coventry
	Worcester, Redditch, Stratford-upon-Avon	Kenilworth, Warwick, Leamington Spa	Daventry, Northampton Milton Keynes, London

Places to Visit

Coventry Cathedral: A Symbol of Peace

The spire of the ruined cathedral is one of Coventry's "three spires." These spires have been a key part of the city's skyline since the 1300s. The other two belong to Christ Church (only the spire remains) and Holy Trinity Church (still in use).

St Michael's Cathedral is Coventry's most famous landmark. The original 14th-century church was mostly destroyed by German bombs in World War II. Only its outer walls and spire were left. The spire is about 300 feet high. It is said to be the third tallest cathedral spire in England.

The new Coventry Cathedral opened in 1962, right next to the ruins of the old one. Sir Basil Spence designed it. Inside, you can see the huge tapestry called Christ in Glory in the Tetramorph by Graham Sutherland. Outside, near the entrance, is a bronze statue called St Michael's Victory over the Devil by Jacob Epstein. The famous War Requiem by Benjamin Britten was written for the new cathedral's opening.

Coventry Cathedral is special because it was rebuilt after being destroyed. Coventry is now known internationally as a city of peace and reconciliation. It even has an annual Peace Month.

Cultural Attractions in Coventry

The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum is one of Coventry's biggest cultural places. Another popular spot is Coventry Transport Museum. It has the world's largest collection of British-made road vehicles. You can see world speed record cars like Thrust2 and ThrustSSC there. The museum was updated in 2004 and was a finalist for a major award in 2005.

The Historic Coventry Trust works to restore old buildings in the city. Their sites include the Charterhouse, old City Gates, and Drapers' Hall.

Fargo Village is a creative shopping area that opened in 2014. It has many unique shops.

Just outside Coventry, in Baginton, you can visit the Lunt Fort. This is a reconstructed Roman fort built on its original site. The Midland Air Museum is also near Coventry Airport.

Coventry was a big centre for watchmaking in the 1700s and 1800s. The Coventry Watch Museum in Spon Street celebrates this history.

The city's main police station has a museum about Coventry's police force. It shows the history of the force and some interesting cases.

People and Culture

Coventry's Population and Diversity

Coventry is a diverse city. In 2021, about 34.5% of the population belonged to ethnic minority groups. These groups are mainly in the Foleshill and St Michael's areas.

Islam is the largest non-Christian religion in Coventry. There are also many Sikh and Hindu people, more than in other parts of the West Midlands. Coventry also has a large student population, including many international students.

Religion in Coventry (2021 census)
Religion			Per cent(%)
Christian			43.9%
No religion			29.6%
Muslim			10.4%
Undeclared			6.1%
Sikh			5.0%
Hindu			4.0%
Buddhist			0.4%
Jewish			0.1%
Other			0.6%

In 2021, 43.9% of people in Coventry were Christian. Islam was the second most common religion, with 10.4% of residents. Sikh people made up 5.0% of the population, which is much higher than the average for England. Hindus were 4.0%. Almost a third of Coventry residents (29.6%) said they had no religion.

Coventry as UK City of Culture

On 7 December 2017, Coventry was chosen as the UK City of Culture for 2021. It was the third city to hold this title.

Stories and Plays

• The famous African American actor Ira Aldridge managed Coventry Theatre. He was born in New York in 1807. He moved to England at 18 and became the UK's first black Shakespearean performer.
• The poet Philip Larkin grew up in Coventry.
• The author George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) was born near Coventry. Her famous novel Middlemarch (1871) was inspired by the city.
• The Coventry Carol is a Christmas song named after the city. It was part of the Pageant of the Shearman and Tailors, a 15th-century play. These plays told the story of Christmas and were performed near the old cathedral. The Belgrade Theatre still performs these plays every three years.
• The Belgrade Theatre was Britain's first theatre built specifically for the public. It opened in 1958. In 1965, it started the world's first "Theatre-in-Education" (TiE) company. This company uses theatre to help children learn in schools. The theatre was refurbished and reopened in 2007.

Music and Movies

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Coventry was the heart of the Two Tone music scene. Bands like The Specials and The Selecter came from the city. The Specials had two UK number 1 hits.

Coventry hosts many music events, including the international jazz programme and the Godiva Festival. A carnival parade takes place during the Godiva Festival. The Coventry Music Museum celebrates the city's music history.

In the 1969 film The Italian Job, a famous scene was filmed in Coventry's sewer pipes. The BBC medical TV show Angels (1975-1983) was filmed at Walsgrave Hospital.

More recently, parts of Coventry have been used in films like The Bouncer and the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances. Scenes from a Doctor Who episode were filmed at Ford's Hospital. The TV series Phoenix Rise is also set and filmed in Coventry.

BBC Radio 1 held its BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in Coventry in May 2022. This was part of the closing events for the UK City of Culture.

Local Traditions

Coventry Godcakes are a special local treat. They have been baked since the 1300s and are still made today.

The Coventry Flag

The Coventry Flag was chosen in 2018 after a public vote. It shows Lady Godiva in black on a white background. This represents Coventry's history and its reputation as a city of peace. The blue parts of the flag are "Coventry Blue." This colour reminds people of the city's old textile industry and the Coventry City Football Club, known as the "Sky Blues."

Shopping and Entertainment

Coventry has many places for theatre, art, and music. It also has retail parks and a shopping mall.

• Warwick Arts Centre: Located at the University of Warwick, it has an art gallery, theatre, concert hall, and cinema.
• FarGo Village: A creative area with many unique independent shops.
• Albany Theatre: This is the city's main community theatre. It reopened in 2013.

• Belgrade Theatre: This is one of Britain's largest theatres. It was the first public theatre built in the UK after World War II. It was renovated and reopened in 2007.

• Coventry Building Society Arena: This large stadium is about 4 miles north of the city centre. It can hold 32,600 people. It is home to Coventry City football team. It also hosts big concerts with famous bands. It was a venue for football events at the 2012 Olympic Games.
• SkyDome Arena: This arena holds 3,000 people. It is home to the Coventry Blaze ice hockey club.
• War Memorial Park: Locals call it the Memorial Park. It hosts festivals like the Godiva Festival and the Coventry Caribbean Festival every year.
• Butts Park Arena: Home to Coventry Rugby Football Club and Coventry Bears Rugby League Club. It sometimes hosts music concerts.
• Coombe Country Park: This park is just outside the city. It surrounds the old Coombe Abbey, which is now a hotel.
• The Wave: An indoor water park and spa that opened in 2019.
• Herbert Art Gallery and Museum: A museum, art gallery, and learning centre.
• Coventry Transport Museum: One of the biggest motor museums in the UK.

Sports in Coventry

Coventry has a strong sports scene. Coventry Rugby Football Club was a top rugby team for many years. Football became famous in 1967 when Coventry City F.C. reached the top league. They stayed there for 34 years. In 1987, they won the FA Cup, their only major trophy.

Since 2000, the Coventry Blaze ice hockey team has been very successful. They have won the Elite League four times. They play their home games at the SkyDome Arena.

Club	Sport	Founded	League	Venue
Coventry City F.C.	Football	1883	EFL Championship	Coventry Building Society Arena
Coventry Sphinx L.F.C.	Football	2012	West Midlands Regional Women's Football League	Coventry Sphinx Sports and Social Club
Coventry United L.F.C	Football	2015	FA Women's Championship	Butts Park Arena
Coventry R.F.C.	Rugby union	1874	RFU Championship	Butts Park Arena
Coventry Bees	Speedway	1928
Coventry Blaze	Ice hockey	2000	Elite Ice Hockey League	SkyDome Arena
Broadstreet RFC	Rugby Union	1929	National League 2 (North)	Ivor Preece Field
Coventry Jets	American Football	2003	BAFA National Leagues	Coventry Sphinx Sports and Social Club
Coventry Sphinx F.C.	Football	1946	Midland Football League Premier Division	Coventry Sphinx Sports and Social Club
Coventry United F.C.	Football	2013	Midland Football League Premier Division	Butts Park Arena

Football Teams

Coventry has two professional football teams. Coventry City F.C. is the men's team, playing in the EFL Championship. They were founded in 1883. They are nicknamed the Sky Blues. They spent 34 years in the top league and won the FA Cup in 1987. In 2005, they moved to the 32,600-seat Ricoh Arena.

Coventry United L.F.C. is the women's team. They play at the Butts Park Arena.

There are also several other local football clubs in the city.

Rugby Union Teams

At the start of the 2014–15 season, there were 14 rugby clubs in Coventry. Later, Aviva Premiership club Wasps RFC moved to the city. They played their first home game at the Ricoh Arena in December 2014. However, Wasps left the city in 2022.

Coventry Rugby Football Club plays in the RFU Championship, the second tier of English rugby. They were very successful in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Many of their players played for their countries. Their home ground is the Butts Park Arena.

Ice Hockey Teams

The Coventry Blaze are a top ice hockey team. They play their games at the SkyDome Arena. They have won the Elite Ice Hockey League Championship four times. In the 2004–05 season, they won the "Grand Slam" (Championship, Challenge Cup, and Playoffs). They are the only team in the Elite League to do this. The club also has a successful academy for young players.

The Coventry Phoenix is the city's only women's ice hockey team.

Other Sports

• Speedway: The Coventry Bees speedway team started in 1948. They won the League Champions nine times. Famous riders like Ole Olsen and Hans Nielsen rode for the Bees.
• Cricket: The main cricket clubs are Standard Cricket Club and Coventry and North Warwickshire Cricket Club.
• Athletics: The Coventry Godiva Harriers is the leading athletics club. Many of its members have competed nationally and internationally. These include Basil Heatley (marathon silver medalist) and David Moorcroft (Commonwealth Games gold medalist).
• Field Hockey: Coventry & North Warwickshire Hockey Club was founded in 1895.
• Golf: Dame Laura Davies, a very successful female golfer, was born in Coventry. She has won 87 tournaments.
• Roller Derby: The all-female Coventry Roller Derby (CRD) team was founded in 2014.

Economy and Development

Historically, Coventry was a major centre for making ribbons in the UK. It also became famous for making cars and bicycles. Companies like Humber, Hillman, Riley, and Daimler started here. The Triumph motorcycle also began in a Coventry factory in 1902.

Even though the car industry has changed, Jaguar still has its main office in Coventry. Peugeot also has a large parts centre here.

The Standard Motor Company opened a car factory in Canley in 1918. This factory later made Triumph cars. It closed in 1980, which was a big blow to Coventry's economy.

The famous London black cab taxis are made by Coventry-based LEVC. Until 2017, these were the only motor vehicles fully built in Coventry.

Making machine tools was also a big industry. Alfred Herbert Ltd became one of the world's largest machine tool companies.

Today, Coventry's main industries include cars, electronics, machine tools, and aerospace parts. Recently, the city has shifted from manufacturing to business services, finance, research, and creative industries.

City Centre Improvements

Major projects are helping to improve the city centre. The Phoenix Initiative, completed in 2004, won many awards. There are also plans to improve Swanswell Pool and link it to the Coventry Canal Basin. In 2007, IKEA opened its first city centre store in the UK in Coventry. However, this store closed in 2020.

The River Sherbourne runs under Coventry's city centre. It was covered over during the rebuilding after World War II. There are plans to uncover parts of the river and create a riverside walk. In 2012, the Broadgate area became pedestrian-friendly.

Public Services

Emergency and Health Services

Coventry's emergency services are provided by West Midlands Police, the West Midlands Fire Service, and the West Midlands Ambulance Service.

Healthcare is mainly provided by the National Health Service (NHS). The main hospital is University Hospital Coventry. It opened in 2006 and has 1,250 beds.

Waste and Environment

Coventry has an energy from waste incinerator. It burns rubbish from Coventry and Solihull to create electricity.

• Many areas in Coventry have recycling for plastic, metal, and paper.
• Garden waste is collected and composted.
• You can take waste to the recycling depot near the incinerator.

In 2006, Coventry City Council promised to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Getting Around Coventry

Roads and Motorways

Coventry is close to several major motorways: the M1, M6, M40, M45, and M69 motorway. The M45, opened in 1959, was the first motorway to serve Coventry. The M6 north of the city opened in 1971, and the M69 to Leicester opened five years later.

The city is also served by the A45 and A46 dual carriageways. The A45 used to go through the city centre but was rerouted in the 1930s. The A46 was rerouted east of the city in 1989.

Coventry has a dual-carriageway Ring Road (A4053) that is 2.25 miles long. It goes around the city centre, following the old city walls. Construction started in the late 1950s and finished in 1974.

Train Services

Coventry railway station is a main stop on the West Coast Main Line. You can catch trains to London Euston, Birmingham New Street, Manchester Piccadilly, and other major cities.

Coventry also has three smaller train stations: Coventry Arena, Canley, and Tile Hill. Coventry Arena station opened in 2016.

Future Light Rail

A light rail system is planned for Coventry, called Coventry Very Light Rail. The first vehicle was made in March 2021. The first line, to University Hospital Coventry, was planned to open by 2024.

Buses and Coaches

Bus services in Coventry are run by companies like National Express Coventry. Pool Meadow bus station is the main bus and coach station in the city centre. You can catch national coaches from here to other towns and cities.

Coventry aims to have all its buses powered by electricity by 2025.

Air Travel

The closest major airport is Birmingham Airport, about 11 miles west of Coventry. Coventry Airport, located 5 miles south of the city, is now only used for smaller planes.

Canal Travel

The Coventry Canal ends near the city centre at Coventry Canal Basin. It is 38 miles long and connects to Fradley Junction in Staffordshire.

Coventry's Accent

Coventry's accent is a mix of 'West' and 'East' Midlands sounds. A thousand years ago, the forest of Arden separated Coventry from areas like Birmingham. This meant people in Coventry had different ways of speaking. Coventry was also a trading hub, so its dialect mixed with others.

The Coventry accent is similar to Northern English in some ways. For example, it doesn't always change vowel sounds like Southern English does. However, it also has some features of Estuary English, especially among younger people.

Famous People from Coventry

Coventry has been home to many famous people in science, arts, and sports.

Science, Technology, and Business

• Thomas Stevens invented a way to weave colourful silk pictures called Stevengraphs.
• Joseph Gutteridge, a silk weaver, became a pioneer in five-colour brocades.
• In 1904, the world's first man-made fibre factory opened in Coventry. It produced "artificial silk" (later called viscose rayon).

• Sir Frank Whittle, who invented the jet engine, was from Coventry.
• James Starley founded the Coventry Sewing Machine Company and helped develop the bicycle. His nephew, J. K. Starley, founded the car company Rover.
• Sir Alfred Herbert was an industrialist who founded a tool manufacturing company. He also gave money to the city, and the Herbert Art Gallery is named after him.
• Cyborg scientist Kevin Warwick is from Coventry.
• Sir John Egan, a former head of Jaguar Cars, went to Bablake School in the city.
• Sir Frederick Gibberd, an architect, was born in Coventry. He designed Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.

Arts and Entertainment

• The Shakespearean actor Dame Ellen Terry was born in Coventry in 1847.
• Other famous people in arts from Coventry include film directors Debbie Isitt and Alice Lowe.
• Comedians like Guz Khan are from Coventry.
• Actors such as Clive Owen and Nigel Hawthorne grew up here.
• Writers from Coventry include poet Philip Larkin and author Graham Joyce.
• Many musicians are from Coventry, including Delia Derbyshire (electronic composer) and members of The Specials and The Selecter.
• Pete Waterman, a record producer, is also from the city.
• The 2 Tone music style started in Coventry in the 1970s.

Sports Stars

• Speedway: Tom Farndon was a famous speedway rider.
• Football: Graham Alexander, Bobby Gould, and James Maddison are footballers from Coventry.
• Cricket: Tom Cartwright and Ian Bell played cricket.
• Rugby Union: Andy Goode, David Duckham, and Neil Back are well-known rugby players.
• Golf: Dame Laura Davies, a top female golfer, was born in Coventry.
• Athletics: Sprinters Marlon Devonish and Yasmin Liverpool are from the city.
• Boxing: Boxer Errol Christie grew up in Coventry.

Freedom of the City

The Freedom of the City is a special honour given to people or groups.

Individuals

• Alfred Robert Grindlay: 15 November 1962
• Mo Mowlam: 1999.
• Lord Bhattacharyya: 1 October 2015.
• Ratan Tata: 1 October 2015.

Military Units

• HMS Diamond, RN: 16 October 2014.

Organisations and Groups

• The University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust: 14 July 2022.

Images for kids

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See also

In Spanish: Coventry para niños