Scheduled monuments in Coventry facts for kids

The Vignoles Bridge over the River Sherbourne in Spon End

Have you ever wondered about the oldest and most important historical places in your town? In the United Kingdom, some special archaeological sites and historic buildings are called "scheduled monuments." This means they are super important to the nation's history and are protected by law. No one can change them without permission! English Heritage helps decide which places get this special protection.

Coventry is a very old city in the West Midlands of England. Its history goes back to at least the 11th century. By the 1300s, it was a busy place for trade and business. Many of Coventry's monuments, like its city walls, were built around the late 1300s and early 1400s. Even though these walls weren't really needed for defense anymore, they were a cool way to show off how important the city was!

The oldest monuments on this list are Caludon Castle and St Mary's Priory and Cathedral. Both were built way back in the 11th century and are now amazing ruins. The newest scheduled monument in Coventry is Vignoles Bridge. This iron footbridge was made in 1835 and moved to its current spot in 1969. It crosses the River Sherbourne.

Discover Coventry's Ancient Monuments

Let's explore some of the amazing scheduled monuments you can find in Coventry. Each one tells a unique story about the city's past!

Allesley Castle: A Mysterious Mound

Cook Street Gate, the only functional city gate remaining in Coventry

• What it is: All that's left of Allesley Castle is a big mound, called a motte, and a ditch around it. The mound is about 45 meters (148 feet) wide.
• When it was built: We don't know the exact date, but it was sometime between 1066 and 1387.
• Where to find it: Torbay Road, Allesley.
• Cool fact: Historians think the site might hold clues about how the castle was built and its history.

Caludon Castle: A Wall from the Past

• What it is: Only a large grey sandstone wall remains of Caludon Castle.
• When it was built: This site has been used since at least the 11th century!
• Where to find it: Farren Road, Wyken.
• Cool fact: The surviving wall piece is now in a park. The site was home to different buildings over time, including a manor, a castle, and a large house.

Cook Street Gate: A Surviving City Gate

The wall fragment that is all that remains of the ancient Caludon Castle

• What it is: This is one of only two gates left from Coventry's old city walls. It's a tower made of red sandstone with a big archway. It has "crenellations" on top, which are the cool, tooth-like shapes you see on castle walls.
• When it was built: Early 14th century.
• Where to find it: Cook Street, city centre.
• Cool fact: Cook Street Gate is the only gate of the original 12 that you can still use today!

Coventry City Walls: Fragments of a Grand Past

• What it is: These are the scattered remains of the walls that once surrounded Coventry.
• When it was built: 14th century.
• Where to find it: Various spots in the city centre.
• Cool fact: The walls were torn down in the 1600s by King Charles II. He was upset because Coventry supported the other side during the English Civil War. The most complete part of the wall is connected to Swanswell Gate.

Moated Site at Bishop Ullathorne School: A Hidden History

• What it is: This is a site that was once surrounded by a moat (a ditch filled with water).
• When it was built: Before 1597.
• Where to find it: Leasowes Avenue.
• Cool fact: Even though a school now stands here and a road cuts through it, parts of the old moat are still visible, including a pond area.

Moated Site at Ernesford Grange: An Ancient Farmhouse

The ruins of St Mary's Priory and Cathedral, now a garden

• What it is: Another moated site, shaped roughly like a square.
• When it was built: Before 1279.
• Where to find it: Princethorpe Way, Binley.
• Cool fact: Digs here in 1971 found that an L-shaped sandstone building once stood on the site. It used to belong to Coombe Abbey.

St Mary's Priory and Cathedral: A Garden of Ruins

• What it is: These are the exposed foundations of an 11th-century priory (a type of monastery) and cathedral. A beautiful garden has been built around them.
• When it was built: 1043.
• Where to find it: Priory Row, city centre.
• Cool fact: This priory was built by Lady Godiva and Leofric, Earl of Mercia! It was rediscovered in the 1800s and has been excavated many times since.

Moated Site South of Caludon Castle: A Castle's Companion

• What it is: A dry moat located about 190 meters (623 feet) south of Caludon Castle.
• When it was built: 12th century.
• Where to find it: Farren Road, Wyken.
• Cool fact: This moat might have been a separate enclosed area connected to Caludon Castle.

The Charterhouse: A Historic Home

The Charterhouse—the building has been heavily rebuilt, but incorporates the remains of the 14th-century original.

• What it is: This site was originally home to the Charterhouse of St Anne, a religious house. The building you see today has been changed many times over the years, but it still has parts of the original 14th-century structure.
• When it was built: 1381.
• Where to find it: London Road, Cheylesmore.
• Cool fact: The site also includes some cool 15th and 16th-century paintings!

Vignoles Bridge: A Moving History

• What it is: A cast-iron footbridge with a single span, crossing the River Sherbourne.
• When it was built: Around 1835.
• Where to find it: Meadow Street, Spon End.
• Cool fact: This bridge wasn't always in Coventry! It was first built to cross the Oxford Canal and was moved to its current spot in 1969. It was designed by a famous engineer named Charles Vignoles.