Coventry is known as one of the oldest cities in the UK. Settlement in the area predates that of all other cities in the Midlands with evidence of Bronze Age life. This is not surprising because Coventry had an enormous river and lakes at the time which made it the ideal place for a settlement. It is believed that the Corieltauvi, an agricultural people, were among the first settlers in the area.

Medieval Coventry

The origins of modern Coventry can be traced back to perhaps the 8th century when a Saxon village was formed there which was known as Coffantree. A Benedictine monastery was formed in the town in 1043. The town is also famous for the legend of Lady Godiva who is said to have rode naked through the town on a horse! Lady Godiva’s husband was the man who founded the monastery.

Coventry became a major trade centre for cloth and was one of England’s most important Medieval towns. Its population was almost 5,000 by the end of the 14th century which made it a large town by Medieval standards. St. Mary’s Hall was built in 1340 and was designed to be a meeting place for the town’s merchant’s guild. The importance of Coventry can be seen by the fact that a castle was built in the town. A stone wall was built around the town around 1335.

Middle Ages

By the start of the 16th century, Coventry had a population of almost 7,000 but this declined to approximately 6,000 by the end of that century as the town started to lose its importance. At the start of the English Civil War in 1642, <>bKing Charles I tried to enter the town with his Royalist army but was refused entry. Parliament held on to the town during the course of the war. Many Royalist prisoners were held in Coventry and were treated harshly. The phrase ‘sent to Coventry’ which means to be excluded and ostracised from polite society, is said to originated from the Civil War. In 1662, Charles II had the city’s walls destroyed, probably in revenge for how his father was treated 20 years earlier.

18th-19th Century

Although the wool industry in Coventry declined, a number of other industries took wool’s place. The silk ribbon weaving industry became huge and the town also became one of the three biggest watch and clock manufacturers in Britain. This industry was also to decline but the skilled workers involved in this trade decided to change industries and became more interested in the manufacture of motorbikes, machine tools and automobiles. The town was a major bicycle manufacturer by the end of the 19th century. A smallpox epidemic hit the town in 1871 and killed more than 150 people. Within three years, a fever hospital had been built.

Modern Coventry

The population of the town was above 60,000 by the beginning of the 20th century. Bicycle manufacturing was joined by an increased interest in the automobile industry. The town became one of main British motor industry locations by this time. Jaguar Cars had their headquarters in Coventry for decades though the company has since moved to India. Nonetheless, Jaguar still carry out operations from Coventry.

Ambulance services came to Coventry in 1902 and the first cinemas were built in 1910. Buses were seen on roads by 1914 which was a major boost to public transport in the town. The first council houses were available in 1917 and the town began a period of growth thereafter. However, World War II bombings by German Luftwaffe airplanes devastated the city. On 14 November 1940, the old Coventry Cathedral was destroyed. The bombing claimed the lives of more than 800 people with approximately 4,000 homes ruined.

Rebuilding began in 1948 and a statue of Lady Godiva was unveiled the following year. The Gibson Plan was the strategy used to bring Coventry into the modern era and rebuild following the disaster that was World War II. The Eagle Street Mosque was opened in 1967 and was Coventry’s first mosque. The boom of the 1950s and 1960s was replaced by a high rate of unemployment and crime in the 1980s. However, the city has once again recovered and is known for being one of the safest major UK cities. Although the motor industry has completely declined, it has been replaced by several others. Coventry is once again showing its will to survive and thrive and will do so for many generations to come.