The King that moved to Coventry

Henry VI "Coventry started out as a Bronze Age settlement in the centre of what is the bowl shape of the city. This environment which included at the time, lakes and large rivers, mild weather and surrounding forest provided the conditions for human habitation. There was plenty of food and water along with materials to build shelter. Coventry predates its neighbouring cities of Birmingham and Leicester. It is widely agreed by historians that the first significant settlement grew around a Saxon nunnery Circa 700 AD by St Osburga. Coventry's name is thought to have originated from a Saxon called Cofa. This character marked his boundary with a tree and so the name Cofantreo emerged. Over time this spelling evolved into cofastree , Coventria, Coventrev, Covintry and eventually Coventry. Coventry was granted a royal "Charter of Incorporation" in 1345 by King Edward III which was the first municipal charter of its kind in England. Coventry was now a City. Coventry became the fourth largest and best defended city in England and was only surpassed in size and wealth by York, Bristol and London. In 1451 Coventry was granted County status by King Henry VI in gratitude for offering him safety from an uprising by the men of Kent. "The County of the City of Coventry" would carry this status until 1842. Coventry then returned to the County of Warwickshire. Due to mental illness suffered by King Henry VI, his wife Queen Margaret effectively took charge and moved the Royal Court to Coventry. She felt that the heavily protected city with its town wall and fortifications was the safest place to be. Coventry was now the seat of power and effectively, the Capital City of England. This was to last until 1461."

Henry IV also spent a lot of time in Coventry, and legend has it that the young Prince Hal was punished for being drunk in the abbey. Shakespeare has Prince Hal meeting Falstaff on the road to Coventry, bluff Sir John being born here. I wrote a history of Coventry some years ago it's here : History of Coventry

Thanks for the above Disorganised1 I have printed those pages off for my daughter as I know she will be most interested. I was rather amused by the "shamrock in his turban" remark.

Many thanks Disorganised1 for your very interesting article. I was particularly taken by your note that "After WW2 over 350 buildings remained dated prior to 1700. Today there are 34". Says it all really about the Muppets in the planning offices doesn't it?

You're welcome.