Coventry Cross

JW - Have a look at Google maps for Hob Lane, Berkswell. Find a set of modern barns with distinctive green roofs on the north side of the road. Look down below them and across the other side of the road for a set of buildings set back from the road and with a distinctive 'L' shaped driveway which is light coloured. Image House is the building with three or four cars parked outside (including a red one and a white one). I actually found the exact location by looking on National Library of Scotland Maps - Side By Side Images. I use the 6 inch maps and then zoom in on the modern side to find what I am looking for - easier to do than to explain. Hope this helps. Edited by member, 15th May 2019 4:13 pm

On my post 72 there is a link to the Historic England Site, there is a map and image house is in the middle of the map. If you find Hob Lane on Google maps you can match it up

The Historic England listing notice says late 16th/early 17th century.

So I should find the turnpike - or the site of it - 7 3/4miles from Warwick - thanks MR! And when I follow Not Local's instructions, there it is, 7 3/4 miles from Warwick. And the edges of the fields north of Hob Lane suggest that Red Lane may previously have continued around to the farmhouse before being bypassed by Hob Lane - just a guess. Edited by member, 15th May 2019 9:46 pm

Hi NL - got it, thanks! It's hard to find an angle, from the road view, that matches the image in the earlier post, though.

The rebuilding of the Coventry Cross at its former original site having fallen through, a committee decided that a marble statue be erected on Greyfriars Green to the memorial of Sir Thomas White in its place, unveiled in 1883 by the mayor A.S. Tomson. Apart from the images Alderman Brockle removed most of the rubbish from the cross for his garden paths. Cartloads of it, and horses were a source of power in those days - drawing oils painted on gateposts used to stop a horse. Sometimes a donkey would be put in a field to stop them trying to escape, they would not leave without the stubborn donkey. Horsemen passed on knowledge of plants of value to the treating of illness and diseases, apples sliced and left to rot until infested with antibiotic-carrying fungi treated a lot of horse complaints. Horses were kept at prisons for a time as therapeutic value, they changed a man's character, but costs came in. There is nothing more beautiful than a meadowland of wild flowers, swallows swooping low to catch the insects, the hum of the hoverflies, dragonflies and bees. All this would have greeted Alderman Brockle at Image House.

JW - The photograph on Post 72 appears to be a view of the rear of the house which is now somewhat altered by the addition of a modern conservatory. The other window spacing appears to be the same. It must have been taken from the fields at the back, perhaps there was something obstructing the front view or maybe the estate agent thought this view more attractive. All these years later it has given us something to exercise our brains on.

HAVE WE SEEN THE END OF COVENTRY CROSS? Or will Coventry City of Culture come up trumps? Anyone know? Any suggestions?

Hi Prof - from what I know the bulk of the lower half was destroyed in the removal - the rest is supposed to re-appear closer to the original location (nearer Primark) at some point but given all the current issues and lack of funding for anything I don't think it'll see the light of day for some time

I did wonder if the thing would be severely damaged as they removed it.

The fact that half of it has apparently gone does not augur well for the re-instatement! Typical of Coventry! What's more it was a gift to the city. The flags held by the heraldic beasts snapped off because they were fixed and not allowed to swivel. I also think Godiva is not in the best position. There was all that space surrounding it on the island, so I don't see why it could not have stayed where it was.