Old Cathedral and Church of St Michael

From Defoe's book of 1720, about Coventry. There are 11 churches in this city; but three of them are particular Ornaments to it, having fine high spires, after the Manner of thofe at Litchfield, but nothing like them for the Beauty of the Building. Here is no Cathedral, as fome have falfly faid, neither is the great Church, fo call'ed, either Collegiate or Conventual. It was indeed a Monaftry or Priory, and, as been faid, the Bifhop's See was remov'd from Chefter hither, but no Cathedral was built, for the Change was not continued, and the See was foon removed to Litchfield, where it continues to this day. Yet this City contended a great while for it indeed, but could not carry it. In King Henry 8th's Time, the Priory being dif-folved, the Church which they would have call'd a Cathedral, was reduc'd to a private Parifh-Church, and continues fo to this day; 'tis an Archdeaconry indeed, and the Bifhop is ftiled Bifhop of Litchfield and Coventry. Coventry was the Sifter City to Litchfield, and join'd in the Title of the See, Which was for fome little Time, feated here, but afterwards returned to Litchfield Change the 'f' to an 's'

A view of Austrian oak screens with Lady Chapel beyond. You get a very clear impression here of the width and slenderness of those arches Helen F! Also see my post of Great West Window in Trinity Church, similar arches there!

That's a particularly nice shot of that part of St Michael's Prof. The windows in that section of the church were replaced in Dr Troughton's era but even before then the glass was plain as some of the stained glass of the medieval glaziers like John Thornton had been destroyed after the Dissolution as popery (ie too Catholic). It contained too many mythical creatures. At the same time the wall paintings were whitewashed over and most of the finery was sold or stolen. In some ways it's a shame the churches lost their bling (and a tragedy we lost many fine ecclesiastical buildings like St Mary's) but I think the plainer interiors of bare stone and wood are more majestic and awe inspiring.

The screens from the Lady Chapel side. I like the look of the stained glass here. If only we knew the colours!

I have a feeling I may have made a grave mistake on this topic, I believe I may have said the Rev Clitheroe and his team was fire watching on the Cathedral on blitz night, but of course it was the Provost Rev Howard and his team on the Cathedral, Rev Clitheroe and his team were on Holy Trinity. Both teams did a brilliant and brave job.

The Monumental Inscriptions in the Parish Church of S. Michael, Coventry, together with drawings of the Arms There are other descriptions, eg of the glass.

Thanks for that Helen. The Yardleys listed in the St Thomas or Cappers Chapel are some of my ancestors and the Vernons mentioned are also relatives. Such a shame the memorial no longer exists.

You are quite right about the firewatchers on Trinity and the Cathedral Kaga!

Kaga's description of inside St Michael's old Cathedral, so evocative of that sad loss may be helped a little by this picture (West End near tower I imagine) of St Michael, I found today:

It's a beautiful picture, but I'm pretty certain that it's not Coventry's St. Michael's - I can't think of any flat-faced walls like that?

My first glance was that it's looking into the bell tower from a spot just inline with the door. Certainly the chest is very familiar. Yes, I've just checked on Google Street view. It's a bit you don't normally see in photos because the organ was in front of it. So all in all a great find Prof as we've never seen anything quite like it. Link to description of the chest as it stood in the Lady Chapel.

Well I'll eat my hat, you're right! It looks so different, and the thing that really threw me was the "blind arcade" on the left, which I had no idea about - I'd assumed all the arches between the pillars were open. How different everything looks now! Well done to all.

Sorry Kaga, I've just reached my 80th so I do not know if I ever saw inside the old St Michael's and would be too young to remember if I was taken inside. How I envy you your memories! I'd love to see it re-built, as many of the German churches in Nuremberg and Dresden and other cities were lovingly restored. Coventry would then attract even more visitors than now.

Prof. Then I hope you are enjoying good health. I have a job to remember now what I did see, how I wish we had this forum years ago. I thought as a kid the Cathedral was awesome, until I visited the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem 1947. I asked 6/7 Coventry kids how they rated it to Coventry Cathedral and not one of them had ever been in either of them. I think it was the height and the pillars that gave it majesty - the few times I did go, it was packed, the singing was sensational and the choir seemed to keep passing by forever. I did think the organ was behind us on the left as you walked in, it faced east to west and caught the morning sun - I think you could describe the colours as of the rainbow with a flair for blue. I feel I have seen that chest before, possibly more than once, could have been in books, but for the life of me??

Thank you Kaga, I am in good general health but I have angina, and years ago in Oxford a triple by-pass. The spreading arches between the pillars impress me so much in all the photos I have seen. Then the statues of St Peter and St Paul, the stained glass must have been stunning, so much of it behind the altar and on either side. I like to go into Holy Trinity, though smaller, gets the feel though it was grander, of something how St. Michael's must have been.