Whitefriars Monastery and Workhouse

"Non Coventry." May I ask Kaga did you infer in the reply to my post that living in Gloucester now I am regarded 'non-Coventry'? I can assure you I am Coventry born and proud of it! Or perhaps you meant 'Our Lady of Carmel' was non-Coventry? Indeed the Church at the Whitefriars had that name because of the Carmelite friars who lived and worked there in medieval times. You probably are aware of this also. Sorry, however, to hear of your bad experiences of Mount Carmel, although interesting to read.

Prof, I think Kaga means the subject of his comment is Non Coventry, but agree with you. If I am asked where I come from I always say I live in Tamworth but I am "from" Coventry and will always be proud of my heritage.

Prof, To be quite honest I had not spotted you were in Gloucester, I didn't infer anything, I just thought the name Lady of Carmel referred to the place where so much happened in my life. Surely Lady Carmel and the Carmelite Friars are named from that religious land. I'm sorry if I upset you or anyone, that's the last thing we want on this forum.

That's fine Kaga, I wasn't angry just mystified! I imagine it comes from Mount Carmel in the Bible originally! I'm quite fascinated by the Whitefriars in Coventry at the moment and what a hugely historic part of the city it once was. This has only become apparent in recent years, although we all knew it had been a monastery or to be correct, a friary, as was Greyfriars also. Thank you for all the memories you have of dear old Coventry.

Oh dear! The sad subject of Whitefriars crops up yet again. I cannot believe the stupidity of the authorities in Coventry for allowing this important piece of Coventry's history to sit in the middle of the ring road looking looking unloved and uncared for. Not only was it a monastery but in the 1800s it became a workhouse and surely there must be something that can be done to preserve it before the city looses it altogether. I thought that it might be a suitable place for the watch museum but as with all of the suggestions there is the added problem of parking. Too much I hope to have it removed brick by brick and placed somewhere where its history will be appreciated throughout the city by residents and visitors alike. It is surly as important historically as Spon Street. Lady Herbert's Garden could be a good central location possibly?( No doubt the members of Historic Coventry Forum will be baying for my blood or head on a platter for such a suggestion!) I would love to go inside and view the ceiling in the workhouse dining hall. Surely no other workhouse in the country can boast of such a stunning setting in which to eat , pity the food wasn't as good as the surroundings though. Incidentally the old toy shop you mentioned must be 17th or 18th century. Has anyone got an idea as to the date? Frances

I agree Francis, it's a fantastic building and hopefully it will be used and often open for the 2021 Year of Culture. Hopefully it will also have a long term use.

Whitefriars' vault

Nice one Prof The vaulting looks in good condition.

Helen F, As I read it Whitefriars and Greyfriars was the same Priory but different dates. It was also claimed the church was the most beautiful of all ecclesiastical buildings in Coventry?

I'm somewhat hazy about the differences between the various religious orders but I think that the grey and the white friars were different. Although there may have been a migration of men from one order to the other. Fundamentally they were all Catholic. Different orders were dedicated to different patron saints - St Michael, St Mary. Not sure who the Grey Friars looked to but the White Friars were dedicated to St Mary like the main priory in the centre of the city. At the Dissolution, as far as I know, all the monasteries were occupied, so the Grey Friars didn't move en masse to the Whitefriars. Not that there were a mass of men. For all the size of these buildings a relatively small number of men lived there.

Coventry Abbey (Whitefriars) by Moses Griffith 1776

You are right Helen F, the order of friars were different, The White Friars (Carmelite) and the Grey Friars (Franciscan, i.e. founded by St Francis of Assisi). The Grey Friars mixed with the community, and were more visible than an enclosed order.

Prof, 'Ye men of Coventry, what fools ye be', said to be spoken from the oriel window, looking over the cloister yard of Greyfriars, then called Hales Place, as a reproach on the citizens by Queen Elizabeth during her two day visit to Coventry in 1565 at the Whitefriars. But I don't believe any documents have been found in any way shape or form to confirm the story. I believe she was replaced by Mary Queen of Scots?

A commercially-produced postcard, sent in 1907, featuring a re-enactment of the visit by Queen Elizabeth