New Cathedral of St Michael

Art and design must evolve; the new generation will spurn old styles lest it is thought to be non-creative. Avant-garde rules. Sometimes it's good (Art Deco in the early C20), sometimes bad (Brutalism in the 1950s), but that's just my opinion. Interesting that you cite a mountain view is universally pleasing - it may be today but in the C19 it was terrifying, and such areas were seen as no-go areas.

The bricks on the right in this photo look as though they are from another era, maybe Tudor. Was this deliberate or is it the light and angle of the photo?

Chapel of Christ the Servant under construction. Christine Hill

Why wasn't the cathedral aligned west to east, so the congregation was always facing east so they would not miss the resurrection, as per the other great churches?

Would not have been room on a sloping site. See Basil Spence's book 'Phoenix at Coventry', all part of design plan. Whole concept rests on connection between the two buildings!

Prof I know that, but why was he allowed to do it? It did not conform to the religious rites of St Michael's Cathedral.

Kaga, there is no law requiring an east west alignment and the orientation made the best use of the area available it the time. Coventry's churches have an iffy east, west alignment anyway. St John's isn't, the White and Grey Friars churches weren't.

Helen. Law? Who's talking about law, or iffy. This was an ancient "belief" by religious people, stronger than any laws at the time, more so in the east, but practised in the UK in ancient times. St John's we don't know its lay of the land, but the hospital and buildings were at the rear, and the entrance to the church. The White and Grey friars church was in a south-easterly direction, was entered from the south. Over the years it lost its strength, as did all religions.

There is the film but this photo is still of interest.

I well remember the New Cathedral being built and was there as a Boy Scout for the consecration. I remember there were old pennies set into the floor but they are not there now. Does anyone know when the pennies were removed and what was done with them.

I think they were just worn away, Derrickarthur, the last time I visited the Cathedral (some years ago), they appeared to be just smooth copper discs in the floor.

My first visit to the new cathedral was for my school's annual day (the real title escapes me just now). As we all walked down the aisle, I spotted one of the pennies and bent down to pick it up, nearly causing a pile up as I struggled to grasp it before realizing it was embedded in the floor. Apparently I was not the only one to be fooled by this!

As normal when I pick a topic, I go back and read every post. Having just read all 89 posts on the cathedral (starting 12 years ago), it has been called some names in its time. Monstrosity, museum, brutal, ugly and likened to Wood End? (not sure why Wood End was chosen). Now at 60+ years since consecration this structure is still a big attraction to Coventry visitors and also a great credit to our city.