City Wall and Gates (inc. Cook Street)

Still waiting for you to uncover that shot of Silver Street Helen!

Helen F, That's splitting hairs, I did say at the bottom of Silver street not on S.Street. a woman lived in S.S she fell in the pool, was drowned but the baby survived caught up in the roots of that ash tree a few yards away, she lived opposite the Smithfield, the incident caused them to put railings round the pool. The mill dam fluctuated in size, so there were no real knowing the end of the streets'

It's not meant to be splitting hairs Kaga. You walked these streets and have a memory of what went where. I have to look at maps and try and imagine how far different places were away from each other and what features they contained. I once thought Little Park Street had a tree in the middle, but it turned out to be an ink blot! Spon End did have a tree outside the chapel and a row of them near the rail bridge. It isn't impossible that Silver Street had a tree in College Square. The arrival of Hales Street destroyed any feeling for where the Radford Brook ran in relation to Silver Street. The war and modern development has even destroyed any impression of what the old street looked like. You're retelling old, romantic tales. I'm trying to fit them to reality. Here's part of a very old picture that I think (but not sure) shows the school. See the trees dotted around that don't appear in later images or the maps?

Helen F Now youv'e got me walking round the mill pond I think the first time I saw the city centre, I must have been 3/4 years old. There was a number of old tumble down houses, and I heard that was New Buildings - imagine the years it took me to work that one out. Then we grew up pretty strict, I couldn't ride around the farm without wearing my coat, and yet a woman had ridden round the city without wearing clothes. You had birthday presents, yet you had a bath in your birthday suit. You had heard of Broadgate - when you got there there was no gate. You could get sent to Coventry without getting on the tram. All pretty confusing for a kid growing up in Coventry.

I know that you're not that old, but the scale of the buildings were more in keeping with when the pond existed. There were sightlines that are now blocked by newer often massive buildings. I haven't even walked from Silver Street to Cook Street.

A different view of Cook Street Gate with adjoining house on left, and through arch. Collywobbles

Don't think I'd seen this later one of Cook Street Gate before - thought Helen might like the exposed timbers etc - Compares well with this one and Prof's above of the Old Tower Tavern -

When I read this, I wondered whether it was April 1st

As an outsider to the city, I shouldn't be saying this but it's laughable to read this - "Historic Coventry Trust has been awarded £249,000 towards the £600,000 project which will restore the two Grade I Listed Gates." In 2010 I said to the boss, "You're in the wrong job, Rob, you should be the keeper of the keys to this historic city and make its history come to life for everyone, with the love and attention you've given to your site." He would have restored all the gates with that kind of money for everyone to see, not just the rich to spend a night in the gates which were never built for that in the first place.

I heard about the gates plan in the summer and it's not as wacky as you'd think. Unfortunately, the rules for protecting listed buildings are very expensive, onerous and often the system would prefer a building to collapse than it be restored incorrectly. £600,000 doesn't go very far in listed building repair. The listed building system also prefers a modern adaptation than faux old restoration. So, you could add a modern glass structure but not build a new stone wall. Sometimes you can't even remove horrible modern additions. The two great threats to the gates are fire and neglect. By having people staying in the two towers it might increase the risk of the former, but it reduces the risk of the latter. They give a reason to look after the towers and some kind of income. It also doesn't preclude them being open a few times a year, and in a much better state than they are now. It's all the rage to create historic short term rentals. Castles and Cathedrals often have them in outbuildings. These Coventry towers might struggle to attract as high a rental value given the areas they reside and Coventry's lack of obvious appeal but it's probably worth a try. They plan to have at least 3 levels in the Swanswell tower - I'm hoping that they open up the top as well. Not sure about the plans for the Cook Street gate. Were the towers built for habitation? Yes. The bigger ones would have had people living in them all the time. They were even used as prisons. The gates were manned because sometimes access (friend or foe) was sought out of hours and also they were logical places for permanent guards to live. Of the smaller ones, I don't know for sure if there were live in guards all the time but it was probable. They are sizeable spaces, even without the ground floor (which would have been the archways). I can easily see how someone might have had the job of shutting up and opening the gates in return for accommodation and guarding duties during the day - taking taxes. I suspect that small weapons and defensive clothing might have been stored there too. After the Civil War was over they became true homes, with multiple families living there. More storeys were added and windows and doors were scattered about the buildings to suit the inhabitants. Until recently the Swanswell gate was used by some of the park keepers as a break room. Now it stands empty and decaying, full of rat droppings and spiders. This plan has to be better than the current situation.

Prof's image above is of Spon Gate

Thanks MR. I forgot to identify and thought it might be larger, but did not go for Extra-large! Plenty in b & w but had not seen colour before with a scene going on.

Gosford Gate with St George's Chapel

Prof, I always try to see what was through the gate and see if they match up with the maps.