Rambling, Coundon Wedge Area

Later this week I hope to walk the length of Coundon Wedge, starting at the 'Nugget' & finishing at the 'Elms'. A good bus service at either end makes this an easy walk, which allowing for bird-watching takes me just over an hour or so. There is a lot of Coventry history in this area, providing I do not miss it. The picture is of my grandchildren walking in the opposite direction after an hour on the swings in Allesley Park a couple of years ago. I often have lunch at the Elms which along with a drink is another good reason for using the bus. I have very mixed memories of this area as the Elms was once Paybody hospital, where I spent years, yes years of my early life confined to. I was almost haunted by the sound of the parish bells from next door, but after playing for weddings there, I have grown up, I hope.

Only bad weather will stop me if anything does this week, Dougie. I was out on my bike first thing this morning. Around Corley & Fillongley. It is often the case that some people do not have any idea about the area that they live in, historical or otherwise. A blade of grass is much the same whether it is in Coventry, Cornwall or anywhere else. Coundon Wedge always produces surprise on the faces of first time walkers, simply because they can't believe that they are still inside of the city. The house of the Singer family that provided employment to so many is passed on route, which is now Coundon Court School. You have a good day. I will let you know how good the lunch was at The Elms.

We often go to the Elms for a meal and I have often wondered how it was laid out as a hospital as it seems to be very impractical. There are lots of little nooks and crannies and small flights of stairs which would make moving patients difficult. Was it built as a hospital or was it someones house that was converted to one? I'm guessing the latter as there is quite an impressive staircase there.

The building that is there now, became the nurses H/Q and admin, after a single story building at the top of the hill was built. (now demolished). In the area of the stairs of the existing building, there are two photographs showing the layout, Elaine. It was a private house, before being given as a hospital. The single story building came about for the reason that you have observed. ps. I love their salads along with the honey & mustard sauce. What a pip!

I was born in Ashwood Avenue. We move before I was four, so my memories are from when I was two or three. On Summer afternoons/evenings we would walk up Hollyfast Road, probably as far as the Nugget, and thence across the fields to Allesley Church. I used to be frightened of the bullocks and my dad had to carry me when there were any in the field. From Allesley Church, we would cut back to Westfield Road passing near the Coundon Hostel. By that time, I was usually so tired that my dad had to carry me home on his shoulders

Hello Elaine

The Paybody hospital also had a clinic in Dover St., off the Holyhead Rd. The clinic was demolished when the ring road was constructed. It was where physio treatment was given, fresh plasters applied and where the surgeons would inspect the patients developement. There was no out-patient facility at the main hospital in Allesley. For the first fifteen years of my life, three addresses dominated every part of me, My home, Dover St. & the main hospital in Allesley. On one occasion, I was in Paybody hospital for a birthday, Christmas & Easter, a period lasting ten months. Other times ranged between one & three or four months. Mostly happy times as the ward was full of children in similar circumstances. Enough said about that as there is another section for our memories on here for which there are so many for me at this location.

Are you sure it was demolished Philip? I'm not saying you're wrong but there's a large period building on the corner of Dover Street and Holyhead Road which survives and is currently used by the NHS for nurses training.

I did not think that anything remained on the left side of Dover St. It was opposite the old music school, No 2 Dover St. which still stands. Although the building was registered as Dover St, it actually fronted onto the Holyhead Rd. Please correct me if I am wrong. The last date for me attending the clinic was 1962, Dutchman. I have just checked on Google maps, and there are no buildings on the left (south) side of Dover St. The ringroad has totally taken over the original site.

You're not wrong Philip. The building I'm thinking of is on the right hand corner of Dover Street. The left-hand corner is occupied by the Ring Road junction. The NHS must have moved to the other side of the street?

Thank you for the picture & confirming my memory. Inside the clinic was the first waiting room, a painted glass roof structure, built on to the back of the main house wall. A constant smell of wet plaster along with plaster dust came from a room where old plasters were being cut off & new ones applied. Right up until 1962, I was receiving physio twice a week. It was a way of life. When I wasn't having surgery at the main hospital, I was comimg to Dover St. for treatment. A small world though. I was at Courtaulds one day in a meeting with a client & during a coffee break I learned that one of my colleages shared the same kind of treatment at Paybody & at the same time. I will wait until I see him before I say any more on that other than recalling that, we both had snow that had blown in, onto our beds early one morning.

I'm sure I've read somewhere that the original house donated by Paybody for the hospital was known originally as 'The Elms' hence the name of the current pub. When the pub was opened they ran a competition to find a suitable name and settled on The Elms because of its historical link with the site.

Some pics from todays ramble. Called Alice's tunnel, anyone know why? I have no idea why. Pic from inside the 'Elms' of the single story hospital Greetings. Only a light lunch at the 'Elms' today. I do hope you like these pics, only off my mobile, but enough to give a flavour of the Wedge. It has to be seen to be believed almost.

With the sun shining this morning & the prospect of a wet weekend, the Wedge area beckons me that way today again. There are so many footpath alternatives that it would take weeks to cover them all. Coventry Walks web site has a detailed map showing clearly defined foorpaths throughout the city. Coventry Walks

Just going back to Dutchman's view of Dover Street, had this been taken 65 or so years ago, the photographer would have been standing outside my Parent's Guest House - 46 Holyhead Road. They used to cater for transport drivers during WW2, up to 36 every night and the lorries would park in the side streets and on the Alvis frontage. I think I have a photo somewhere of an old Scammell with its driver and mate. PhilipInCoventry, to confirm your earlier thread, can you make out what it says on the Bus Stop?