Old Cathedral and Church of St Michael

They were almost certainly the Regimental colours or banners, the old ones were placed in a cathedral or large church (I knew one at Tewkesbury that in my time fell to pieces, it hung till it dropped) and of course one would be the Union Jack (always these days called Union flag). Yes there is a fine eagle in Tewkesbury Abbey too, I shall see it soon this morning. The sparkly eagle caught by the sunlight was from the shaft of light that came down when the sun is at a certain height, and it streams through the clerestory high windows. Just the same happens at Tewkesbury only the shaft of light there shines on an enormous circular Norman pillar. There are shadows on the wall at times from the Rood (Christ with Mary and John) so one of the wooden figures casts a shadow, which might remind you of the old St Michael's, though there is no Rood there, only in St John's Church, that I know of.

Rob, hi. I believe somewhere you said the cross of charred wood had been on tour around the world. My brother has a similar relic, not the same shape, that by a number of unforeseen circumstances is about to be thrown in the dustbin. What a contrast. Who would have thought 78 years ago there would be such interest in these days, so far on. On the morning of Sat 16 Nov 1940 my father, wishing to check on his family, took me into the city - after the visits we went to look at the cathedral, we collected scraps of charred wood, also a small piece of the incendiary that caused it. My father in uniform (HG) was asked by a policeman to help. I later found out it was to do with the King's visit, So I carried the carrier bag of scraps of charred wood home. The war proceeded and nothing was mentioned again. At the end of the war our family went their different ways until just under three years ago, only three of us remained. One of my brothers suffered a massive stroke - we visited, that's when talking family I found that my father had made those scraps into a some sort of a walking stick, a nozzle on the end made of the bomb and it was in possession of the said brother for over sixty years, and by coincidence the brother was not only born on the day war broke out but as it was being announced on the wireless. There is no way I can trouble his family at this time.

Here a much better (Rob's) coloured view of the south porch, though I expect Kaga went in by the door next to the tower at the west end.

Dreamtime, you mention Holy Trinity. My elder brother was briefly in the choir there until it was discovered he was playing 'hooky' or running off amusing himself instead of being at choir practise. He did just the same when he had to take me, six years his junior, to St Andrew's Sunday School in Stoke, where we lived. The result was we both stopped going, so at last I went to another Sunday school with the children next door in another part of Stoke.

Prof. Yes, correct, west door, never saw the other doors open, but passing through the avenue of beautiful trees quite often, you had this glimpse of steps that led up to the door, do believe they were the only doors that had steps, but the south side had those lovely red bricks that the sun half caught, awesome.

Thanks Philip, I'm with you Dreamtime. I bought the book Coventry History and Celebration and for the postage received a lovely sepia mounted print of old St Michael's in 1892. My great-grandparents were married there in 1880 so it is just as they saw it. The bride was RC being Irish descent, but though baptised and confirmed at St Osburg's and buried in the RC part of the cemetery in London Rd, she was married in that grand Anglican building. Perhaps she did not worry knowing it had been RC before.

Here's another postcard view of St Michael's:

Then and now photos as Coventry Cathedral turns 100

A nice colour postcard of St Michael's in all its glory!

Here's the Sanctuary close up - credit to Willow Banks.

A print of the Lady Chapel.

Another inspirational view of St Michael's at night

Rob, Helen. I think the soil level altered a lot in 1940, in and around the Cathedral. I think we lost a lot in the removal of bomb damage to the Cathedral. I don't think anyone was counting in those days but then I'm guessing.

There is no doubt in my mind that the course of war and its influence altered the way the course of my life would have run. Even without the education I have travelled widely visiting monasteries, cathedrals and parish churches, not for religion but for interest in medieval history. People often ignore the dedication of a church but St Michael was a cult whose members favoured this saint. Almost all churches bearing this name where built on high ground, so were St Catherine, the church of St Anne near a well or stream. St George came back later with the returning crusaders and replaced St Edward. The largest dedication was for St Mary, but all parish churches were originally under the influence of Rome. We have spoke about the lych gate, but I often wondered if there was a boundary Tapsell gate as well, swing gate on a central pivot that was wide enough for people but not wide enough for cattle, but I have not come across any mention of one.