Coventry has been named the UK City of Culture for 2021 and as the City gears up for its year in the limelight, we look at 5 worthwhile reasons to explore the West Midlands city.
1. To see the ruins of one of England’s most magnificent cathedrals
Coventry was one of the worst-hit cities during the Blitz, including the most devastating bombing in November 1940 which saw the destruction of the Coventry cathedral.
The ruins of the medieval Grade I-listed structure remain as a visitor site and reminder of the bombings, adjacent to a new cathedral (also Grade I-listed). Designed by Sir Basil Spence, the new building features a huge and austere tapestry by Graham Sutherland. Visit in the morning to see the astonishing stained glassed windows at their most glorious.
2. The tale of Lady Godiva and Peeping Tom
The legend goes that Lady Godiva, an English noblewoman, was said to have rode naked on a horse through the city's streets in protest of a tax her husband (Earl of Mercia) had imposed on his tenants. Later versions of the story say that a man called Thomas, who watched Lady Godiva riding naked, was struck blind or dead and is the origin of the unflattering label of ‘Peeping Tom’. The city today pays homage to the legend in various forms including a clock and an even less flattering statue.
3. An impressive car museum
The Coventry Transport Museum is a genuinely impressive collection of cars, motorcycles and pushbikes accumulated from Coventry’s time as the car manufacturing capital of the world. It is one of those rare places that appeals even to non-car fans, with exhibits ranging from Queen Mary’s Daimler to the earliest bicycles. Don’t miss the Thrust SSC simulator, which puts you through the motions of achieving the world land speed record (the car, which still holds the record set in 1997, is also on display here).
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