THE ANCIENT gates to the medieval city of Coventry will become tourist accommodation following a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Historic Coventry Trust has been awarded £249,000 towards the £600,000 project which will restore the two Grade I Listed Gates as places to stay for visitors in the run-up to Coventry being UK City of Culture in 2021.
Swanswell and Cook Street Gates are the last remaining of the 12 gates in the city wall constructed around 1350.
The 2.2-mile wall, the same length as the city’s current ring road, made Coventry the best defended city outside London. It was ripped down by Charles II in 1662 as retribution for Coventry’s support of Parliament in the Civil War.
The city’s gates are included in Coventry City Council’s transfer of 22 historic buildings to the Trust, which was approved in December 2017.
Ian Harrabin, Chairman of Historic Coventry Trust, said: “This is great news and gives us confidence that we will raise the rest of the money we need in time to start the works next April.
“There is something really magical about the gates and staying there will be a top-notch visitor experience – the magic of a mini castle with all of the mod cons. “The gates will be available for short stay only bookings, for both tourists and locals, from January 2021.
“A big part of the project is to engage local people in the city’s medieval history – the city wall played a huge part of Coventry’s growth in the 14th century. The destruction of the wall by our future King’s namesake must have been cataclysmic at the time.
“There is such a big story here to engage people in Coventry rich history, particularly the kids, right next door to the Transport Museum.”
Councillor Jim O’Boyle, Coventry Council’s Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration, said: “The gates and wall generate huge public interest so it’s great news that the two remaining gates are being brought back into productive use that will allow local people to stay in them, boost the visitor economy and also generate revenue for their long-term maintenance.
“These opportunities and benefits come from our in-depth partnership with Historic Coventry. Without it, this and other projects just wouldn’t be happening.
“The Council will be shortly starting work, in tandem, to painstakingly restore the wall remains that link the two gates, supported by funding from Historic England.”
Anne Jenkins, Director of England, Midlands & East at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “As Coventry gears up to be the City of Culture in 2021, it is great news that the last two remaining medieval gatehouses will be brought back into use for the celebrations. People are at the heart of the stories of the gatehouses as over the years it has seen soldiers, workers, refugees and migrants pass through them, and this project will build on this heritage by adding new strands to the already fascinating histories.”
According to Historic Coventry (not related to the Historic Coventry Trust), the 12 gates of the city were:
Swanswell gate (previously known as Priory gate) – completed c1440, still standing.
Cook Street gate (sometimes referred to as Tower gate) – built c1385, still standing.
Bishop gate (a reference to the Bishop’s route between Coventry and Lichfield).
Well Street gate.
Hill Street gate – built c1395, rebuilt 1423.
Spon gate (also called Bablake gate) – built 1372 – demolished 1771.
Greyfriars gate (The main route to Warwick) – demolished 1781.
Cheylesmore gate.
Little Park gate – described as “in ruins” on Bradford’s 1749 map of Coventry.
New gate (entrance to the London Road; the first gate to be built.) – demolished 1762.
Gosford gate – demolished in 1765.
Mill Lane gate (originally known as Bastille gate) – rebuilt 1512-14 – demolished 1849.
