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Top 10 Remarkable Facts about the Coventry Cathedral

Coventry Cathedral by DeFacto from

The Cathedral Church of Saint Michael, often known as Coventry Cathedral, is the seat of the Church of England’s Bishop of Coventry and the Diocese of Coventry. Coventry Cathedral is located in the West Midlands region of England. Christopher Cocksworth is the current bishop, while John Witcombe is the current dean.

Three cathedrals have stood in the city. The first was St Mary’s, a monastery structure that now only has a few remnants. The second was St Michael’s, a 14th-century Gothic church that was subsequently classified as a cathedral but is now a damaged shell due to the WWII bombing. The third structure is the new St Michael’s Cathedral, which was erected immediately adjacent to the previous one after it was destroyed.

1. Coventry Blitz

Coventry Blitz by Alfie-C from

Coventry Cathedral is also known as the Cathedral Church of St. Michael. It is situated in the United Kingdom. It serves as the Bishop’s residence as well as the Diocese of Coventry. During WWII, a German special unit coordinated some bomb attacks in the city of Coventry. The Coventry blitz is a notorious term for these bombs. The most heinous attacks occurred on November 14, 1940.

2. Historical squirrel designs

Coventry’s stone patterns feature squirrels. These squirrels are noteworthy because they represent the woods that has surrounded Coventry since the Middle Ages and continues to do so now.

3. Largest tapestry in the world

Cathedral Tapestry by Jerrye & Roy Klotz from

The Cathedral tapestry was made by Graham Vivian Sutherland, who was widely recognized for his stunning portraits. This greatest tapestry, popularly known as Christ in Glory, took nearly three years to finish. It comprises over 900 colours and was formerly the world’s biggest tapestry.

4. Burnt cross and the cross made with nails

Coventry Cathedral burnt cross by sannse from

Jock Forbes, the Cathedral’s stone carver, built a cross out of two charred planks of wood left over after the bombing. He discovered them in the shape of a cross. The provost of Coventry also made a cross out of nails from the Cathedral’s roof’s supporting framework. This Nail Cross, which was installed at the altar of the newly constructed Cathedral, is particularly meaningful. It represents global peace and harmony.

5. Reconstruction

Following the bombing, the Cathedral’s building plan was developed by an architect, Basil Spence, who had a boyhood goal of creating a Cathedral. Basil Spence won the commission from over 200 other architects. When asked where he got the idea for the Cathedral window. He claimed the inspiration struck him as he was sleeping on a dental chair.

6. Ghost Sightings

Before the Cathedral was repaired, the on-site contractor claimed to have seen the spirit of a monk wandering among the ruins. There have also been stories of a ‘Grey Lady’ in the Cathedral’s St. Michael’s tower.

7. Cathedral Bells

The Peace Friede Bell by Jim Linwood from

The Cathedral’s bells, which had been dormant for over a century, were rung to commemorate the silver anniversary of the opening of the newly constructed Cathedral. They were rung to mark the city’s FA Cup triumph in 1987.

8. Coventry man who spared Hitler

Henry Tandey, the most decorated British private soldier of the First World War, was born in Coventry and saved Adolf Hitler’s life. Tandey had witnessed the burning of his city and heard the screaming of hundreds of men, women, and children during an onslaught by waves of 515 German aircraft.

The valiant air raid warden had spent the last ten hours battling his way into burning buildings, rescuing casualties and removing dead as the Luftwaffe attempted to destroy the Coventry industry that powered Britain’s war effort. Tandey had realized two years before that he was the one who had allowed Hitler to live. He had levelled his weapon at a wounded German soldier fleeing a trench in the last days of the First World War 22 years before.

9. Third tallest Spire in England

The spire of Coventry Cathedral is approximately 90 meters tall, making it the highest in Coventry and the third tallest in England.

10. Gift from Bethlehem

To demonstrate harmony across the Islamic, Christian, and Jewish religions, a massive stone known as the font, about 150cm tall, was transported in from Bethlehem free of charge.

The city provides something for everyone, from music, theatre, and festivals to museums, cathedrals, and medieval history. Coventry has a bright future as the UK City of Culture 2021 and a host city for the Commonwealth Games 2022, thanks to its rich history, ancient mythology, and variety of distinctive arts and culture.