Last week saw me travelling to the West Midlands for the first time in quite a while. The last, and potentially only, time that this part of the country has featured in the blog, up until this point, was my successful trip to Birmingham a few years ago, during the heady days pre-COVID and cost of living crisis. It was high time to see what other gems could be unearthed in this, for my part, relatively unexplored area of the country. Which is why, on a bright, clear but rather cold Friday, I sent myself to Coventry.
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands on the River Sherbourne. Coventry had been a large settlement for centuries. Founded in the early Middle Ages, its city status was formally recognized in a charter of 1345. The city is governed by Coventry City Council.
Formerly part of Warwickshire until 1451, and again from 1842 to 1974, Coventry had a population of 345,328 at the 2021 census, making it the tenth largest city in England and the 12th largest in the United Kingdom.
It is the second largest city in the West Midlands region, after Birmingham, from which it is separated by an area of green belt known as the Meriden Gap; it is the third largest in the wider Midlands after Birmingham and Leicester. The city is part of a larger conurbation known as the Coventry and Bedworth Urban Area, which in 2021 had a population of 389,603.
Coventry is 19 miles (31 km) east-south-east of Birmingham, 24 miles (39 km) south-west of Leicester, 10 miles (16 km) north of Warwick and 94 miles (151 km) north-west of London. Coventry is also the most central city in England, being only 12 miles (19 km) south-west of the country's geographical centre in Leicestershire.
Coventry became an important and wealthy city of national importance during the Middle Ages. Later it became an important industrial centre, becoming home to a large bicycle industry in the 19th century. In the 20th century, it became a major centre of the British motor industry; this made it a target for German air raids during the Second World War, and in November 1940, much of the historic city centre was destroyed by a large air raid.
The city was rebuilt after the war, and the motor industry thrived until the mid-1970s. However, by the late-1970s/early-1980s, Coventry was in an economic crisis, with one of the country's highest levels of unemployment due to major plant closures and the collapse of the respective local supply-chain. In recent years, it has seen regeneration and an increase in population. The city also has three universities: Coventry University in the city centre, the University of Warwick on the southern outskirts and the smaller private Arden University with its headquarters close to Coventry Airport. In addition, Coventry was awarded UK City of Culture for 2021.
The Romans founded a large fort on the outskirts of what is now Coventry at Baginton, next to the River Sowe, it has been excavated and partially reconstructed in modern times and is known as the Lunt Fort. The fort was probably constructed around AD 60 in connection with the Boudican revolt, and then inhabited sporadically until around 280 AD.
The origins of the present settlement are obscure, but Coventry probably began as an Anglo-Saxon settlement. Although there are various theories of the origin of the name, the most widely accepted is that it was derived from Cofa's tree; derived from a Saxon landowner called Cofa, and a tree which might have marked either the centre or the boundary of the settlement.
Around c. AD 700 a Saxon nunnery was founded here by St Osburga, which was later left in ruins by King Canute's invading Danish army in 1016. Leofric, Earl of Mercia and his wife Lady Godiva built on the remains of the nunnery and founded a Benedictine monastery in 1043 dedicated to St Mary. It was during this time that the legend of Lady Godiva riding naked on horseback through the streets of Coventry, to protest against unjust taxes levied on the citizens of Coventry by her husband, was alleged to have occurred. Although this story is regarded as a myth by modern historians, it has become an enduring part of Coventry's identity.
A market was established at the abbey gates and the settlement expanded. At the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066, Coventry was probably a modest sized town of around 1,200 inhabitants, and its own minster church.
Coventry Castle was a motte and bailey castle in the city. It was built in the early 12th century by Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester. Its first known use was during The Anarchy when Robert Marmion, a supporter of King Stephen, expelled the monks from the adjacent priory of Saint Mary in 1144, and converted it into a fortress from which he waged a battle against the Earl. Marmion perished in the battle. It was demolished in the late 12th century. St Mary's Guildhall was built on part of the site. It is assumed the name "Broadgate" comes from the area around the castle gates.
By the 13th century, Coventry had become an important centre of the cloth trade, especially blue cloth dyed with woad and known as Coventry blue. Throughout the Middle Ages, it was one of the largest and most important cities in England, which at its Medieval height in the early 15th century had a population of up to 10,000, making it the most important city in the Midlands, and possibly the fourth largest in England behind London, York and Bristol. Reflecting its importance, in around 1355, work began on a defensive city wall, which, when finally finished around 175 years later in 1530, measured 2.25 miles (3.62 km) long, at least 12 feet (3.7 m) high, and up to 9 feet (2.7 m) thick, it had two towers and twelve gates. Coventry's city walls were described as one of the wonders of the late Middle Ages. The bishops of Lichfield were often referred to as bishops of Coventry and Lichfield, or Lichfield and Coventry (from 1102 to 1541). Coventry claimed the status of a city by ancient prescriptive usage, was granted a charter of incorporation in 1345, and in 1451 became a county in its own right, a status it retained until 1842, when it was reincorporated into Warwickshire.
Coventry's importance during the Middle Ages was such, that on a number of occasions a national Parliament was held there: In 1404, King Henry IV summoned a parliament in Coventry as he needed money to fight rebellion, which wealthy cities such as Coventry lent to him. During the Wars of the Roses, the Royal Court was moved to Coventry by Margaret of Anjou, the wife of Henry VI, as she believed that London had become too unsafe. On several occasions between 1456 and 1459, parliament was held in Coventry, which for a while served as the effective seat of government, but this would come to an end in 1461 when Edward IV was installed on the throne.
Throughout the Middle Ages Coventry had been home to several monastic orders, and as a result the city was badly hit by Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries: between 1539 and 1542, monasteries, priories and other properties belonging to the Carmelites, Greyfriars, Benedictines and Carthusians, were either sold off or dismantled. The greatest loss to the city was of Coventry's first Cathedral, St Mary's Priory and Cathedral which was mostly demolished, leaving only ruins, making it the only English Cathedral to be destroyed during the dissolution. Coventry would not have another Cathedral until 1918, when the parish church of St Michael was elevated to Cathedral status, and it was itself destroyed by enemy bombing in 1940. Coventry therefore has had the misfortune of losing its Cathedral twice in its history.
William Shakespeare may have witnessed plays in Coventry during his boyhood or 'teens', and these may have influenced how his plays, such as Hamlet, came about.
During the English Civil War Coventry became a bastion of the Parliamentarians: In August 1642, a Royalist force led by King Charles I attacked Coventry. After a two-day battle, however, the attackers were unable to breach the city walls, and the city's garrison and townspeople successfully repelled the attack, forcing the King's forces to withdraw. During the Second Civil War many Scottish Royalist prisoners were held in Coventry; it is thought likely that the idiom "sent to Coventry", meaning to ostracise someone, derived from this period, owing to the often hostile attitude displayed towards the prisoners by the city folk.
Following the restoration of the monarchy, as punishment for the support given to the Parliamentarians, King Charles II ordered that the city's walls be slighted (damaged and made useless as defences) which was carried out in 1662.
In the 18th and early 19th centuries, ribbon weaving and watch and clock making became Coventry's staple industries. In the 1780s, the ribbon weaving industry was estimated to employ around 10,000 weavers in Coventry, and its surrounding towns like Bedworth and Nuneaton. Coventry's growth was aided by the opening of the Coventry Canal in 1769, which gave the city a connection to the growing national canal network. Nevertheless, during the 18th century, Coventry lost its status as the Midlands' most important city to nearby Birmingham, which overtook Coventry in size. During the same period, Coventry became one of the three main British centres of watch and clock manufacture and ranked alongside Prescot, in Lancashire and Clerkenwell in London. By the 1850s, Coventry had overshadowed its rivals to become the main centre of British watch and clock manufacture, which by that time employed around 2,000 people. The watch and clock industry produced a pool of highly skilled craftsmen, who specialised in producing precision components.
The ribbon weaving and clock industries however both rapidly collapsed after 1860, due to cheap imports following the Cobden–Chevalier free trade treaty, which flooded the market with cheaper French silks, and Swiss Made clocks and watches. For a while, this caused a devastating slump in Coventry's economy.
A second wave of industrialisation however, began soon after. Coventry's pool of highly skilled workers attracted James Starley, who set up a company producing sewing machines in Coventry in 1861. Within a decade, he became interested in bicycles, and developed the penny-farthing design in 1870. His company soon began producing these bicycles, and Coventry soon became the centre of the British bicycle industry. Further innovation came from Starley's nephew, John Kemp Starley, who developed the Rover safety bicycle, the first true modern bicycle with two equal-sized wheels and a chain drive in 1885. By the 1890s Coventry had the largest bicycle industry in the world, with numerous manufacturers, however bicycle manufacture went into steady decline from then on, and ended entirely in 1959, when the last bicycle manufacturer in the city relocated.
By the late-1890s, bicycle manufacture began to evolve into motor manufacture. The first motor car was made in Coventry in 1897, by the Daimler Company. Before long Coventry became established as one of the major centres of the British motor industry. In the early-to-mid 20th century, a number of famous names in the British motor industry became established in Coventry, including Alvis, Armstrong Siddeley, Daimler, Humber, Jaguar, Riley, Rootes, Rover, Singer, Standard, Swift and Triumph. For most of the early-20th century, Coventry's economy boomed, in the 1930s, a decade otherwise known for its economic slump, Coventry was noted for its affluence; in 1937 Coventry topped a national purchasing power index, designed to calculate the purchasing power of the public.
With many of the city's older properties becoming increasingly unfit for habitation, the first council houses were let to their tenants in 1917. With Coventry's industrial base continuing to soar after the end of the Great War a year later, numerous private and council housing developments took place across the city in the 1920s and 1930s to provide housing for the large influx of workers who came to work in the city's booming factories. The areas which were expanded or created in this development included Radford, Coundon, Canley, Cheylesmore and Stoke Heath.
As the population grew, the city boundaries underwent several expansions, in 1890, 1928, 1931 and 1965.
The development of a southern by-pass around the city, starting in the 1930s and being completed in 1940, helped deliver more urban areas to the city on previously rural land. In the 1910s plans were created to redevelop Coventry's narrow streets and by the 1930s the plans were put into action with Coventry's medieval street of Butcher Row being demolished.
Coventry suffered severe bomb damage during the Second World War. The most severe was a massive Luftwaffe air raid that the Germans called Operation Moonlight Sonata. The raid, which involved more than 500 aircraft, started at 7pm on 14 November 1940 and carried on for 11 hours into the morning of 15 November. The raid led to severe damage to large areas of the city centre and to Coventry's historic cathedral, leaving only a shell and the spire. More than 4,000 houses were damaged or destroyed, along with around three quarters of the city's industrial plants. Between 380 and 554 people were killed, with thousands injured and homeless.
Aside from London, Hull and Plymouth, Coventry suffered more damage than any other British city during the Luftwaffe attacks, with huge firestorms devastating most of the city centre. The city was probably targeted owing to its high concentration of armaments, munitions, aircraft and aero-engine plants which contributed greatly to the British war effort, although there have been claims that Hitler launched the attack as revenge for the bombing of Munich by the RAF six days before the Coventry Blitz and chose the Midlands city because its medieval heart was regarded as one of the finest in Britain. Following the raids, the majority of Coventry's historic buildings could not be saved as they were in a ruinous state or were deemed unsafe for future use.
In the post-war years Coventry was largely rebuilt under the general direction of the Gibson Plan, gaining a new pedestrianised shopping precinct (the first of its kind in Europe on such a scale) and in 1962 Sir Basil Spence's much-celebrated new St Michael's Cathedral (incorporating one of the world's largest tapestries) was consecrated. Its prefabricated steel spire (flèche) was lowered into place by helicopter.
Further housing developments in the private and public sector took place after the Second World War, partly to accommodate the growing population of the city and also to replace condemned and bomb damaged properties. Several new suburbs were constructed in the post-war period, including Tile Hill, Wood End, and Stoke Aldermoor.
Coventry's motor industry boomed during the 1950s and 1960s and Coventry enjoyed a 'golden age'. In 1960 over 81,000 people were employed in the production of motor vehicles, tractors and aircraft in Coventry. During this period the disposable income of Coventrians was amongst the highest in the country and both the sports and the arts benefited. A new sports centre, with one of the few Olympic standard swimming pools in the UK, was constructed and Coventry City Football Club reached the First Division of English Football. The Belgrade Theatre was also constructed along with the Herbert Art Gallery. Coventry's pedestrianised Precinct shopping area came into its own and was considered one of the finest retail experiences outside London. In 1965 the new University of Warwick campus was opened to students, and rapidly became one of the country's leading higher-education institutions.
Coventry's large industrial base made it attractive to the wave of Asian and Caribbean immigrants who arrived from Commonwealth colonies after 1948. In 1950, one of Britain's first mosques—and the very first in Coventry—was opened on Eagle Street to serve the city's growing Pakistani community.
The 1970s, however, saw a decline in the British motor industry and Coventry suffered particularly badly, especially towards the end of that decade. By the 1970s, most of Coventry's motor companies had been absorbed and rationalised into larger companies, such as British Leyland and Chrysler which subsequently collapsed. The early 1980s recession dealt Coventry a particularly severe blow: By 1981, Coventry was in an economic crisis, with one in six of its residents unemployed. By 1982, the number of British Leyland employees in the city had fallen from 27,000 at its height, to just 8,000. Other Coventry industrial giants such as the tool manufacturer Alfred Herbert also collapsed during this time.
In the late-1970s and early-1980s, Coventry also became the centre of the Two-tone musical phenomena. The two-tone style was multi-racial, derived from the traditional Jamaican music genres of ska, reggae and rocksteady combined with elements of punk rock and new wave. Bands considered part of the genre include the Specials, the Selecter, Madness, the Beat, Bad Manners, the Bodysnatchers and Akrylykz. Most famously the Specials 1981 UK no.1 hit 'Ghost Town' reflected the unemployment and desolation of Coventry at the time.
Some motor manufacturing continued into the early 21st century: The research and design headquarters of Jaguar Cars is in the city at their Whitley plant and although vehicle assembly ceased at the Browns Lane plant in 2004, Jaguar's head office returned to the city in 2011, and is also sited in Whitley. Jaguar is owned by the Indian company, Tata Motors. The closure of the Peugeot factory at Ryton-on-Dunsmore in 2006, ended volume car manufacture in Coventry. By 2008, only one motor manufacturing plant was operational, that of LTI Ltd, producing the popular TX4 taxi cabs. On 17 March 2010 LTI announced they would no longer be producing bodies and chassis in Coventry, instead producing them in China and shipping them in for final assembly in Coventry.
Since the 1980s, Coventry has recovered, with its economy diversifying into services, with engineering ceasing to be a mass employer, what remains of manufacturing in the city is driven by smaller more specialist firms. By the 2010s the biggest drivers of Coventry's economy had become its two large universities; the University of Warwick and Coventry University, which between them, had 60,000 students, and a combined annual budget of around £1 billion.
In 2021 Coventry became the UK City of Culture.
As can be seen above, Coventry has experienced a significant amount of highs and lows throughout its very long history. I was looking forward to seeing how much, if any, of this would be reflected in its pubs and any other historical nuggets that I might discover. On paper, Coventry should be relatively easy to get to from Nottingham, as it does indeed have a train station. However, as I was travelling off-peak, which resulted in a cheaper ticket, I was faced with two changes of train, first at Leicester and then again at Nuneaton, before I eventually arrived in the city shortly before midday. However, I had given myself plenty of time and a relatively easy route to work with, so I was eager to throw myself in.
Leaving the train station, I followed the road around to the right, where I reached a pedestrian crossing that enabled me to cross the busy A429. Having navigated this, I continued down Westminster Street, with industrial units on my left and a disused car park on my right. This continued down to a residential street with older properties on both sides. At the end of Westminster Street, I turned right onto Regent Street, following this to the end, where I immediately turned left. My first stop for the day was just over the road, nestled next to student accommodation. Located at the junction of Butts and Queen Street, is The Aardvark.
Formerly part of Mitchells and Butlers Scream brand, this student oriented pub is quite large. The exterior, with its brick and mock-Tudor facade, gives way to a bright and modern interior. The layout is open plan, with the curved bar central to the back of the room. Seating throughout is primarily a mix of scrubbed wooden tables and chairs with comfy armchairs and settees. There are pool tables and table football in an area towards the rear and multiple TVs throughout that predominantly show sport. On the bar, there are 6 handpulls and I was pleased to see that 5 of these were in use, though they were largely offering various flavours of Lilley's still cider, namely Lemon & Lime, Rhubarb, Bee Sting and Mango. There was, luckily, one cask beer also available, in the shape of Sharp's Doom Bar. Doom Bar it was to be! I took my beer to a square table opposite the bar, inside the large windows at the front of the building. Despite the fact that this is, for all intents and purposes, a student pub, the few customers that were around were of an older variety, no doubt attracted by the very reasonable prices. Posters advertising various food and drink offers as well as upcoming events, both of the sporting and more festive ilk, are displayed throughout. I realise that this might seem like a strange place to begin a pub trip but, given that my only previous visit to Coventry had been to the football ground and I'd never been to the city centre, it seemed as good a place as any to start. Besides which, I always like to find a place close to the station for when I first arrive at a new place. It gives me a chance to refresh and plan ahead. As it turns out, The Aardvark keep a decent drop of Doom Bar so my decision was vindicated.
I found myself in the rare position on this trip of having put together an itinerary containing a large number of pubs that feature in the 2023 Good Beer Guide. For the most part, these would be taking up the majority of my attention throughout the day. And the first of these would be next up. Leaving the Aardvark, I turned right and continued up Butts (no laughing), which eventually brought me out to the junction of Butts Road, one of the main thoroughfares in the western part of the city. Continuing up this road for a few yards, I then took a left into a large car park that serves the adjacent Butts Park Arena, home of Coventry Rugby Club. Crossing this car park brought me to a small side street, tucked away from the main road and sheltered by nearby trees. My next destination has its home here. This was Broomfield Place, and my target was the Broomfield Tavern.
This rather nondescript place is in the middle of ongoing renovation work. Do not let the exterior put you off. Behind that door, many a wonder lies. Two things immediately struck me upon entering the Broomfield. The first was the heat from a log burner inside the door. The second was the sight of the enormous head of Teddy, the pub's resident St. Bernard. I was already invested and I hadn't even seen the bar yet. The interior is essentially one small L-shaped room. The bar sits at the end of the long arm, with a few chairs and round tables scattered throughout. The small arm of the L contains a couple more tables, plus a bench at one end for seating and, at the time I stopped by, was decorated with union flags in preparation for the upcoming Armistice weekend. Behind this is a small corridor that includes access to the toilets. The beer garden is to the front of the building, consisting of picnic style tables. Decoration inside takes the form of old photos amongst various assorted bric-a-brac. This pub's reputation proceeds it. As well as its listing in the Good Beer Guide, it is also a previous CAMRA branch Pub of the Year winner and the winner of Regional Cider Pub of the Year for 2022. Now that I'd been able to feast my eyes on the bar, I was about to find out what all the fuss was about. Of the 8 handpulls that grace the bar top, 5 of these were available, offering a choice of two beers from Burton Bridge, in Sovereign Gold and Top Dog Stout, and a trio from Froth Blowers, specifically, Gollop With Zest, Piffle Snonker and Barking Mad. I was almost instantly drawn to the options from Froth Blowers, based in Erdington, Birmingham, so I knew I'd be having one of these. I eventually settled for the Gollop With Zest (4.5%) and manouvered my way to a table next to the log burner where I could both enjoy my beer and keep an eye on Teddy's antics. The beer was fantastic. Gollop With Zest is a triple hopped pale ale. This means big citrus and fruity hits and an added zesty hit at the end. This was totally worth the wait. The Broomfield Tavern had been a late addition to my list and I'm glad that it ultimately made the cut. It's a cosy, welcoming place to enjoy a cracking beer! Upon finishing said beverage, I noticed that my next intended stop didn't open for another quarter of an hour. Frankly, it would have been rude not to have another one here and this time I went for the Barking Mad (4.2%), a pale ale hopped with Citra. This is a hoppy delight of a beer, as should be expected given the hop profile, but something about drinking it in the relaxed ambience of the Broomfield Tavern made it all the better.
I knew that I would eventually have to drag myself away from this place, at least for the time being, so I bid it a sad farewell and headed on my way. I had next planned to visit the Old Dyers Arms, just around the corner and back on the main road. However, when I first walked past, just after the listed opening time, it was still dark and locked up. Never mind. Perhaps I'd have time to come back this way later. Instead, I struck onwards. Crossing the road, I made my way down Spon Street, directly opposite, past rows of houses and ugly looking blocks of flats. Soon, I came to an underpass, which runs under the central ring road and emerges, still on Spon Street, on the edge of the city centre proper. Also on Spon Street is my next stop: the Old Windmill.
One of two pubs that claims to be Coventry's oldest, the Good Beer Guide listed (2023) Old Windmill, dates back to 1451, when it was originally two premises. The buildings were joined in the mid-19th century. The main passageway from the front door of the pub marks the original boundary between the two. The area to the left of this passageway was formerly a shop that sold all manner of items, including toys, whilst the right was the area previously occupied by the pub. When the property was converted into a single premises, the left hand side was used as domestic quarters until the pub was extended to cover the entire ground floor footprint in the early 1980s. Until 1930, the pub had its own brewery onsite and this still survives to the rear of the pub, although is sadly no longer in use. During renovations in 1985, a Victorian fireplace was removed, exposing an open stone hearth in the lounge, dating back to the 15th century. An opening adjacent to this leads to what was once a priest hole. Much of the present interior is original, with exposed beams throughout and all of the original rooms intact. It seems I had once again struck gold. Not only is the Old Windmill an awesome place but it also happened to be hosting one of its many annual beer festivals on the day of my visit! Just my luck that I actually had other pubs to visit after this! Entering the Old Windmill is a bit like going back in time. The central passageway has cosy rooms off either side for enjoying a quiet pint in front of a log burner. This passageway leads to the bar, located against the left hand wall, and further on to the rear room where the remains of the old brewhouse are located and can also be seen through a window from the passageway. The toilets are also located to the rear. Unusually, the cellar is on the ground level, accessed through a door just opposite the bar. Speaking of the bar, 7 handpulls have pride of place. There was certainly an interesting choice available. I was faced with the enviable choice between Rudgate Chocolate Stout, Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted, Settle Ernie's Milk Stout, Salcombe Devon Amber, Bristol Beer Factory Notorious, Great Newsome Sleck Dust and Sperrin Band of Brothers. With it being well and truly stout season, I fancied something darker here. I wasn't familiar with Settle Brewery, based in the eponymous part of Yorkshire, so I really wanted to try Ernie's Milk Stout (4.5%), which seemed to be going down well with some older gentlemen in front of me at the bar. I would soon see why. Beer received, I negotiated my way down the passageway and perched on a high stool at a wooden shelf, next to the cellar door but away from the bar. From here I could fully appreciate my surroundings and also absorb exactly what was going on. The aforementioned beer festival was responsible for the range of cask offerings but had also seen a stillage erected at the end of the bar, with 12 more beers! 11 of these were tapped and ready and seemed to be going down very well indeed. From what I was able to gather, customers were able to order from the bar and have their beer poured from the stillage and brought to them or, alternatively, could order directly from the member of staff manning the stillage. I made a note of the additional beers and again the range was impressive: Mr. Grundy's No Man's Land, Mobberley Bunji, By the Horns Lambeth Walk, Tiny Rebel Dough Boy, Salopian Port in a Storm, By the Horns Diamond Geezer, Magpie Cherry Raven, Zest Time Lord, Rudgate Berserka Rage, Shadow Bridge Ogre's Might and Settle Plum Porter. A fearsome range, it must be said. If only I'd had more time! I made a note to try and head back this way before the day was out. What was the beer I actually had like? It was wonderful! Rich and malty with undertones of coffee and chocolate, all finished off with sweetness. It was exactly what you'd want from a milk stout! The Old Windmill had impressed me. I would have enjoyed my time here even if there hadn't been a beer festival on but that was an added bonus! The pub was deservedly busy and it would have been interesting to see what it was like when the sun went down and the regulars had traipsed home. It would certainly be atmospheric, and possibly quite spooky, especially if you put any stock in the ghost stories. Staff have reported strange noises, particularly knocking, when the pub is closed. One unfortunate individual even reported being pushed towards the fireplace by an unseen source. This, together with ongoing poltergeist activity, are blamed on former landlords. However, with part of the building having been a toy shop in previous times, perhaps mischievous younglings are to blame.
As much as it pained me to leave the Old Windmill, I was very aware that I couldn't stay there all day, as tempting as it might have been. Leaving the pub, I turned right and continued down Spon Street, towards where it becomes Fleet Street. Shortly after this, I turned right again, this time onto a back street that took me down between some retail units before emerging in sight of my next location. Onto The Town Crier.
Originally built by Banks's in the 1980s, the Good Beer Guide (2023) listed Town Crier is now operated by Marston's. A recent refurbishment has added nice additional features. Inside, the pub is one large room, served by a single bar in one corner. The layout is broken up by pillars and seating areas across different levels. An area of banquette seating occupies a raised area to one side. The rest of the seating is a mix of tables and stools and low, scrubbed wood. The features are modern, with bare brick throughout and a large illuminated clock in one alcove. A large TV takes up one wall. The pub has two entrances. The front, 'main' entrance is on Corporation Street whereas the smaller, rear entrance, through which I entered, can be found on the adjacent back street. Outdoor seating is available, under cover, to the front. This was the busiest pub I had visited so far but was by no means full. The clientele was a mix of families, workers and older couples. This being a Marston's pub, the real ale offering was fairly standard for their premises. 5 of the 6 handpulls were being utilised. The beer choices were between Hobgoblin Gold, Tetley's Cask, Marston's Pedigree and Marston's Old Empire. The remaining handpull offered Rosie's Pig Rhubarb cider. Given my options, I didn't think wading straight in for the Old Empire was a good move, especially as it was still relatively early in the day, so I contented myself with the Pedigree and moved to a high stool away from the bar. I wasn't sure what I'd expected from The Town Crier. It's very much a community and local driven pub and it is a refreshing change to see a pub operated by a large pub company being recognised for the quality of its beer. The Pedigree was certainly very well kept and barely touched the sides. Perhaps I'm being cynical but, despite it's tie in to a large company, I expected a more impressive beer range. Still, considering how good the Pedigree turned out to be, I suppose I can't really complain too much.
I had high hopes for the next stretch of pubs. Leaving the Town Crier, I turned left up Corporation Street, followed the road round then took another left, this time onto Hill Street. Using the walk to fortify myself with some lunch, I shortly reached the end of the road where I located the Gatehouse Tavern.
This is another Good Beer Guide (2023) listed pub and a unique one at that! The pub was rebuilt from the shell of the former Leigh Mills Gatehouse (hence the name) and has been transformed by the landlord into a destination pub for both real ale and sport. The stained glass windows depict the emblems of the rugby six nations. Inside, the pub is a single room, relatively small, with a central bar. Seating is arranged around the room and there is a large projector screen which is used to show sport. The outside beer garden is the largest in the city centre and perfect for warmer days than the one on which I chose to visit. As well as rugby, the pub is the pre-match meeting place for the Coventry City London Supporters Club. Memorabilia commemorating both beer and sport is visible throughout, some of it in display cabinets. The toilets are located in one corner of the room. The bar features 7 handpulls. It was pleasing to see them all being utilised and all offering something different. The choices I was faced with here were Bass, Sharp's Solar Wave, North Cotswold Moreton Mild, Brunswick Platform 2b, Mitchells and Butlers Brew XI, North Cotswold Tumbling Jack and Lilley's Mango cider. There were certainly some interesting options from further afield so I opted for the Platform 2b (4.3%) from Derby's Brunswick Brewing Co. I decided to sit at the bar this time, so pulled up a pew on a stool at one end where I could better view the room. The Gatehouse is an interesting place. Its one room layout with reduced natural light reminded me of the, now sadly closed, Angel in Ripley, although without the mezzanine level. It's a welcome place to pass the time, especially when the beer is as good as this! Platform 2b is a golden ale, brewed with Mosaic hops. This provides hints of peach and citrus which balance well against the general bitterness. The Gatehouse was certainly worth the trip!
I would be retracing my steps slightly now. Leaving the Gatehouse Tavern, I made my way back down Hill Street, this time turning left onto Bond Street before reaching the end. My next location lies a short distance away. I had now arrived at the Town Wall Tavern.
The Town Wall Tavern is tucked behind the Belgrade Theatre and, as a result, often frequented by actors and theatregoers. One of the few remaining traditional locals in this part of the city, the pub is Good Beer Guide (2023) listed. The pub has two entrances, one, on the left into the bar and the second, on the right, leading straight through into the lounge. These areas are supplemented by a small snug at the very front, known as the 'Donkey Box', so called because it's just big enough to fit a donkey. The bar entrance leads directly to the curved bar, with its 8 handpulls, tables and chairs, a real fire, and a corridor leading to both the toilets and the lounge. The lounge entrance avoids the bar but leads to a small service area where the beers are handily listed on a chalkboard. Beyond this, the main lounge space with banquette seating along one wall and scrubbed wooden furniture throughout, leads to a smaller area with a piano as well as another snug-like room which features an internal bay window. This window was originally on the outside and the wall on which it sits was the original external wall of the pub. The lounge beyond this is a more recent extension. I entered the Town Wall through the right hand entrance, signed as the 'Smoke Room', and perused the board of beer. The options here were also rather varied, with Bass, Brains Rev James, Theakston Old Peculier, Wye Valley HPA, Theakston Mild, Purity Mad Goose, Titanic Plum Porter and Hog's Back Rat Fink & Rip Snorter. I was sorely tempted by the Theakston options, as it's been a while since I had either but I hadn't had Brains beers for even longer so went for the Rev James instead. This I took to a small table in the lounge, adjacent to the internal window. The Rev James was as good as I remembered, rich, well-balanced and with a mellow, malty flavour. The Town Wall Tavern is a perfect example of a traditional pub and I can see how easily it would get busy at weekends, or before theatre shows and during intervals. Thus far, my day in Coventry had been full of many highs.
I expected that theme to continue at my next stop. The next pub was the one I'd been looking forward to the most before my trip, so I was eager to see if it would ultimately live up to expectations. Turning right out of the Town Wall Tavern, I quickly turned right again into Belgrade Square, with the theatre on my right and the former offices of the Coventry Telegraph (now a hotel) on my left. Reaching the edge of the square, I again turned right where I found myself back on Corporation Street, where a group of premises lie underneath an overhang from the buildings above. One of these is Hops d'Amour.
Coventry's only micropub is a family-run affair occupying what was once Singers Sewing Centre, a shop selling sewing machines. Good Beer Guide listed, Hops d'Amour has won CAMRA Branch Pub of the Year in consecutive years for 2022 and 2023, is a West Midlands regional runner up and was in the top four of the 2023 National Cider Pub of the Year competition. It's no surprise then, that the pub was so full when I arrived! Being a micropub, the building is one room, with the bar at the far end and seating spread around the room so that the space in the centre acts as a walkway. A flight of stairs to the side of the bar leads up to the toilets. As well as 6 cask ales, 4 keg beers are always available as well as spirits, boxed ciders and a selection of low and no alcohol beers. There are also bottled and canned drinks available for both drink in and takeaway. In common with most micropubs, there is an absence of gaming machines and TVs but there is piped in music. I was excited to see what beers would be on offer here. After all, a pub becomes Pub of the Year for a reason so I knew that the beer was going to be good. I was faced with the choices of North Riding Cascade Pale, Only with Love Tinker, Wilde Child Dutiful Supremacy, Wilde Child Glutinous Maximus, Shiny Turtle Head and Trinity Hopwas. After reading the description on the pump clip, there was no way that I wasn't going to try the Glutinous Maximus (4.8%) from Leeds's Wilde Child. This is a sticky toffee milk stout. Judging from the reaction of the member of staff who served me, I could tell it was going to be good. I took my beer, in a Hops d'Amour branded glass no less, over to a recently vacated table near the door. My eyes were drawn to the framed photos of faces hanging on the wall opposite and the array of pump clips displayed above the door as I tried to ignore the couple of the neighbouring table discussing nutrition, as well as the couple on the other side of me trying to decide whether to have another beer or just have a gin when they got home. So far, Hops d'Amour was ticking all the boxes of a cracking micropub. The beer was gorgeous! I cannot overstate how delicious this beer is. Imagine sticky toffee pudding in a can but made a bit less sickly and a lot more decadent. It was absolutely delicious. I enjoyed it so much that I ordered a kegged version of it for work a few days later. To this day, almost a week later, I can still taste the beer and the joy it brought to me on a cold afternoon in Coventry. Wow!
It doesn't happen often but sometimes, during my excursions, I make a mistake. Just such an error would shortly occur. Leaving Hops d'Amour, I turned left and continued down Corporation Street. Shortly before it becomes Hales Street, I turned right onto The Burges. A short distance down this road, I saw my next location opposite. Crossing the road, I entered The Coventry Cross.
Approximately 8 seconds after walking through the door, did I realise that I'd made a grievous error. This wasn't the pub that I thought it was at all. I walked down the short corridor and then the flight of steps down to the bar, notable for the complete lack of handpulls, and realised that I'd royally messed up. I was greeted by the, to his credit, very friendly bar man and, to avoid drawing more attention to myself by just leaving, I ordered Guinness, the closest thing resembling ale that I could see. I paid and immediately withdrew to a high table on a raised section to one side of the door where I could be out of the way and figure out what had gone wrong. This is clearly a very old pub and it clearly has it's regulars. There were a few people in, most of them older or off work on a Friday, who obviously knew and liked the place. The bar faces into the centre of the room, where the majority of the seating is located. The area I was sitting in had more tables and chairs, as well as a couple of sofas. TVs on the wall were tuned to Sky Sports News. A lower section to the rear houses a pool table and dartboard as well as access to the toilets. Table talkers promoted cheap drink deals in neon colours. Why was I here? Because apparently I'm an idiot. When editing my itinerary down to a final list, I removed some pubs and added others. The Coventry Cross was one I'd initially removed but then I'd added it back on without thinking about why I'd removed it to begin with it. I was paying the price for my own lack of proof-reading and research. In hindsight, I think I meant to add The Philip Larkin just down the road instead. Doh! The Guinness was at least passable. Once I'd wiped the lipstick off the glass.
Normal programming would shortly resume. After my ill-fated trip to the Coventry Cross, I was about to make amends. Continuing down The Burges, I reached Coventry's central shopping precinct. Passing through an open square, and past the statue of Lady Godiva, I turned left towards the shell of Coventry's medieval cathedral and its 20th century replacement. On the junction of Pepper Lane and Hay Lane is the Golden Cross.
The second pub claiming to be Coventry's oldest, the Good Beer Guide (2023) listed Golden Cross is one of the few remaining Medieval buildings in the city centre, being a lucky survivor of the blitz that destroyed much of the city, including the cathedral. The building was built in 1583, on the site of the former Coventry Mint and has been a pub since 1616. In the 19th century renovations were carried out, using timber from the original St. Michael's bell tower. These beams are still intact and visible in the pub. The typical Tudor style of the original construction features a 'dragon beam' which is a diagonal beam that allowed the jettied upper floors to go round a corner. A sympathetic refurbishment in 2016-2017 ensured that the original features were retained. Whilst I initially entered the Golden Cross through the wrong door, I still ended up in the right place. The interior is aesthetically in keeping with its exterior. Whitewashed and exposed beams help keep the feel of the place and the interior is broken up into smaller sections. The bar is at one end of a long room. Furniture throughout is in keeping with the style of the pub. Upon the bar is a bank of 4 handpulls, offering beers from near and far. During my visit, the options were Titanic Plum Porter, Bath Ales Gem, Wye Valley HPA and Church End Fallen Angel. It seemed appropriate, given my surroundings, to give the Fallen Angel (5%) a go. This proved to be a good decision. The beer is a pale bitter, full flavoured and hopped with American varieties, for a hint of lemon. It certainly drinks much easier than its ABV would suggest! I managed to get a table not far from the bar, which allowed me to enjoy the quiet ambience of the Golden Cross. It hadn't yet reached the time of day when people would be finishing work for the weekend so, whilst there were a few customers around, it was by no means busy. It's certainly lucky that this pub survived the destruction wrought upon the city during WWII. The real ale scene in Coventry would be a touch worse without it. Given the age of the building, it's worth noting that it's not just the original Tudor beams that have survived. Strange activity has been reported in the kitchen here. The kitchens are believed to occupy the space where prison cells once stood and it is alleged that the previously incarcerated are acting out against their imprisonment post mortem. Additionally, during the renovation work that took place in 2016-17, loud unexplained banging on doors was reported, with one of the doors in question being seen to regularly open of its own accord. This, combined with the frequent sightings of shadowy figures throughout the pub, has given the pub a reputation as one of the most haunted in the locality.
On a more earthbound note, my beer glass was empty, always an unwelcome sign but one that meant it was time to be on my way out. Leaving the Golden Cross, this time through the correct door, I turned right and continued down Hay Lane and onto High Street, where the impressive and imposing city hall stands. This area is the location of where Coventry Castle once stood and, a short distance away, stands the Castle Grounds.
Formerly known as The Castle, this deceptively large pub is operated by Craft Union Pub Co., an arm of Stonegate. The layout is split over two levels. The ground floor houses the long bar that serves a raised seating area and two separate rooms with standard furniture throughout. Upstairs, there is an additional drinking area and a balcony. The decor is modern and heavily neon, with light up signs throughout. The large bar features a pair of handpulls, one of which was proferring Greene King Abbot Ale, whilst the other housed Lilley's Peach cider. In the face of no other options, I went for the Abbot and retreated to a table near the door. Luckily the Abbot was sufficiently well kept to make up for the lack of choice. The Castle Grounds has the feel of a pub that attracts a diverse clientele and it features several TVs throughout so will no doubt be busy when live sport is shown, as well as at weekends. I enjoyed it well enough and the beer was pleasant.
I had a decision to make now. I had rattled through my itinerary quicker than I expected to. I was tempted to head back to the Old Windmill and make my way through their beer festival wares but was also very aware that I didn't want to get carried away. In the end, I thought it would make sense to retrace my steps back in the direction of the station and hopefully be able to visit the Old Dyers Arms, which should by now have been open, before my train back. I made my way through the shopping precinct, eventually negotiated an indoor shopping arcade and found my way back to Spon Street. Back through the underpass I went, and back over the road I crossed. I could see the Old Dyers Arms ahead, could see the lights on and people moving about. I walked up to the door and.......it was locked. Oh well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I still had time before my train and so I returned to the first pub of the day that had blown me away, the Broomfield Tavern, now much busier, where I imbibed some of Froth Blowers delicious Piffle Snonker (3.8%). This put me in good stead for my return journey. Stepping over Teddy, I wound my way back through the dark West Midlands evening, arriving at the station in plenty of time for my train. I needn't have rushed. Due to what was described as a lack of train crew, the next two scheduled trains to Nuneaton had been cancelled which meant I got to hear the words that no train traveller enjoys hearing: rail replacement bus. This did eventually convey me, and a small handful of others, back to Nuneaton for connecting trains. From that point on, my journey back was largely uneventful and I finally arrived home, cold, tired and inexplicably sun kissed, only an hour later than planned. I did at least have extra time to ponder on the day's activities.
Coventry had been well worth the trip. By and large, each pub had delivered. The Good Beer Guide listed offerings had more than met my expectations and, in more than one case, thoroughly exceeded them. Coventry is often thought of in negative terms, at least in a socioeconomic sense. It's high time that changed. For those seeking out fine pubs and delicious beers, there are few places that hold a candle to Coventry's real ale scene. Not for the first time in its chequered history, this is a city on the up and I, for one, would happily go back. Although next time, I might just get the coach.
Pub of the day: The Broomfield Tavern. It was a close run thing but the Broomfield just edged it. Cracking beer: tick. Warm welcome: tick. Dog: tick.
Beer of the day: Wilde Child, Glutinous Maximus. An absolute belter of a milk stout.
Biggest surprise: The Old Windmill. I expected it to be good but it exceeded my expectations.
