CovSoc member Peter James tells us the fascinating story of the Black Bull Inn in Smithford Street. Peter writes…
Smithford Street was a thoroughfare for over 800 years connecting Broadgate in the Coventry city centre and Spon Street. The street crossed the River Sherbourne initially by a ford mentioned in 1161 and later by a bridge built in the 13th century.
In the Middle Ages, The Black Bull Inn stood on the south side of Smithford Street.
The Black Bull Inn was a three-storey timber framed building with eight bays. It was once described as the greatest medieval inn in Coventry.
After the defeat of Richard III at Bosworth Field in 1485 Henry VII visited the city with his army. He stayed at the Black Bull where the owner was the Mayor Robert Olney who arranged a banquet where the king was presented with a gold cup and the sum of £100. Robert was later recognised by the king with the award of a knighthood. King Henry returned two years later to raise more fighting men for his army. He subsequently won the Battle of Stoke Field on 16th June 1487 where Robert Harrington of the rebel army was arrested. Robert was beheaded at Bull Conduit while Henry stood watching a short distance away at the Black Bull where he was staying. This was the end of The War of the Roses.
On 26th November 1569 Queen Elizabeth I sent a letter regarding Mary Queen of Scots to the Mayor of Coventry.
In November 1569 Mary left Tutbury Castle accompanied by the Earls of Shrewsbury and Huntingdon. She arrived in Coventry and stayed at the Black Bull. Queen Elizabeth was apparently fuming when she found out and Mary was rapidly transferred. She had requested that the Scottish Queen be safely kept and guarded. There is uncertainty about where she went next. A room in Caesar’s Tower was a distinct possibility but it’s more likely she was held in the Old Mayoress’s Parlour in St. Mary’s Guildhall. After three months in Coventry Mary and her entourage returned to Tutbury Castle in January 1570.
Elizabeth Stuart born on 19th August 1596 the second daughter of King James I arrived at Coombe Abbey under the protection of Lord and Lady Harrington. On 19th October 1603 the king issued an order stating that they would be responsible for her education. She was living at Coombe being educated in 1605 totally unaware that she was the target of Gunpowder Plotters wishing to assassinate her father. Their plan was to kill her father and place her on the English throne as a Catholic Queen. On 4th November 1605 Thomas Wintour and two other plotters stayed at the Black Bull Inn waiting to hear from London of the death of James I. On hearing the news of the arrest of Guy Fawkes they fled. Thomas Wintour was captured later in November 1605 and confessed while in the Tower of London. He was tried accused of treason on 27th January 1606 and subsequently hung drawn and quartered in London.
Spencer Compton was a Royalist and in 1642 was forced to flee from Parliamentarian soldiers. He escaped from the Black Bull Inn along a path which led from Smithford Street to Greyfriars Gate. Unfortunately he died a year later in 1643 at the Battle of Hopton Heath.
The Black Bull Inn was demolished and army barracks were built where it once stood in 1793. This was an Inn that had provided board and lodging for royalty, harboured potential kidnappers and witnessed a great escape.