News

Coventry Society member, Peter James, tells us the interesting story of Coventry School of Art. Peter writes…. Coventry School of Art was built in Ford Street in 1863 in the Gothic Revival style. The architect was James Murray born in Armagh Northern Ireland but moved to England as a child. After training under Walter Scott… Read more: Coventry School of Art

Coventry Society Vice Chair, Tim Brown, tells us about a new player in the social housing sector. Tim writes….. There has been considerable coverage of the start of the demolition work – see, for example, the City Council’s video at Demolition has started – City Centre South. But ‘under the radar’ there has been an… Read more: Affordable Housing and City Centre South

After a long delay, the demolition of parts of the city centre has commenced in preparation for the £450m City Centre South development. It is the biggest redevelopment project in the city centre since it was rebuilt after being devastated during World War Two. Demolition work has started at the site of City Arcade on… Read more: Demolition Starts for City Centre South

A church adjacent to Hearsall Common is to be added to the Local List of Heritage Assets. The former Hearsall Baptist Church, famous for its Christmas “Star of Hope”, has been accepted by the Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities for inclusion in the Council’s list of Local Heritage Assets. The listing follows a… Read more: Former Hearsall Baptist Church to be Locally Listed

Historian and CovSoc committee member, David Porter, has been researching a recently revealed wall in Spon End. David writes…. The recent demolition on Spon End of the warehouse and showroom previously occupied by Godiva Carpets has – quite literally – opened up an intriguing spectacle for anyone keen to learn more about the historical record… Read more: A new, old wall on Spon End

Housing association Citizen is working with The Hill Group to demolish Kerry House, Milestone House and Trafalgar House, as part of the first stage of the redevelopment with building work beginning in 2026 which should be completed in 2028. There has been considerable media coverage over the last month on the start of the demolition… Read more: Spon End Regeneration Update

CovSoc Committee member, Aaron Law, recently represented Coventry at an international conference in Warsaw. The conference celebrated the post-war rebuilding of Warsaw, which like Coventry was devastated during the Second World War. Warsaw is one of Coventry’s twin cities and the conference was also attended by representatives of other cities such as Rotterdam, Berlin and… Read more: Representing the City!

A group of twenty CovSoc members took a journey that they couldn’t have made during the last 85 years! A tram journey in Coventry! On 13th June, twenty CovSoc members took a ride on the Coventry Very Light Railway demonstration vehicle. Some of us also had the opportunity to drive the tram, but only on… Read more: First Tram Ride in 85 Years

On 12th June 2025, the Coventry Society visited the developing Leamington Cultural Quarter, courtesy of the Leamington Civic Society and the Friends of Leamington Spa Art Gallery. We met at the Royal Pump Rooms, but unfortunately, we were not able to look at the gallery because of problems with the roof. We were briefed on… Read more: Leamington Spa Cultural Quarter

Coventry Society member, Peter Hunter, launches a campaign to hold a George Shaw exhibition in the city. Peter writes……. I get goose pimples looking at the work of George Shaw depicting life in Coventry, of life in Tile Hill in particular. Many people locally will be familiar with Shaw’s ultra realistic work, but for the… Read more: George Shaw – Local Hero?