Council House, Coventry

The Council House, Coventry is a tudor-style civic building which acts as the meeting place of Coventry City Council and was built in the early 20th century. It is a Grade II-listed building.[1]

Council House, Coventry
The Council House
Council House in its setting at Council House Square
General information
Architectural styleTudor
Classification
Listed Building – Grade II
Designated24 June 1974
Reference no.1342927
AddressEarl Street
Town or cityCoventry
CountryUnited Kingdom
Coordinates52.4072°N 1.5079°W / 52.4072; -1.5079
Construction started1913
Completed1917
Opened11 June 1920 (1920-06-11)
OwnerCoventry City Council
Technical details
Floor count4
Design and construction
ArchitectEdward Garrett, Henry Walter Simister
Website
www.coventry.gov.uk/directory_record/66/the_council_house

History

The Council House was commissioned to replace St Mary's Guildhall as the headquarters of the mayor and city corporation.[2] The site on Earl Street had previously been occupied by a row of shops.[3] The foundation stone was laid on 12 June 1913 and the building was designed by Edward Garrett and Henry Walter Simister of Birmingham in the Elizabethan style.[4] It was completed in 1917[5] although, because of the First World War, the official opening by the Duke of York only took place on 11 June 1920.[6]

Statues designed by Henry Wilson depicting Leofric (who founded monasteries in Coventry), Godiva (who was patron of the local monasteries) and Justice were installed around and above the entrance in 1924.[7][8]

During the Second World War, the bombings on the night of 14 November 1940, known as the Coventry Blitz, gave rise to some damage to the building including the destruction of the stained glass windows.[9] The former Duke of York returned to the Council House as King George VI to survey the damage in the aftermath of the raid.[9]

In September 2017 the council moved some 1,500 staff to its new 13-storey tower block at One Friargate.[10][11]

  • The interior corridors have decorative plasterwork and leaded windows
  • The coat of arms of Coventry over the entrance to the Council House. Coventry's motto Camera Principis translates as "The Prince's Chamber", used because Coventry was regarded as the chamber of Edward, the Black Prince.

References
  1. Historic England. "The Council House, Coventry (1342927)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  2. "St Mary's Guildhall". Culture24. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  3. "Look: 100 years since work began on Coventry Council House". Coventry Live. 13 June 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  4. "Council House Called Late To Politics". Coventry and Warwickshire News. 23 August 2000. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  5. "Coventry Council House". Visit Coventry and Warwickshire. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  6. Orland, Rob. "Council House, Earl Street". Historic Coventry. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  7. "The Council House". A History Tour of Coventry. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  8. "Henry Wilson - the all round artist for Coventry Council House". Coventry Society. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  9. "Council House". Britain Express. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  10. "Coventry council's new tower block at Friargate now completed". Coventry Observer. 21 September 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  11. "What will happen to Coventry Council House when new Friargate building is finished?". Coventry Live. 10 September 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
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