Coventry Castle

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Coventry Castle
Coventry, United Kingdom
Caesar's Tower, all that remains of the castle, and St Mary's Guildhall which was built onto the ruins.
Map showing the location of Coventry Castle within the West Midlands
Type	Castle
Coordinates	52°24′27″N 1°30′29″W / 52.407442°N 1.507933°W / 52.407442; -1.507933Coordinates: 52°24′27″N 1°30′29″W / 52.407442°N 1.507933°W / 52.407442; -1.507933
Built	11th century^[1]
Current condition	Destroyed (apart from Caesar's Tower)^[1]
Open to the public	Yes

Coventry Castle (grid reference SP336788).^[2] was a motte and bailey castle in the city of Coventry, England. It was demolished in the late 1100s and St Mary's Guildhall was built on the site.

History

Construction

It was built in the 11th century by Ranulf Meschines, Earl of Chester, probably out of wood initially. 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 and converted it into a fortress from which he waged a battle against the Earl. Marmion perished in the battle.

Coventry Castle was first mentioned in 1147, when those loyal to the king retreated to its defences during a siege by Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester. After the siege was lifted, King Stephen destroyed the castle, however it was probably later repaired as it was described as a viable fortification in 1182.^[2]

Despite Coventry's position at one of the most important road intersections in England, a castle was built there relatively late.^[3]

Tudor period

In November 1569, Mary, Queen of Scots was detained in Caesar's Tower, by which time St. Mary's Guildhall had been built onto it.^[4] The room in which she was detained is disputed. A room in Caesar's Tower nicknamed the "Mary Queen of Scots" was originally thought to be the location due to its cell-like appearance however it is likely she was held in the " Old Mayoress's Parlour".^[4]

Present day

Today, Caesar's Tower - which is thought to be all that remains of the castle - still exists as part of St Mary's Guildhall. It was rebuilt after bombing during the Second World War.^[5] On the bottom floor of the tower is "the Treasury" and above what is known (though, it is thought to be incorrectly) as the "Mary Queen of Scots room".

The Cathedral Lanes Shopping Centre was constructed over part of the castle.^[6]

References

Notes

^ ^a ^b Charles Taylor. "Coventry Castle". Retrieved 7 August 2012.
^ ^a ^b "Coventry Castle". Pastscape.org.uk. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
^ Cathcart King (1983), p. xxii.
^ ^a ^b "Mary Queen of Scots and St. Mary's Guildhall". Coventry City Council. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
^ St Mary's Hall (1116402). National Heritage List for England. English Heritage. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
^ Coventry Castle, The Coventry Pages, retrieved 2009-10-08 ^{[dead link]}

Bibliography

Cathcart King, David J. (1983), Catellarium Anglicanum: An Index and Bibliography of the Castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume I: Anglesey–Montgomery, Kraus International Publications