Skip to main content.

Story of Coventry

Nowadays best known for its bombing in WWII, the English city of Coventry was founded in the early Middle Ages. Earl Leofric and his wife Lady Godiva (famously riding naked through the streets) founded a Benedictine monastery in 1043, and over time, the city became a major pilgrimage center. During the Wars of the Roses (1455 - 1487), the Royal Court was moved to Coventry and parliament was held in the city as well.

In this book Mary Dormer Harris follows Coventry's history through the Middle Ages. While looking at famous people from Coventry and their influence on the city's architecture, she also details the daily lives of the common townsfolk, the guild, and their contributions to the city's thriving economy.

This book is part of the "Mediaeval Town" series published in the early 20th century. (Summary by Availle) (9 hr 57 min)

Chapters

Preface & Introduction

17:23

CHAPTER I - Leofric and Godiva

16:06

CHAPTER II - The Benedictine Monastery

22:20

CHAPTER III - The Chester Lordship

12:11

CHAPTER IV - Beginnings of Municipal Government

17:19

CHAPTER V - Prior's-half and Earl's-half

18:08

CHAPTER VI - The Seigniory of the Prior and Queen Isabella

13:47

CHAPTER VII - The Corporation and the Guilds

16:09

CHAPTER VIII - The Mayor, Bailiffs, and Community

16:37

CHAPTER IX - Coventry and the Kingdom of England

30:49

CHAPTER X - The Red and White Rose

42:39

CHAPTER XI - The Last Struggle of York and Lancaster - the Tudors and Stuarts -…

33:38

CHAPTER XI - The Last Struggle of York and Lancaster - the Tudors and Stuarts -…

32:31

CHAPTER XII - The Lammas Lands - part 1

46:00

CHAPTER XII - The Lammas Lands - part 2

46:31

CHAPTER XIII - The Companies of the Crafts

31:29

CHAPTER XIV - Daily Life in the Town - the Merchants and the Market - part 1

31:49

CHAPTER XIV - Daily Life in the Town - the Merchants and the Market - part 2

27:46

CHAPTER XV - Daily Life in the Town (continued) - Religion and Amusements of t…

32:22

CHAPTER XV - Daily Life in the Town (continued) - Religion and Amusements of t…

34:17

CHAPTER XVI - Old Coventry at the Present Day - part 1

28:19

CHAPTER XVI - Old Coventry at the Present Day - part 2

29:03