Basic Site Details

Name: Coventry Cathedral
Town, district or village: Coventry
City or county: Warwickshire
Country: England
Parish:  
Status:  
Grid ref:
Notes:  

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:
 NameCurrent name?Notes
Item 1 of 3Cathedral of St Michael  
Item 2 of 3New Coventry Cathedral  
Item 3 of 3The Cathedral Church of St Michael  

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1Cathedral  

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 7c. 1950  Competition designs
Item 2 of 7August 1951  Competition designs in the Builder
Item 3 of 719 September 1952 * Design exhibitedAmendments to design are announced
Item 4 of 71953 Design exhibited 
Item 5 of 74 May 1957 Design exhibiteddrawing of modified porch at Coventry Cathedral at the RA Summer Exhibition, Burlington House, starting 4 May 1957, per Builder 3 May 1957, p803
Item 6 of 715 May 1957 Design exhibited'modifications were outlined at a Diocesan Conference on May 15 by Professor Spence' per Builder, 17 May 1957, p929
Item 7 of 71962 Opened 

* earliest date known from documented sources.

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 6Albert Dick Cordiner E1950s Honourable mention in competition
Item 2 of 6George Albert Henry Pearce  c. 1950 Unsuccessful competition designs.
Item 3 of 6Leslie Grahame Thomson (or Leslie Grahame-Thomson; later Leslie Grahame MacDougall)  c. 1950 Competition designs
Item 4 of 6(Sir) Basil Urwin Spence  1951 *1962Spence won the competition to design Coventry's new cathedral in 1951, grafting his design onto the remains of the bombed-out original.
Item 5 of 6Charles Adrian Hope A1951  
Item 6 of 6Vernon Harry Lee F1951 Compeition design

* earliest date known from documented sources.

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Glendinning, Miles1997Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75  Tuckwell Press Ltdp5, p94, p98
Item 2 of 2Royal Academy exhibitors    1953, no 1085

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 11Builder24 August 1951  p237-43
Item 2 of 11Builder11 January 1952  p38-39
Item 3 of 11Builder19 September 1952  p394-395
Item 4 of 11Builder1 May 1953  p677-679
Item 5 of 11Builder28 August 1953  p306 - details Spence's fund-raising trip to Canada
Item 6 of 11Builder3 May 1957  p803
Item 7 of 11Builder17 May 1957  p929 (refers reader to p952)
Item 8 of 11Builder28 March 1958  colour illustration of tapestry which will form chancel backdrop p?
Item 9 of 11Builder15 January 1960  pp102-103; two interior photos with caption
Item 10 of 11Builder15 January 1960  'Book Review: Modern Architecture in Britain by Trevor Dannatt' p115; refers to comment in Summerson's intro. re: cathedral as 'the most striking pavilion of religious art of the century'
Item 11 of 11Builder29 April 1960  'Notes of the Week' p815; mentions chancel tapestry - being woven at Falletin, France by Pinton Freres; 1/3 finished and trial section shortly on display at V&A; expected complete in 1961

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 3Courtesy of Mr LeeInterview with Vernon Lee, 3 February 2010 Additional information November 2010
Item 2 of 3National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSG A H Pearce collection DC 44976-44981, DC 45089-45094
Item 3 of 3National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSLeslie Grahame Thomson MacDougall Collection LGM 1950/25/1-5