Work begins on medieval Coventry building makeover

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Work begins on medieval Coventry building makeover

Postby dutchman » Thu Oct 13, 2022 4:08 pm

Work to transform a historical building in Coventry city centre is under way

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Whitefriars' Gate in Much Park Street is being renovated thanks to nearly £200,000 in grants secured by the Historic Coventry Trust.

The grade II listed building, known locally as the toy museum, was once the outer gatehouse of Whitefriars Monastery.

The project involves plans to transform the structure into accommodation and office space.

After the monasteries were dissolved in the 16th Century, the medieval gatehouse was adapted into two separate cottages.

A rear extension was built in the early 18th Century with a further two cottages including a weaver's loft.

The building's last resident was Ron Morgan, a potter and former city councillor whose love of children's toys led him to open the building as a museum from 1973 until 2007.

Graham Tait, assistant director at Historic Coventry Trust, said the renovation was "a unique opportunity for people to stay in this much-loved historic building as well as access for all during future heritage open days".

Councillor David Welsh, cabinet member for heritage at Coventry City Council, added: "We all have fond memories of the building when it was the toy museum and it will be great to see it back in use."

:bbc_news:
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Re: Work begins on medieval Coventry building makeover

Postby Blitzkid » Tue Oct 18, 2022 12:14 pm

Coventry's Grey friars came to this spot to build their Monastery, they built it with windows to face the sun. I have eleven names of the thirteen friars of the noble building at this gate. The steeple became the third steeple of Coventry, about 1348.
But much of it's history was lost in the fire-ball of the Blitz.

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Re: Work begins on medieval Coventry building makeover

Postby Blitzkid » Wed Oct 19, 2022 3:16 pm

The building was attached to the gate, the east wall had thirteen windows so no one would miss the messiah if he should appear. The church wasn't built till the time of Richard III, but it was once consumed with fire but was extinguished before too much damage. The orchard was on the west side of the town, a horse-and-cart pathway was called west orchard that still remains.
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Re: Work begins on medieval Coventry building makeover

Postby Blitzkid » Sat Oct 22, 2022 2:39 pm

The Grey friars monastery was built before the wall or gate.Thirteen friars represented Christ and 12 disciples.
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Re: Work begins on medieval Coventry building makeover

Postby rebbonk » Sat Oct 22, 2022 4:44 pm

Blitzkid wrote:Thirteen friars represented Christ and 12 disciples.


Obvious once you pointed it out Blitzkid, but not something I'd ever cottoned on to. :thumbsup:
Of course it'll fit; you just need a bigger hammer.
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Re: Work begins on medieval Coventry building makeover

Postby Blitzkid » Thu Nov 10, 2022 5:19 pm

The toy house certainly stands on what was once the White Friars site,but the White Friars were 'knight Templars''
In 1307 King Philip was broke, so he confiscated the possesions of the Knight Templars, not satisfied with taking their lands he was later given PAPAL Authority to instruct the inquisistion to torture the KNIGHTSfor information described as "Grand larceny" Many Templars fled the country, managed to take their wealth with them.im Coventry they still wore the White gown,but they must have heard danger and changed to a Grey gown,
In 1952 with an official document of Being a Pilgrim signed in the Holy Sepulchre I saw a few of those lists in the Vatican.
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Re: Work begins on medieval Coventry building makeover

Postby rebbonk » Thu Nov 10, 2022 6:57 pm

:thumbsup:
Of course it'll fit; you just need a bigger hammer.
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Re: Work begins on medieval Coventry building makeover

Postby Blitzkid » Tue Nov 15, 2022 2:10 pm

The Carmelites White Friars/Grey building was destroyed about a dozen times through history, so What period are the going to rebuild
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Re: Work begins on medieval Coventry building makeover

Postby Blitzkid » Wed Nov 23, 2022 12:14 pm

It was said one time that they were 'Carmelites' point maybe of interest.
1945-8 the British army was given the job of policing Palestine, this in turn was given to the 6th Airborne Division,-- their H.Q was in the Mount Carmel Priory, a big building of more than football stadium size, with a massive wall of granite surrounding it, on the Lintel above the doorway on this carved into the rock was words in Latin and symbols etc.
The last few days of Beb 1947 I spent about 5 nights, during the day I worked on our new camp in 'Haifa Port, My first duty in new camp was to guard was to guard shipping office of port, the ground floor of building was Barclays Bank, a suitcase of explosives exploded, next few minutes and I was in Hospital, the top of Mount Carmel.
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Re: Work begins on medieval Coventry building makeover

Postby Blitzkid » Wed Nov 23, 2022 12:33 pm

Mount Carmel once had a huge aqueduct built by Herod, held water, fed by springs from the mountain, it was re-stored by roman second and tenth legions in 132-135,
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