by Blitzkid » Sat Apr 23, 2022 10:01 am
Coventry was an Open town for many centuries, and of course, incapable of sustaining a siege. the walls and Gates were built in 1355 granted a licence for such by Edward 111, it took over 40 years to complete.
The walls were of great strength and grandeur, Paid for by taxing the people, furnished with thirty two towers and twelve gates, until 1661 when a great part of the wall, towers and gates were pulled down, under disgrace of the town, as a punishment to the city for disloyalty of the inhabitants to their Monarch Charles 1.
Charles meant to reside in Coventry for some time, he desired quarters for his forces in and about the place. the mayor and the aldermen offered to receive the king, but refused to have his forces in the city.
His Majesty attacked the city, forced open one of the gates, but was driven back by the valour of the citizens, and obliged to retire, but this had happened before.
In the 15th century the great Earl of Warwick, armed it against Edward 1V in 1470 when he tried to enter the gate on the side of Gosford green. So he deprived them of their privileges, and made them pay 500 marks.
Before the building of the walls, there had been from very early times, a castle on the south side of the town in Cheylsemore park, and after time it fell to the Earl of Chester and was vested in the royalty.